Chevron, Partners Find Oil In Gulf Deepwater Bandit Well

Chevron (NYSE:CVX) confirmed on Thursday an oil discovery at the Bandit prospect in the Gulf of Mexico.

Details

Chevron announced that the Bandit prospect, located in Green Canyon Block 680, encountered high-quality oil-bearing Miocene sands.

The well is co-owned by Chevron, which holds a 37.125 percent working interest, alongside Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) and Woodside Energy (NYSE:WDS).

“Bandit demonstrates our exploration strategy in action and reinforces the high-quality opportunities in the prolific deepwater Gulf of America,” said Kevin McLachlan, Vice President, Exploration, Chevron.

Jeff Simmons, Senior Vice President, Subsurface Technology and Chief Petrotechnical Officer, added: “We believe this discovery demonstrates the continued importance of the Gulf of America as a strategic source of reliable domestic oil supply that supports long-term energy security“.

Technical Analysis

The broader market is experiencing mixed performance, with the S&P 500 down 0.28% and the Nasdaq slipping 0.49%. Chevron’s gains come amid this broader market decline, indicating that the stock’s movement may be driven by company-specific news rather than overall market sentiment.

At $195.56, the stock is trading 2.5% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $201.28, suggesting short-term weakness. However, it is 3.3% above its 50-day SMA of $190.03, indicating some intermediate-term strength.

Earnings & Analyst Outlook

Chevron is slated to provide its next financial update on May 1, 2026 (confirmed).

• EPS Estimate: $1.91 (Down from $2.18)
• Revenue Estimate: $50.14 billion (Up from $47.61 billion)
• Valuation: P/E of 29.1x (Indicates premium valuation)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $188.68. Recent analyst moves include:

• Wells Fargo: Overweight (Raises Target to $222.00) (April 9)
• Citigroup: Buy (Raises Target to $235.00) (April 2)
• Morgan Stanley: Overweight (Raises Target to $212.00) (March 27)

The Verdict: Chevron’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a strong momentum-driven story, supported by solid growth and value scores. This suggests that the stock is well-positioned for continued performance in the energy sector.

Top ETF Exposure

• iShares Core High Dividend ETF (NYSE:HDV): 7.60% Weight
• First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (NYSE:FDL): 9.39% Weight
• iShares North American Natural Resources ETF (BATS:IGE): 9.45% Weight

Price Action: Occidental Petroleum shares were down 1.49% at $58.88, and Chevron shares were down 1.03% at $190.90 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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