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Daily PickTuesday, September 15, 2026

Ecopetrol Is Up 112% From Its Lows and Still Trading at a Bargain Multiple

BUY - EC

EC
EC - Price Chart
$16.23$17.21$18.20Aug 31Sep 21Oct 12

Ecopetrol Is Up 112% From Its Lows and Still Trading at a Bargain Multiple

Signal: BUY | Score: 66.36/100

Ecopetrol just reported a blowout quarter, locked up a controlling stake in a major Brazilian oil producer, and is sitting near a 52-week high while still trading at just 11.6x earnings. The market is sleeping on this one. Colombia's national oil champion is quietly becoming a Latin American energy powerhouse, and right now you can still get in at a reasonable price.

The Setup

EC is trading at $18.19, just a hair below its 52-week high of $18.38. That's not a warning sign - that's a breakout. The stock spent most of the year building from a $8.57 low, more than doubling before finding resistance near current levels. RSI at 63.8 shows solid momentum without being overbought. The technical score of 62.5 combined with a momentum score of 66.75 tells you this trend has legs. A confirmed close above $18.38 opens a clear path to the low $20s.

The Catalyst

Two words: earnings and expansion. On August 3, Ecopetrol dropped Q2 2026 numbers that turned heads - COP 40.2 trillion in revenue, COP 17.7 trillion in EBITDA, and COP 6.1 trillion in net income. Management called it a record refining quarter. Two days later, on August 5, the company secured a controlling-stake path in Brava Energia through a Brazilian government auction, capping off a strategic move that started with a premium tender offer back in May. This is a company actively deploying capital into growth while generating strong cash flows at home. The next earnings report lands November 12 - 58 days away - giving this trade a clean runway.

Bull Case

  • Valuation is legitimately cheap. Forward PE of 10.6x with a PEG ratio of 0.77 and a 3.66% dividend yield - you're getting paid to wait while the stock runs.
  • Brazil is a game-changer. The Brava Energia deal diversifies EC away from Colombia and adds a high-growth asset in one of the world's most prolific offshore basins.
  • Breakout setup is clean. A close above $18.38 targets the $21-22 range, representing 15-20% upside from current levels.

Bear Case

  • Debt is heavy. A debt-to-equity ratio of 95.7 is not trivial, especially if oil prices pull back sharply.
  • Analyst consensus is skeptical. The average analyst target sits at $13.91, well below current price. The market has outrun Wall Street here - that can reverse fast.

The Trade

  • Entry: $18.19
  • Target: $21.50
  • Stop Loss: $16.25
  • Risk/Reward: Roughly 1:1.8
  • Timeframe: 8-12 weeks

*This is one person's analysis, not financial advice. Always do your own research.*