Simmons analyst Blake Fernandez assumed ConocoPhillips with a Neutral rating and a price target of $80 as part of his broader research note on Integrated Oils, suggesting that the industry stands to benefit from the current stage of the energy cycle. Fernandez adds that ConocoPhillips neutral stance is a "function of its significant outperformance" in 2018 and the likely expected rotation to Permian-levered E&Ps, even though he still sees the company as a "placeholder in any long-term portfolio" thanks to its "strong capital discipline, lack of exposure to Permian differentials, attractive asset sales, and top tier upstream economics".