Zacks Analyst Interview Highlights: ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Transocean and Baker-Hughes

Business Wire, Feb 1, 2008

CHICAGO -- Zacks.com releases the latest Analyst Interview. Today's interview is with senior analyst Sheraz Mian, who discusses ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Chevron (NYSE: CVX), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), Transocean (NYSE: RIG) and Baker-Hughes, Inc. (NYSE: BHI).

A synopsis of today's Analyst Interview is presented below. The full article can be read at http://at.zacks.com/?id=2678.

All told, you seem to be very favorable on many of the bigger names in your integrated oil company coverage. Are these stocks taking on a more "defensive play" identity?

While it is true that I have all along favored the large-cap integrated company group within this space, I also like selective oilfield service and drilling names. I am looking for continued weakness in crude oil prices in the near term. Historically, this has not been a favorable backdrop for stock prices in the energy space. As such, I would expect across-the-board weakness in the group in the face of moderating commodity prices.

This is only a short-term headwind and should not be of much concern to long-term investors who should view this expected pullback as an opportunity to add to their positions in large-cap integrateds - ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) - offshore drillers, particularly with deepwater drilling capabilities like Transocean (NYSE: RIG), and large-cap service names like Baker-Hughes, Inc. (NYSE: BHI).

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