Top Oil Stocks from the First-Half of 2010 – USO, SUN, CEO, VLO

June 30, 2010, 08:53 am ET, BY Billy- Contributor| Editor: Thomas H. Kee Jr. (Follow on LinkedIn)

Some interesting trends have emerged in the first-half of the year. The United States Oil Fund (NYSE: USO) has actually declined 9.2% year-to-date as the price of oil has spent most of its time in the $70 to $80 per barrel range. Not all oil stocks have experienced a drag on their share prices though. Here are some of the top oil stocks from the first-half of 2010.

A Refined Outlook

One of the best performing oil plays in 2010 as we approach half-time has been the large-cap refiner Sunoco (NYSE: SUN). The company has seen its stock price surge 38.9% in the first six months of the year. Shares of Sunoco spiked 5.0% on Friday.

The company is coming off of a Q1 in which it lost $0.53 per share. Sunoco’s retail marketing business was the bright spot in an otherwise difficult quarter. This business segment raked in $21 million compared to $6 million in the prior year quarter as retail gasoline margins improved. Traders considering wading into this stock can check out our free SUN trading report for an in-depth technical analysis.

Another refiner that has had success for its shareholders in the first-half of the year is Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO). Shares of VLO have grinded out a gain of 12.1% so far this year. The company did experience a Q1 loss which was attributable to down time at some of its key refineries, but these refineries have since gone back online. Traders looking to take a long or short position in this stock can benefit from reviewing our free VLO trading report for assistance in implementing adequate risk controls.

Spotlight on the Far East

The Chinese oil and gas company CNOOC (NYSE: CEO) has seen its stock price rise to the tune of 12.7% in the first-half of 2010. Shares of CEO are up 38.8% from this time last year and were up 1.9% on Friday. CNOOC presently wields a dividend yield of 2.6% and a forward P/E ratio of 8.6.

In Q1, CNOOC ramped up its production 31.9% on a year-over-year basis. Total revenue rocketed 118.5% versus the company’s Q1 in 2009 as it benefitted from higher sales volumes and stronger pricing. Traders looking to play this stock are advised to review our free CEO trading report as part of a healthy due diligence process.

Support and Resistance Plot Chart for

Real Time Updates for Repeat Institutional Readers:

Factset: Request User/Pass

Bloomberg, Reuters, Refinitiv, Zacks, or IB users: Access Here.