Is all the bad news and views priced in ? 4 stocks from the natural gas sector for contrarian trade.

Is all the bad news and views priced in ? 4 stocks from the natural gas sector for contrarian trade.
Agencies

Synopsis

Gas stocks have been underperforming the market for quite some time. The argument against them has been multifold, right from stagnation in terms of volume growth, companies not being able to expand in newer areas and the latest one being the threat from EV. Couple of months back, an announcement about pushing the electric vehicle (EV) more aggressively in Delhi, brought pressure on the stocks like IGL. While there is no doubt that over a period of time, EV will dominate, does it mean the end of the business of the gas companies? The answer is probably no, there are many other use cases and narrative about negative impact might be over stretched. Also the street might be ignoring the fact that these companies have enough cash on the balance sheet and also cash flows from existing lines of business to move into new areas which are part of the EV eco system.

It might sound strange to some but there is enough evidence to show that when bulls are in control of the market, some sectors get ignored. Typically sectors where bulls feel that growth in business will not be very high. So there have been periods when sectors like FMCG have underperformed. The most recent example is that of HUL. In FY 24 which by all means has been a raging bull market, it has delivered negative returns. But there are some

To Read the Full Story, Become an ET Prime Member

Access the exclusive Economic Times stories, Editorial and Expert opinion

Monsoon Offer

Get flat 20% off

on ETPrime membership

Membership Benefits

Access the exclusive Economic Times

Stories, Editorial & Expert opinion

Complete Access with ET Prime

Experience your Economic Times newspaper, The way you've always liked!

Get to know where the market gurus invest & grow your portfolio.

Stock Report Plus

In-depth stock analysis for 4000+ companies

Stock Analyzer

Instant stock analysis based on Solvency, Profitability, Growth, Valuation, Momentum, Risk & More.

Now Available with ET Prime

Manage your money efficiently with this weekly guide.

Clean experience

with minimal ads

Easy & distraction-free reading with 90% less ads

Sharp Insight-rich,

In-depth stories across 20+ sectors

1500+ Exclusive stories & analysis across sectors to help you stay informed

Get One Year Times Prime Subscription worth ₹1199 for free

Get 1 Year Complimentary Subscription of TOI+ worth Rs.799/-

Enjoy unlimited access to breaking news and thought provoking stories from all around the world.

Get One Year Docubay Subscription worth ₹999 for free

Stream award-winning international documentaries from more than 100 countries.

Offers By Our Partners

Exclusively for ET Prime Members

Members Love Us

The stalwarts of the industry trust ET Prime for insightful analysis & unbiased thought pieces

Gift a story

Your membership includes Story Gifting Credits. Now gift exclusive stories to your friends & peers.

Comment & Engage

with ET Prime community

Communicate & build a connection with great minds of the industry

A trusted team of

Journalists & Analysts

Unbiased perspective & detailed reporting by our team of journalists who have in-depth knowledge and years of experience