Canadian Natural Resources (NYSE:CNQ) Sets New 52-Week High on Earnings Beat

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ) (TSE:CNQ)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $45.92 and last traded at $44.95, with a volume of 2655277 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $44.18.

The oil and gas producer reported $0.59 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by $0.06. Canadian Natural Resources had a net margin of 24.48% and a return on equity of 18.24%. The business had revenue of $6.89 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.64 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.93 EPS.

Canadian Natural Resources Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Investors of record on Friday, March 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.625 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 20th. This is a positive change from Canadian Natural Resources’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.59. This represents a $2.50 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.4%. Canadian Natural Resources’s dividend payout ratio is 45.53%.

More Canadian Natural Resources News

Here are the key news stories impacting Canadian Natural Resources this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat, record production and dividend bump — CNQ beat consensus EPS and revenue, reported record production (~1.66 mmboe/d), and raised the quarterly dividend ~6.4%, signaling strong cash generation and a shareholder‑friendly stance. Canadian Natural: Huge Gains, Dividend Increase, Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/target lift — RBC Capital raised its price target to $65 and kept an Outperform rating, implying meaningful upside versus current levels and likely supporting the rally. RBC price target raise (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Oil price tailwind — WTI above $75 amid geopolitical tensions, which benefits CNQ’s North American production profile and helps near‑term cash flow. Oil Prices Above $75 (Zacks)
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings detail & mixed metrics — official releases and transcripts confirm the beat, higher revenue and stronger operating cash flow, but operating profit and EPS were down YoY in some disclosures, creating a more nuanced profitability picture. Q4 results (Newsfile)
• Neutral Sentiment: Call/transcript available — The Q4 earnings call transcript and materials provide management color on production, capital spending and the updated capital allocation framework for investors doing deeper diligence. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Pause of $8.25B oil‑sands expansion — Management paused a major oil‑sands expansion, citing carbon‑policy uncertainty; this could limit future growth optionality and highlights regulatory/transition risk for the company’s heavier assets. Pause of oil-sands expansion (Globe & Mail)

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on CNQ. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their target price on Canadian Natural Resources from $61.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday. Desjardins lowered Canadian Natural Resources from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $35.00 price objective on Canadian Natural Resources and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Wall Street Zen raised Canadian Natural Resources from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 31st. Finally, Zacks Research lowered Canadian Natural Resources from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, December 19th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $50.00.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Canadian Natural Resources

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CNQ. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Canadian Natural Resources during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Addison Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 309.1% in the 2nd quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 896 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 677 shares in the last quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Leonteq Securities AG purchased a new position in Canadian Natural Resources during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Finally, St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC purchased a new position in Canadian Natural Resources during the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. 74.03% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Canadian Natural Resources Trading Up 2.4%

The company has a 50 day moving average of $37.85 and a two-hundred day moving average of $34.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 0.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $96.79 billion, a PE ratio of 12.58 and a beta of 0.63.

Canadian Natural Resources Company Profile

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE: CNQ) is a Calgary-based independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Established in the early 1970s and publicly listed in Canada and the United States, the company is principally engaged in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its asset base spans conventional and unconventional reservoirs and includes oil sands mining and in-situ thermal projects, midstream processing and upgrading capacity, and related field operations.

The company’s operations are concentrated in Western Canada, where it develops heavy crude, bitumen from oil sands and conventional light crude and natural gas resources.