Company Description: Chevron Corporation is a global integrated oil company (formerly ChevronTexaco) with interests in exploration, production, refining and marketing, and petrochemicals.
Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Avg. High Yield Price
2. 20-Year DCF Price
3. Avg. P/E Price
4. Graham Number
CVX is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 11.6% discount to its calculated fair value of $126.85. CVX earned a Star in this section since it is trading at a fair value.
Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. Free Cash Flow Payout
2. Debt To Total Capital
3. Key Metrics
4. Dividend Growth Rate
5. Years of Div. Growth
6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
CVX earned two Stars in this section for 2.) and 3.) above. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. CVX earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1912 and has increased its dividend payments for 25 consecutive years.
Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
1. NPV MMA Diff.
2. Years to > MMA
CVX earned a Star in this section for its NPV MMA Diff. of the $1,673. This amount is in excess of the $1,000 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as CVX has. The stock's current yield of 3.13% exceeds the 2.6% estimated 20-year average MMA rate.
Memberships and Peers: CVX is a member of the S&P 500 and a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers™ Index. The company's peer group includes: BP plc (BP) with a 4.6% yield, Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) with a 2.6% yield and ConocoPhillips (COP) with a 4.7% yield.
Conclusion: CVX earned one Star in the Fair Value section, earned two Stars in the Dividend Analytical Data section and earned one Star in the Dividend Income vs. MMA section for a total of four Stars. This quantitatively ranks CVX as a 4-Star Strong stock.
Using my D4L-PreScreen.xls model, I determined the share price would need to increase to $139.92 before CVX's NPV MMA Differential increased to the $1,000 minimum that I look for in a stock with 25 years of consecutive dividend increases. At that price the stock would yield 3.1%.
Resetting the D4L-PreScreen.xls model and solving for the dividend growth rate needed to generate the target $1,000 NPV MMA Differential, the calculated rate is 6.3%. This dividend growth rate is below the 8.4% used in this analysis, thus providing a margin of safety. CVX has a risk rating of 1.50 which classifies it as a Low risk stock.
CVX is reducing its refining footprint and focusing on large, long-lived upstream projects with higher margins and growth potential. As with other large multinationals, the company is finding it increasingly difficult to add reserves. Much of the remaining easily accessible reserves are owned by governments and national oil companies. As a result, CVX is focusing more on deep-water exploration.
The company's financials are strong. Although its free cash flow payout is below my 60% maximum, CVX had one year of negative free cash flow during the last 10 which prevents it from earning its 5th star. The stock is trading at a discount to my $126.85 calculated fair value. I will continue to add to my position as long as the stock continues to exhibit favorable dividend metrics and as long as my allocation allows.
Disclaimer: Material presented here is for informational purposes only. The above quantitative stock analysis, including the Star rating, is mechanically calculated and is based on historical information. The analysis assumes the stock will perform in the future as it has in the past. This is generally never true. Before buying or selling any stock you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion. See my Disclaimer for more information.
Full Disclosure: At the time of this writing, I was long in CVX (3.4% of my Dividend Growth Portfolio). See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.
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