Canadian Natural Resources Ltd logo

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd(CNQ)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL RECENCY
2-STAR RATING
Consider higher Upturn Star rating
BUY for 7 days
PROFIT SINCE LAST BUY
+5.99% ▲
LAST CLOSE
$55.06
10/23/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
  • ALL
  • 1Y
  • 1M
  • 1W
  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
  • Loss
  • PASS (Skip)
Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for CNQ

10/23/2026: CNQ (2-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.

Canadian Natural Resources Limited is a major independent energy company specializing in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas. Its primary strength lies in its extensive portfolio of long-life, low-decline assets, which allow for efficient operations and resilient cash flows across commodity cycles. The investment story centers on utilizing these assets to generate sustainable returns and dividends for shareholders. However, the company faces material risks, including high sensitivity to global energy prices, regulatory pressures, and regional infrastructure constraints. It is well-suited for value and dividend-focused investors, who should monitor global oil trends and environmental policy developments.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorMixed fitGrowth is largely driven by asset optimization rather than aggressive exploration.
Momentum investorMixed fitPrice momentum is highly dependent on global oil price trends.
Value investorStrong fitThe company is often viewed as a value play due to its massive asset base relative to market cap.
Dividend investorStrong fitThe company maintains a reliable and growing dividend profile.
Low-risk investorMixed fitWhile operations are efficient, the stock remains subject to commodity price volatility.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityHighProfitability is directly tied to fluctuations in global oil and gas prices.
Valuation riskMediumMarket pricing can be aggressive during commodity bull markets.
Competition risk (Energy sector)MediumCompetition for capital and operational efficiency keeps margins under pressure.
Business qualityStrongThe company holds a portfolio of long-life, high-quality energy assets.
Dividend incomeLowThe dividend is well-supported by cash flows but not immune to sector downturns.
Execution riskMediumManaging large-scale oil sands projects requires precise operational execution.

Price Behavior

Strong Uptrend
PRICE PATH

Strong Uptrend

The stock has maintained a strong upward price trend across the last three quarters.

Smooth
PRICE STABILITY

Smooth

The stock has moved along a generally orderly path with only modest fluctuations.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit -37.91%
Avg. Invested days 23
Today’s Advisory Consider higher Upturn Star rating
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 2.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 1.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 10/23/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
CNQ receives a 4-star rating, supported by solid company fundamentals, solid quantitative characteristics, and solid analyst coverage. The rating is constrained by weak price momentum, and limited analyst upside.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
CNQ has solid overall fundamentals (4 stars), with solid financial health, solid growth momentum, and solid ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, strong earnings growth (+77.2%) and strong cash generation (FCF margin 19.1%) are partially offset by modest insider ownership of 2.17%.

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
CNQ's financial health is supported by strong cash strength, including free-cash-flow generation of $8.4B (19.1% of revenue). Liquidity is moderate (3 stars), which helps explain the 4-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Earnings growth is CNQ's strongest growth driver at +77.2% FY2025 versus FY2024 (strong, 5 stars). By comparison, revenue growth (+23.9%, solid) is also solid, while free-cash-flow growth (+4.1%, moderate) holds the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 78.6% and approximately 97.7% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable, supporting liquidity and institutional participation. Insider ownership of 2.17% provides only moderate management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

Capital World Investors 10.57%
Royal Bank of Canada 6.68%
Capital Research Global Investors 5.63%
Bank of Montreal 3.14%
BMO Capital Markets Corp. 3.14%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
CNQ generates approximately $213 of gross profit, $186 of operating income, and $191 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Moderate margins and solid cash conversion support a 3-star rating, while capital efficiency is moderate.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 18.28%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
CNQ has a high-quality, large-cap, liquid profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Value-OrientedQuality TiltLarge / Mega Cap StabilityHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Large-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 111.16B USD
Price to earnings Ratio 13.31
1Y Target Price 49.24
Price to earnings Ratio 13.31
1Y Target Price 49.24
Volume (30-day avg) 5.6M shares
Beta 0.94
52 Weeks Range 29.28 - 55.49
Updated Date 10/22/2026
52 Weeks Range 29.28 - 55.49
Updated Date 10/22/2026
Dividends yield (FY) 4.47%
Basic EPS (TTM) 4.05

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Oil Sands MiningSynthetic crude oil produced from bitumen mining and upgrading.This is the core engine of production, representing a large portion of output.
Thermal In SituBitumen extraction via steam-assisted methods.Provides stable, long-term production with predictable costs.
Exploration & ProductionConventional oil and natural gas production in North America and abroad.Adds geographical and commodity diversification to the portfolio.

Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth

Revenue by Products

Product revenue - Year on Year

Revenue by Geography

Geography revenue - Year on Year

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Valuation

Trailing PE 13.31
Forward PE 13.87
Enterprise Value 108.69B
Price to Sales(TTM) 2.49
Enterprise Value 108.69B
Price to Sales(TTM) 2.49
Enterprise Value to Revenue 2.97
Enterprise Value to EBITDA 6.42
Shares Outstanding 2.06B
Shares Floating 2.01B
Shares Outstanding 2.06B
Shares Floating 2.01B
Percent Insiders 2.17
Percent Institutions 78.64

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

Form CRS provides a relationship summary of our automated advisory services, flat subscription fees, and conflicts of interest. Form ADV Part 2A brochure contains complete details on services, billing, and disclosures. If any summary differs from our current regulatory filings, the filed Form ADV controls.