Hess Corporation Stock Outlook: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?
Hess Corporation (HES), valued at $40.9 billion by market cap, is a New York-based global energy player with a strong upstream focus on exploring and producing oil and gas across the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offshore Guyana, and key international markets.
Over the past 52 weeks, Hess Corporation's shares have trailed the broader market, declining 18.9%, while the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has surged 10.2%. But in 2025, HES dipped 3.2% compared to the S&P 500’s 3.9% YTD drop.
Similarly, HES has underperformed the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund’s (XLE) 13% gain over the past 52 weeks but has outpaced the ETF’s 6% fall in 2025.
On Apr. 30, Hess stock plummeted 2.6% after announcing its Q1 2025 financial results. The company exceeded revenue expectations, posting $2.94 billion, though still a 12% decrease from the previous year. Adjusted earnings were $559 million ($1.81 per share), surpassing analyst estimates. Operationally, production remained stable at 476,000 boepd, with growth in Bakken shale production, although output from Guyana decreased. Looking ahead, Hess expects stable production in Q2 2025, with new developments in Guyana scheduled to boost future output.
For the current fiscal year, ending in December 2025, analysts expect HES’ EPS to fall 35.2% year-over-year to $6.27. On the bright side, the company’s earnings surprise history is promising. It beat the consensus estimates in the last four quarters.
Analysts' consensus rating on Hess Corporation is cautiously upbeat, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall. Among the 16 analysts covering the stock, opinions include six “Strong Buys” and 10 “Holds.”
On Apr. 22, Susquehanna Community Financial, Inc. (SQCF) cut its price target on Hess from $160 to $136 while maintaining a “Positive” rating. The firm revised its oil price forecasts downward, now expecting $68/bbl in 2025 and $67/bbl long-term, citing weaker global demand due to tariffs, rising recession fears, and OPEC+ starting to unwind its 2.2 million barrels per day in voluntary production cuts, which adds more supply to the market.
The mean price target of $161.37 implies a potential upside of 25.3% from HES' current price. The Street-high target of $199 represents a premium of 54.5% from the prevailing price levels.
On the date of publication, Kritika Sarmah did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.