Overview

Petroleum & Resources Corp. (NYSE: PEO) is a closed-end investment company, specializing in securities of companies engaged in petroleum, natural resources or related industries or in interests in petroleum or natural resources. The company has consistently owned shares of a representative group of oil companies. Realized capital gains have accounted for the major part of distributions paid in recent years. Virtually all net investment income and all capital gains are distributed. Stockholders have the option of taking the capital gains distribution and the year-end dividend from investment income in cash or stock.

History

Petroleum & Resources Corporation began trading on the New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...

 in January 1929 with a focus on investing primarily in energy

Energy

In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...

 and natural resources

Natural Resources

Natural Resources is a soul album released by Motown girl group Martha Reeves and the Vandellas in 1970 on the Gordy label. The album is significant for the Vietnam War ballad "I Should Be Proud" and the slow jam, "Love Guess Who"...

. Over time, the composition of the portfolio has evolved to reflect the changing dynamics of the global energy and natural resources markets. Today, they define their fund as an “energy and basic materials” fund. While great strides are being made in the development and commercialization of non-petroleum based sources of energy, oil is still the fuel that drives the energy sector and is the major underpinning of the portfolio. As a result, there is a diversified group of investments in the Fund in multi-national companies, as well as exploration, equipment, and service suppliers – all associated with petroleum. However, they are always on the lookout for companies with the potential to provide viable forms of alternative energy, and when appropriate, they invest in companies engaged in coal, nuclear, and hydro-electric power. In addition, they invest in a variety of basic materials, including coal, precious and industrial metals, aggregates, and chemicals.

The Corporation’s portfolio manager, Douglas G. Ober

Douglas G. Ober

Douglas G. Ober is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of two closed-end funds, The Adams Express Company and Petroleum & Resources Corporation, with combined assets of more than $1.7 billion for the year-ended 2009...

, Chairman and CEO, has been managing the fund for over 22 years. Mr. Ober is supported by a team of research analysts that look for investments offering long-term earnings growth at a reasonable price. The analysts’ recommendations are presented to the portfolio manager and are reviewed by the Board of Directors.

Trading on the New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange

The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...

 since January 1929, Petroleum & Resources has paid dividends continuously since 1934. The Fund, which is based in Baltimore, Maryland, is widely thought to be one of the earliest “sector funds” to trade on the NYSE.