Development of TOP energy companies since the beginning of the war in Europe

The constantly discussed energy dependence on Russia in connection with the ongoing war in Ukraine will continue to be one of the most serious in the next years. Not only in Europe, but almost all over the world, sociaty has developed a dependence on energy, which is still largely produced from exhaustible sources. Today, we see, more than ever, that this dependence is a major problem for entire continents, not just for individual states. Some countries have bigger oil and gas reserves than others, which gives them a significant competitive advantage.

Many experts warn against the low diversification of suppliers, but after many years of doing it this way and importing it at relatively good prices, we cannot stop this run-up colossus overnight. The whole society has begun to deal with the energy crisis, because it is affecting the most vulnerable people, who are unable to pay high energy prices, not only but also, rapidly rising inflation. The war in Ukraine is also affecting investments, and today we will look specifically at how the top energy companies in Europe have performed.

Shell

Shell is the world's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and also a major player in the oil market. Shell published an excellent results, showing the highest quarterly gains in history, partially because they has taken advantage of volatility in global energy markets since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Profit rose to $ 9.1 billion in the first three months of 2022, almost three times from the $ 3.2 billion reported in the previous year. The European oil giant thus exceeded analysts' average estimates of around $ 8.7 billion.

*Shell PLC ADR stock performance over the last 5 months (Source: Investing)

TotalEnergies SE

In today's world, where we see global warming destroying our planet and large companies have a high responsibility in this, especially in the energy production segment, they all set similar goals. TotalEnergies would like to become a responsible energy company and their mission is to meet the double challenge, on the one hand to fulfill  the energy needs of the growing world population and at the same time to limit global warming. Investors should also be interested in this approach if their strategy is long-term, as the trend of clean energy and green investment is not a temporary matter. The constant growth of the population on earth is also the cause of the increasing demand for energy. The French oil giant plans is to increase its energy production by 30% by 2030, with growth expected to cover half of the electricity, which is essentially from renewable sources, and half from LNG.

The invasion of Ukraine is changing patterns and accelerating current hot trends in the energy sector, such as diversification, investment in renewables and pushing moral boundaries. All of these factors affect both individuals and societies as a whole, because they are ultimately made up of people.

*TotalEnergies SE ADR stock performance over the last 5 years.

BP

In connection with the ongoing war in Ukraine, the company had to make a fundamental decision, namely to give up its stake in Russia. This cost them $ 1.5 billion. This giant probably suffered the most of all the companies mentioned in connection with the military conflict and the surrender of almost 20% of the shares in Russia's Rosneft. Nevertheless, BP said it had made a profit of $ 6.2 billion in the first quarter, a significant increase from $ 4.1 billion in the previous quarter. The price of oil has been very volatile lately, but in principle we see an assumption of its increase by the end of 2022, which could also be reflected in the value of the shares of the giant BP.[1]

*BP PLC stock performance over the last 5 years. (Source: Investing)

Wild Card - Equinor ASA

The Norwegian state-owned energy company has in its portfolio oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions with the ambition to become a zero-energy energy company by 2050. Its development has recently been hampered by departure from Russia due to the ongoing conflict. This led to an impairment of assets in the last quarter. Equinor recorded its highest quarterly pre-tax profit of $ 18 billion. Equinor was previously known as Statoil, and its biggest asset in the future is that it seeks to move away from oil and gas. So if you believe in renewable energy, then this company could be an interesting investment, because they sees their future growth mainly in wind, solar and hydropower projects.

*Equinor ASA ADR stock performance over the last 5 years. (Source: Investing)

It is really interesting to watch the energy sector, its transformation and paradigm shift, which is mainly due to the military conflict in Ukraine. Liquefied LNG, which can be imported from the USA, for example, also receives attention. The trend of renewables is obvious and necessary for our future as well. If we look at all 4 companies today, the most interesting choice for investors could be the Norwegian Equinor.[2]

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* Past performance is no guarantee for future results.

[1], [2] Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and current expectations, which may be inaccurate, or based on the current economic environment which is subject to change. Such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance. They involve risks and other uncertainties which are difficult to predict. Results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements.