Zacks Research Has Bullish Forecast for CNQ Q4 Earnings

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE:CNQ) (TSE:CNQ) – Investment analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q4 2025 earnings per share estimates for Canadian Natural Resources in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, December 22nd. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the oil and gas producer will post earnings of $0.56 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.55. Zacks Research currently has a “Hold” rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Canadian Natural Resources’ current full-year earnings is $2.45 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Canadian Natural Resources’ Q1 2026 earnings at $0.50 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $0.52 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.04 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $0.67 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $0.47 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $2.49 EPS.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on CNQ. Desjardins cut shares of Canadian Natural Resources from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Canadian Natural Resources to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 16th. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $62.00 target price on shares of Canadian Natural Resources in a research report on Wednesday, September 24th. TD Securities reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Canadian Natural Resources in a research report on Tuesday, September 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Canadian Natural Resources in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $62.00.

Canadian Natural Resources Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:CNQ opened at $32.34 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $67.35 billion, a PE ratio of 14.31 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $32.40 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $31.90. Canadian Natural Resources has a twelve month low of $24.65 and a twelve month high of $35.12.

Canadian Natural Resources (NYSE:CNQ) (TSE:CNQ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 6th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.08. Canadian Natural Resources had a return on equity of 18.93% and a net margin of 14.90%.The company had revenue of $6.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.97 EPS.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Canadian Natural Resources

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CNQ. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Addison Advisors LLC lifted its position in Canadian Natural Resources by 309.1% during the second quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 896 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 677 shares during the last quarter. St. Johns Investment Management Company LLC purchased a new position in Canadian Natural Resources in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Canadian Natural Resources by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,000 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 500 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Canadian Natural Resources during the 3rd quarter valued at $32,000. 74.03% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Canadian Natural Resources Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, January 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 12th will be issued a $0.5875 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 12th. This is an increase from Canadian Natural Resources’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. This represents a $2.35 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.3%. Canadian Natural Resources’s payout ratio is currently 74.34%.

More Canadian Natural Resources News

Here are the key news stories impacting Canadian Natural Resources this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple near‑term and full‑year EPS estimates for CNQ (Q4 2025 to Q2 2027 and FY2026/FY2027). The increases are small but consistent (e.g., FY2027 to $2.49 from $2.45; various quarterly bumps), signaling slightly stronger earnings expectations into 2026–27 which supports valuation and dividend coverage. MarketBeat CNQ
• Positive Sentiment: AmericanBankingNews highlights Zacks’ bullish outlook on CNQ’s FY2025 earnings — another positive narrative point that can attract income and value investors focused on beaten estimates and reliable cash flow. Zacks Research Has Bullish Outlook for CNQ FY2025 Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: CNQ appears in a TFSA dividend stock roundup (top‑tier dividend picks), reinforcing investor interest from income‑focused retail flows — this can support demand for the shares from dividend investors. TFSA: 3 Top-Tier Dividend Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: Despite the estimate upgrades, Zacks kept a “Hold” rating on CNQ. That tempers the impact: upgrades are modest and the consensus full‑year estimate still sits near prior levels ($2.45 consensus), so immediate re‑ratings or large inflows are not guaranteed. MarketBeat CNQ
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks commentary comparing CNQ to BTE frames CNQ as a steady, lower‑volatility choice versus peers with faster momentum; this positions CNQ for defensive/ income allocations but may reduce appeal for traders chasing outsized growth. BTE or CNQ? Canada’s Oil Investors Weigh 2026 Trade

Canadian Natural Resources Company Profile

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (NYSE: CNQ) is a Calgary-based independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Established in the early 1970s and publicly listed in Canada and the United States, the company is principally engaged in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Its asset base spans conventional and unconventional reservoirs and includes oil sands mining and in-situ thermal projects, midstream processing and upgrading capacity, and related field operations.

The company’s operations are concentrated in Western Canada, where it develops heavy crude, bitumen from oil sands and conventional light crude and natural gas resources.