Phillips 66PSXPAST TOP PICKNov 09, 2016Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 10, 2026. Market Open.
Warren Buffett has been picking away at this. It is very difficult to build a refinery. There is a limited number of competitors, so they are well situated. The drawback is that you are beholden to crack spreads, basically the value of all the different components of a barrel of oil after it has been refined. In the past couple of years, it has been a very, very good business, but it is a cyclical business. The ways the composition of crude oil is coming to refineries is changing. He would prefer going to where the greatest value is, which is going to be the crude producers.
(A Top Pick Sept 26/15. Up 2.91%.) This is a refiner, and they participate in oil strength. It is the kind of company that is not up as strong when oil prices go up, but also has not been down as much when prices are down. Has a very good franchise.