Ovintiv (NYSE:OVV) Cut to “Strong Sell” at Zacks Research

Zacks Research cut shares of Ovintiv (NYSE:OVV) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a report published on Monday morning,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Ovintiv’s Q1 2026 earnings at $0.83 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $0.96 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $3.56 EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at $1.18 EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at $1.20 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $1.19 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $1.35 EPS and FY2027 earnings at $4.95 EPS.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the stock. William Blair assumed coverage on shares of Ovintiv in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $50.00 price objective for the company. Scotiabank lifted their price objective on Ovintiv from $51.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Stephens raised Ovintiv to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Citigroup reduced their price target on Ovintiv from $54.00 to $52.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $54.00 price objective on shares of Ovintiv in a research report on Saturday, January 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $51.06.

Ovintiv Stock Performance

NYSE OVV opened at $46.00 on Monday. Ovintiv has a 52-week low of $29.80 and a 52-week high of $46.24. The company has a fifty day moving average of $40.22 and a 200-day moving average of $39.89. The company has a market capitalization of $11.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.45.

Ovintiv (NYSE:OVV) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.97 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $2.07 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.86 billion. Ovintiv had a return on equity of 12.22% and a net margin of 2.64%. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Ovintiv will post 5.59 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ovintiv

In related news, COO Gregory Dean Givens sold 50,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.33, for a total transaction of $2,016,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 105,867 shares in the company, valued at $4,269,616.11. The trade was a 32.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ovintiv

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ovintiv by 3.4% during the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 9,571,397 shares of the company’s stock valued at $364,192,000 after purchasing an additional 312,827 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Ovintiv by 25.8% in the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 9,389,865 shares of the company’s stock worth $379,165,000 after buying an additional 1,927,193 shares during the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its position in Ovintiv by 12.4% during the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 5,888,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $237,747,000 after buying an additional 649,819 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its position in Ovintiv by 263.8% during the 3rd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 4,949,637 shares of the company’s stock valued at $199,866,000 after buying an additional 3,589,030 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. raised its stake in Ovintiv by 143.8% during the second quarter. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. now owns 3,739,237 shares of the company’s stock valued at $142,278,000 after buying an additional 2,205,233 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.81% of the company’s stock.

Ovintiv News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ovintiv this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ovintiv closed its acquisition of NuVista Energy, expanding its Alberta Montney position and adding production and cash flow that could be accretive to free cash flow and reserves. This strategic deal is the most direct fundamental driver supporting the stock’s gain today. Ovintiv Announces Closing of NuVista Energy Acquisition
• Positive Sentiment: National Bankshares raised its price target from $54 to $56 and keeps an “outperform” rating — a bullish signal that implies ~25–30% upside from current levels and may attract buyers. Analyst Note: National Bankshares Raises PT
• Neutral Sentiment: Stephens initiated/started coverage at Equal Weight (Hold), citing operational strength and attractive valuation — a neutral-to-modestly supportive view that balances the negative Zacks call and helps validate the deal rationale. Ovintiv started Equal Weight at Stephens
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded Ovintiv to “Strong Sell” and issued a series of small downward tweaks to FY2026/Q‑tranche EPS estimates (and mixed tweaks to FY2027), signaling concern about near‑term earnings. A high‑profile “Strong Sell” headline can pressure the stock, especially among quant/overlay strategies that react to ratings changes. Zacks Research Coverage

About Ovintiv

Ovintiv Inc is a North American energy company focused on the exploration, development and production of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Formerly known as Encana Corporation, the company rebranded as Ovintiv in January 2020 and established its headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Ovintiv’s upstream portfolio spans multiple unconventional resource plays, reflecting a strategy centered on high-return projects and disciplined capital allocation.

The company’s core business activities include the acquisition and development of acreage in major shale basins across the United States and Canada.