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CNQCanadian Natural Resources LimiSell5.1·$39.47+1.41%
SellModerate Confidence
Investment thesis

Canadian Natural Resources has delivered four consecutive quarterly earnings beats averaging a 9.4% upside surprise, but revenue has declined roughly 1% year-over-year, price momentum sits below the threshold with falling on-balance volume, and the high dividend yield is explicitly flagged as potentially unsafe relative to current free cash flow generation.

Thesis pillars

  • Dividend Sustainability ConcernStable
  • Consistent Earnings Beat StreakStable
  • Declining Revenue TrajectoryStable
  • +1 more pillar — see the Why tab for full reasoning

Full reasoning →

Open full analysis

Canadian Natural Resources Limi (CNQ) Stock Analysis

SellModerate Confidence

Energy · Oil & Gas E&P

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $39.47 — A.R:R is negative (-0.3) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Weak growth.

Canadian Natural Resources Limited engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, marketing, and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs) in Western Canada, the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea, and Offshore Africa. The company... Read more

$39.47+15.6% A.UpsideScore 5.1/10#34 of 48 Oil & Gas E&P
QualityF-score6 / 9FCF yield6.46%
IncomeYield4.44%(5y avg 4.19%)Payout45.54%sustainable
Stop $37.67Target $45.83(resistance)A.R:R -0.3:1
Analyst target$45.85+16.2%4 analysts
$45.83our TP
$39.47price
$45.85mean
$51

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $39.47 — A.R:R is negative (-0.3) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Weak growth. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Score 5.1/10, moderate confidence.

Passes 7/9 gates (positive momentum, clean insider activity, no SEC red flags, news events none recent, earnings proximity 33d clear, semi cycle peak clear, materials cycle peak clear). Fails on favorable risk/reward ratio. Suitability: moderate.

news + 30-day 8-K events · 5-min refresh

Recent developments

updated 2026-07-06
TrendMatrix Research · upcoming catalyst calendar

Upcoming dated catalysts

Thu, Aug 6, 202633d to earnings· next earnings call

Thesis

Rewards
Strong earnings beat streak (4/4)
Risks
Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining
Weak growth

Key Metrics

P/E (TTM)11.8
P/E (Fwd)10.9
Mkt Cap$82.7B
EV/EBITDA6.9
Profit Mgn25.1%
ROE22.8%
Rev Growth-1.2%
Beta0.88
Dividend4.44%
Rating analysts24

Quality Signals

Piotroski F6/9MoatNarrow

Options Flow

P/C1.22bearish
IV51%elevated

Model-generated analysis — not investment advice. Not a registered investment advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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Methodology · Editorial policy & full disclaimer

Rating Breakdown

2 floor-breakers

Revenue shrinking — -1.2% YoY. Growth thesis broken unless recovery story develops.static

Earnings Growth
0.0
Revenue Growth
2.2
Declining revenue: -1%

Ranks in the bottom of its industry peers on the composite signal. Better names in the same sector exist.static

Growth Rank
3.0
Value Rank
4.4
Quality Rank
7.9
Superior ROE vs peers
GatesA.R:R -0.3=NEGATIVEMomentum 5.1<5.5 (soft — BUY_NOW allowed but watch)Momentum 5.1>=4.5Insider activity: OKNo SEC red flagsNEWS EVENTS NONE RECENTEARNINGS PROXIMITY 33d clearSEMI CYCLE PEAK CLEARMATERIALS CYCLE PEAK CLEARSuitability: Moderate
RSI
22 · Oversold
20D MA 50D MA 200D MAGOLDEN CROSSSupport $38.83Resistance $46.77

Price Targets

$38
$46
A.Upside+16.1%
A.R:R-0.3:1

Position Sizing

ConvictionNone
Suggested %0.5%
Max %1%
RegimeSteady

Risk Alerts

! Target reached (-1.7% upside)
! Negative risk/reward — downside exceeds upside

Earnings

B
B
B
B
4/4 beats
Next Earnings2026-08-06 (33d)

Verdict History

reverse chrono — latest first
Loading history...
Verdicts are recorded on every nightly pipeline run. Rows capture transitions (verdict flips, score deltas ≥0.3, entry/TP/SL changes). Rows with a ▶ can be expanded to see the change reason. Aggregate cohort performance is tracked in the recommendation ledger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CNQ stock a buy right now?

Sell if holding. Analyst target reached at $39.47 — A.R:R is negative (-0.3) — price has exceeded the analyst target. Reward from here is too thin for a buy — the engine flags exit. Additional concerns: Weak growth. Chart setup: No clear chart pattern; technical signals are mixed. Prior stop was $37.67. Score 5.1/10, moderate confidence.

What is the CNQ stock price target?

Take-profit target: $45.83 (+15.6% upside). Prior stop was $37.67. Stop-loss: $37.67.

What are the risks of investing in CNQ?

Analyst target reached - limited upside remaining; Weak growth.

Is CNQ overvalued or undervalued?

Canadian Natural Resources Limi trades at a P/E of 11.8 (forward 10.9). TrendMatrix value score: 6.7/10. Verdict: Sell.

What do analysts say about CNQ?

24 analysts cover CNQ with a consensus score of 3.5/5. Average price target: $46.

What does Canadian Natural Resources Limi do?Canadian Natural Resources Limited engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, marketing, and...

Canadian Natural Resources Limited engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, marketing, and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs) in Western Canada, the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea, and Offshore Africa. The company offers synthetic crude oil (SCO), mining bitumen, light and medium crude oil and NGLs, thermal bitumen, primary heavy crude oil and Pelican Lake heavy crude oil. Its midstream assets include two crude oil pipeline systems; and a 50% working interest in an 84-megawatt cogeneration plant at Primrose. The company was formerly known as AEX Minerals Corporation and changed its name to Canadian Natural Resources Limited in December 1975. Canadian Natural Resources Limited was incorporated in 1973 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Related stocks: EXE (Expand Energy Corporation) · EQT (EQT Corporation) · RRC (Range Resources Corporation) · AR (Antero Resources Corporation) · EOG (EOG Resources, Inc.)
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