Stocks To Watch: Gastar Exploration (NYSEMKT:GST), Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK), Callon Petroleum (NYSE:CPE), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP)

Gastar Exploration Inc. (NYSEMKT: GST) (“Gastar”) reported on 16 June 2014 that it has reached total depth on the vertical pilot hole for its first Utica/Point Pleasant well in Marshall County, West Virginia.  The Simms 5-UH well was drilled to a total depth of 11,410 feet and encountered approximately 92 net feet of pay in the Point Pleasant formation with measured porosities up to 17%.  Gastar expects estimated formation pressures to be approximately 9,400 psi upon completion of the well.Gastar Exploration Inc (NYSEMKT:GST) stock performance was 7.11% in last session and finished the day at $8.89. Traded volume was 11.32million shares in the last session and the average volume of the stock remained 1.35million shares. The beta of the stock remained 2.81. Gastar Exploration Inc (NYSEMKT:GST) insider ownership is 5.60%.

Barclays restated their overweight rating on shares of Marathon Oil Corp (NYSE:MRO) in a report released on Thursday. Barclays currently has a $47.00 price objective on the stock, up from their previous price objective of $42.00.Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) rose 1.07 percent to $39.72 Friday on volume of 10.68million shares. The intra-day range of the stock was $39.33 to $39.85. Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) has a market capitalization of $27.05billion.

In 2012 Time magazine reported that the U.S. branch of the Sierra Club – one of America’s oldest conservation organizations – had accepted more than $25 million from the natural gas industry from 2007 to 2010. Most of the donations came from Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK), one of the world’s largest gas drillers and a promoter of “fracking,” or hydrologic fracturing of rock formations to increase oil and gas yields. Before then many supporters had been wondering why the Sierra Club was taking a pro-gas stance. Author Sandra Steingraber raged after the news broke of the Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) donations: “It was as if, on the eve of D-day, the anti-Fascist partisans had discovered that Churchill was actually in cahoots with the Axis forces.”Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK)’s stock on June 20, 2014 reported a increase of 0.55% to the closing price of $30.89. Its fifty two weeks range is $19.04-$30.84. The total market capitalization recorded $20.58billion. The overall volume in the last trading session was 10.57million shares. In its share capital, CHK has 666.21million outstanding shares.

Maxim Group assumed coverage on shares of Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE:CPE) in a report issued on Wednesday, TheFlyOnTheWall.com reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $14.00 target price on the stock. On Friday, shares of Callon Petroleum Co. (NYSE:CPE) advanced 2.07% to close the day at $11.35. Company return on investment (ROI) is 3.20% and its monthly performance is recorded as 9.56%. Callon Petroleum Co. (NYSE:CPE) quarterly revenue growth is 34.16%.

Oando, through its subsidiary, Oando Energy Resources(OER), had begun the process of acquiring the ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP)’ assets  for $1.65 billion but the minister’s consent has been delaying the conclusion of the deal. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) stock performance was 0.70% in last session and finished the day at $85.36. Traded volume was 125.00million shares in the last session and the average volume of the stock remained 5.61million shares. The beta of the stock remained 1.21. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) insider ownership is 0.02%.