Chevron -- Rambling -- March 26, 2025

Locator: 48374CVX.

Surprise, surprise: energy is 2025's biggest stock market winner. Barron's. Link here. Most surprising, CVX. Favorite? 

Year-to-date: CVX up 13.7% and yet the meme since Trump announced tariffs: sell, sell, sell and put everything into cash. CVX appreciation in those three months (YTD): 13.7% while paying a healthy, healthy dividend. Five years ago, CVX was selling for $75. CVX dividend, annual, is $6.84 = 9%. In 2003, CVX shares were trading for $50. 13.68% payout. 

Trump has backtracked a bit -- letting CVX continue activities in Venezuela for at least another month, while simultaneously increasing tariffs on Venezuela to/by/whatever 25%. No one has any idea any more about the whole Trump tariff thing. At some point, folks will begin to ignore -- it's becoming a "boy-cried-wolf" story. But I digress. 

Today, wow! I'll take it -- outside of AAPL, CVX may be my biggest holding and I've been adding CVX to my portfolio on a regularly consistent basis since the late 1980s. A long story there, but not today.

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Disclaimer
Brief Reminder 

 Briefly:

• I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken and I am often well out front of my headlights. I am often appropriately accused of hyperbole when it comes to the Bakken.
  
• I am inappropriately exuberant about the US economy and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• See disclaimer. This is not an investment site. 
• Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment, financial, job, career, travel, or relationship decisions based on what you read here or think you may have read here. All my posts are done quickly: there will be content and typographical errors. If something appears wrong, it probably is. Feel free to fact check everything.
  
• If anything on any of my posts is important to you, go to the source. If/when I find typographical / content errors, I will correct them. 
• Reminder: I am inappropriately exuberant about the Bakken, US economy, and the US market.
• I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Apple. 
• And now, Nvidia, also. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Nvidia. Nvidia is a metonym for AI and/or the sixth industrial revolution.
• I've now added Broadcom to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Broadcom.
• I've now added Oracle to the disclaimer. I am also inappropriately exuberant about all things Oracle.
  
• Longer version here.      
  

From the CVX link, this was posted yesterday: 

In a robust display of market confidence, Chevron Corporation stock has soared to a 52-week high, reaching a price level of $167.17.

This peak comes amidst a broader energy sector rally, with Chevron leading the charge as investors flock to the stability and growth potential of established energy companies. The company’s attractive 4.1% dividend yield and 37-year streak of dividend increases underscore its financial strength.

Over the past year, Chevron has witnessed a 10% increase in its stock value, reflecting the company’s resilience and strategic positioning in a fluctuating economic landscape. The 52-week high milestone underscores Chevron’s strong performance and the positive investor sentiment surrounding the energy giant.

Chevron appears undervalued at current levels.

In other recent news, Chevron Corporation has made significant developments that could impact its operations and market position. Chevron reported purchasing nearly 5% of Hess Corporation common stock, demonstrating confidence in its ongoing merger with Hess. This acquisition aligns with Chevron’s strategic plans and is part of its stock repurchase program.

Additionally, Chevron is advancing its U.S. data center development plans, entering the permitting and engineering stages to meet increasing power demands. These centers are expected to be operational by 2027 or 2028, according to company executive Daniel Droog.

Chevron has also been involved in discussions regarding its operations in Venezuela, where it was allowed to make payments to the Venezuelan government under a sanctions waiver. This arrangement was initially permitted by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control but was later terminated, requiring Chevron to wind down its operations in the country.