Natural gas companies have been trading more like oil stocks, rather than with natural gas futures — and “Fast Money” experts staked out ways to play the sector.
“You’re going to see a dislocation happen, probably in the next quarter or so,” trader Steve Grasso of Stuart Frankel said Tuesday.
Companies such as Comstock Resources, Carrizo Oil & Gas and Goodrich Petroleum, he said, could start to trade lower even with stabilization in the price of oil.
Grasso also noted that CRK saw its share price pop “because they’re buying more acreage — for oil.”
One way to play the sector: Avoidance.
Video: Oil, Gold Outlook for Wednesday
“Stay away from the mid-capitalized names,” he said. “Stay away from the lower-tier names because those are the ones that are going to get hit.”
Trader Joe Terranova struck a similar note.
“There has been a fundamental shift for a lot of these companies that were more focused on natural gas to get oilier,” he said. “These are names that are learning to live in an environment of $4 natural gas.”
Terranova said there were still some potential opportunities but issued one caveat: “Oil is still the trade.”
Trader Pete Najarian said he moved out of Exxon and into ConocoPhillips, which is headed for a split into two separate businesses .
“It’s probably undervalued,” he said.
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Trader disclosure: On Dec. 6, 2011, the following stocks and commodities mentioned or intended to be mentioned on CNBC’s "Fast Money" were owned by the "Fast Money" traders: Grasso owns AKS; Grasso owns AMR; Grasso owns ASTM; Grasso owns AVAV; Grasso owns BA; Grasso owns BAC; Grasso owns D; Grasso owns LIT; Grasso owns MHY; Grasso owns PFE; Grasso owns PRST; Grasso owns S; Grasso owns XLU; Najarian is long AAPL; Najarian is long C; Najarian is long JPM calls; Najarian is long WFC calls; Najarian is long INTC; Najarian is long; HOO; Najarian is long GE; Najarian is long COP; Najarian is long MC calls; Terranova is long EMC; Terranova is long SU; Terranova is long NCR; Terranova is long UPC; Terranova is long TRLG; Terranova is long VRTS; Terranova is long LQD; Terranova is long MUB; Terranova is long AXP; Terranova is long IBM; Terranova is long HES; Terranova is long CAT; Terranova is long SWN; Terranova is long CNI; Terranova is long DECK; Terranova is long SBUX; Finerman owns SPY; Finerman has short calls AAPl; Finerman owns BAC; Finerman has short calls JPM; Finerman’s firm owns SPY; Finerman’s firm owns IWM; Finerman’s firm owns MDY; Finerman’s firm owns JPM; Finerman’s firm is long IBM and has short calls;
Steve GrassoStuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own CSCO
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own CUBA
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own GERN
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own GM
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own HPQ
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own HSP
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own HSPO
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own JPM
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own MET
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own MSFT
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own MU
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own NYX
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own PRST
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own RDC
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own UAL
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own WFT
Stuart Frankel & Co. and its partners own XRX
Brian KellyShelter Harbor Capital is long EURO
Shelter Harbor Capital is long IWM
Shelter Harbor Capital is long LNG
Shelter Harbor Capital is long PLPT
Shelter Harbor Capital is long CORN
Shelter Harbor Capital is long SOY
Shelter Harbor Capital is long AUSSIE $
Shelter Harbor Capital is long CANADIAN DOLLAR
Mike KhouwCantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of AAPL
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of AKS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of BAC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of C
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of PNC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of JPM
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of WFC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GDX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of MS
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of NFLX
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GLD
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of XLU
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of TLT
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of XLF
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of SMH
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of INTC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of CSCO
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of YHOO
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of IBM
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of CDR
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of AMZN
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of CMC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of VZ
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of FIO
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of TOL
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of VMC
Cantor Fitzgerald is a market maker in securities of GE
Tim FreemanElevation LLC trades SPX options
Mike WalkleyNo disclosures
Andy HargreavesNeither Andy, nor his family own shares of NFLX
Pacific Crest does not own > 1% shares of NFLX
Pacific Crest has no investment banking relationship with NFLX
Pacific Crest does make a market in the shares of NFLX
Steven WinokerThe following companies (GENERAL ELECTRIC GE) are or during the past twelve (12) months were clients of Bernstein, which provided non-investment banking securities related services and received compensation for such services GE / General Electric Co.
An affiliate of Bernstein received compensation for non-investment banking-securities related services from the following companies GE /General Electric Co.
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