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Harbour and Serica: two deep-value oil stocks for your portfolio
Two UK-focused oil stocks, Harbour and Serica, have a lot of bad news baked into their valuations. Why is the market so pessimistic about their prospects?
Two oil stocks are among the cheapest equities on the London market today. Harbour Energy (LSE: HBR) and Serica Energy (LSE: SQZ)are trading at price-to-earnings (p/e) ratios of 5.3 and 2.7, respectively, for 2026 based on figures compiled by Peel Hunt. On a cash flow basis, the companies look even cheaper. The shares are trading at free cash flow yields of 35% and 29.9%, respectively, and a large chunk of this cash is flowing right back to investors. Harbour is trading with a forward dividend yield of 9.9%, rising to 15.4% next year, and Serica is expected to yield 7% for 2026 and 2027 at the current share price, according to Peel Hunt.
It's clear why investors are steering clear of these businesses. Both are UK-focused oil and gas companies, and they're highly exposed to the country's unhinged energy and tax policies. But in the words of billionaire distressed-debt investor Howard Marks, there are no bad assets, only bad prices, and at current prices, the market is valuing these oil stocks at such a deep discount that it's going to be hard for the market to continue to ignore them.
Investors should buy these oil stocks together
I view Harbour and Serica as a deeply discounted pair that should be acquired together rather than individually. While both are cheap (Serica is half the price of Harbour), buying the two helps spread management execution risk. Harbour Energy is the largest London-listed independent oil and gas company. It used to be entirely UK-focused, but after a series of deals it now has a global presence, with assets in the UK, Norway, Germany, North Africa and the Americas. It also holds a 15% stake in Southern Energy SA, Argentina's first large-scale floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) export project.
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The group started the year with production of 506,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the first quarter, thanks to higher output from the recently acquired US LLOG assets in the Gulf of Mexico. Its Norwegian assets also helped boost output and, combined with new wells, management is now looking for between 480,000 and 500,000 boepd for the rest of the year, with average operating costs of $14.5 per boe.
Based on these costs, the company is modelling free cash flow generation of $1.4 billion for 2026, up from $600 million at the beginning of the year, assuming an average oil price of $80 and $13 for gas. These numbers don't look too outrageous for the rest of the year. While the Brent benchmark trended down to the low $70s per barrel at the beginning of July, when it looked as if the US and Iran would sign a lasting peace agreement and the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, the recommencement of hostilities has sent oil back up to $88 at the time of writing.
Analysts at Canaccord Genuity have modelled Brent averaging $83 in 2026 and $75 in 2027 before falling to $70 in 2028. Based on these estimates, they have Harbour generating free cash flow of $1.9 billion in 2026, $0.7 billion in 2027 and $1.1 billion in 2028. Analysts at Zeus are a bit more cautious, forecasting a Brent price of $75 for the rest of the year.
Even on this lower target, based on Harbour's goal to pay out 45% to 75% of free cash flow to shareholders every year, the analysts believe the company will return in the region of $500 million to shareholders at the low end of this target, giving a dividend yield of 6.9%. Canaccord has pencilled in a yield of 8.3%, and Peel Hunt's is the most optimistic at 9.9%. The yield will probably land somewhere in the middle, but whichever way you look at it, it's clear Harbour is cheap and throwing off cash.
Serica's valuation is a bargain
Serica's production profile is predominantly UK-based, and the company is listed on the Aim market, which goes some way to explaining its bargain-basement valuation. The first point it can't do much about, but on the second point, Serica is working to remove some of the uncertainty by moving to the main market in the third quarter of 2026.
Despite its UK focus, Serica's management believes the company can maintain production at over 50,000 boed into the 2030s (it aims to exit 2026 with production in the 65,000 boed range) based on its existing portfolio with well-executed capital spending.
Capital spending is expected to rise through to the end of the decade, which will crimp free cash flow. Still, management has outlined plans to pay out 30% of cash flow from operations over the coming years, which, Berenberg estimates, delivers a dividend yield of 11% in 2027 and then averages 7% through to 2030 based on an average oil price of $75.
Unlike Harbour, which has accumulated a large pile of debt following a series of mergers and acquisitions, Serica is expected to move from a net debt position of –$203 million in 2025 to +$91 million in 2026 and +$192 million by 2027. This, analysts at Berenberg believe, will allow management to begin considering bolt-on acquisitions of increasing size. Last year, it completed mergers with Prax, One Dyas and Spirit Energy, which added production from 25 fields in the North Sea.
As other companies have decided to flee the UK-owned section of the North Sea, Serica has been able to step in as a buyer of last resort. These deals were done at between $2 and $4 per barrel of reserves. By comparison, Harbour paid around $12 for the US LLOG assets at the end of last year. When it comes to further deals, Serica is following Harbour's lead and looking for deals outside of the UK. In conversations with analysts, Serica has highlighted Southeast Asia as a region of potential interest.
As the company moves forward with these growth plans, it may only be a matter of time before the market catches on and re-rates the stock.
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Contributor and former deputy digital editor of MoneyWeek
Rupert is the former deputy digital editor of MoneyWeek. He's an active investor and has always been fascinated by the world of business and investing. His style has been heavily influenced by US investors Warren Buffett and Philip Carret. He is always looking for high-quality growth opportunities trading at a reasonable price, preferring cash generative businesses with strong balance sheets over blue-sky growth stocks.
Rupert has written for many UK and international publications including the Motley Fool, Gurufocus and ValueWalk, aimed at a range of readers; from the first timers to experienced high-net-worth individuals. Rupert has also founded and managed several businesses, including the New York-based hedge fund newsletter, Hidden Value Stocks. He has written over 20 ebooks and appeared as an expert commentator on the BBC World Service.
