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European oil and gas equities are entering 2026 on a more cautious footing as J.P. Morgan’s latest EU Oils Outlook highlights tightening valuations and growing concerns over a projected global oil oversupply. Despite Brent crude slipping 7% in the second half of 2025, EU oil stocks managed to outperform the broader European market by 6%, creating what the brokerage calls a “significant positive decoupling.”
Analysts now view sector valuations as “full,” noting an estimated 7.8% free cash flow yield for 2026 based on $62/bbl Brent—considered rich compared with long-term norms. Consensus forward P/E ratios around 10.3x suggest the sector trades in line with its 10-year average discount as forward curves point to Brent stabilizing near $60/bbl. J.P. Morgan’s commodities research, however, expects Brent to fall below that level through 2026 and 2027 as oversupply builds, putting further pressure on earnings expectations.
Only Shell and Repsol retain “overweight” ratings. Shell, the bank’s top pick, is supported by strong free-cash-flow generation, a projected 10.1% 2026 cash yield, and resilient downstream exposure that hedges against lower oil prices. Repsol benefits from high diesel leverage, a 6.1x 2026 P/E, and a robust 6.5% dividend yield as refining continues to deliver sizable operating profits.
Several majors face downgrades: TotalEnergies is cut to “neutral” due to limited valuation upside and slower free-cash-flow growth from its Integrated Power segment, while Eni moves to “underweight” as rising gearing and sensitivity to upstream prices weigh on the outlook. BP, Galp, and Neste remain “neutral,” whereas Equinor and OMV are rated “underweight.”
Across the sector, average dividend yield stands at 5.7%, while overall upside potential remains below 5%. With Europe structurally short on diesel and still relying on imports for about one-fifth of demand, elevated diesel margins continue to provide a crucial hedge for downstream-weighted companies.
