Energy Stocks
Track 20 energy companies from the S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100 indices with historical returns, performance rankings, and investment analysis.
What's Driving Energy Stock Returns?
Updated: May 2026Energy stocks are among the most volatile in the market, driven primarily by oil and gas prices. OPEC+ production decisions, geopolitical tensions, and global demand shifts can swing the sector dramatically in either direction. The 2022 energy crisis made energy the top-performing S&P 500 sector; the subsequent price normalization has moderated returns.
Integrated Majors currently lead the sector with an average 1-year return of +34.5%, while E&P Companies lag at +26.5%. Integrated majors offer diversification across upstream, midstream, and downstream; E&P pure-plays have higher oil price beta.
Key themes driving returns: oil price volatility, OPEC+ supply management, energy transition pressures, and capital discipline. Many energy companies have shifted to prioritizing shareholder returns (buybacks, dividends) over growth capex.
Of the 20 energy stocks tracked, 19 delivered positive returns over the past year while 1 declined. The top performer, APA, returned +99.2%, while OKE was the weakest at -4.4%. The median energy stock returned +29.1%.
Top 5 by 1-Year Return
Energy Stocks Monthly Returns (Jun'25 – May'26)
Which energy stocks are winning? Use this heatmap to identify the best and worst performers, spot which months hurt or helped specific stocks, and compare volatility across the sector. Over the past 12 months, 20 stocks gained while 0 declined. The leader is APA at +137.4%; the laggard is OKE at +16.0%.
| Stock | Jun'25 | Jul'25 | Aug'25 | Sep'25 | Oct'25 | Nov'25 | Dec'25 | Jan'26 | Feb'26 | Mar'26 | Apr'26 | May'26 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APA | +8% | +7% | +20% | +5% | -6% | +10% | -2% | +9% | +15% | +29% | — | — | +137.4% |
| HAL | +5% | +10% | +1% | +9% | +9% | -2% | +8% | +19% | +7% | +5% | — | — | +96.7% |
| VLO | +4% | +3% | +11% | +12% | -0% | +5% | -8% | +11% | +13% | +16% | — | — | +87.9% |
| BKR | +3% | +18% | +1% | +7% | -1% | +4% | -9% | +23% | +17% | -4% | — | — | +71.1% |
| DVN | +6% | +4% | +9% | -2% | -7% | +14% | -1% | +10% | +8% | +12% | — | — | +64.4% |
| XOM | +5% | +4% | +3% | -1% | +1% | +2% | +4% | +18% | +9% | +6% | — | — | +61.4% |
| PSX | +5% | +4% | +9% | +2% | +0% | +1% | -6% | +11% | +8% | +15% | — | — | +60.0% |
| CVX | +5% | +6% | +7% | -3% | +2% | -3% | +1% | +16% | +7% | +10% | — | — | +55.0% |
| TRGP | +10% | -4% | +1% | -0% | -7% | +14% | +5% | +9% | +17% | +2% | — | — | +54.6% |
| SLB | +3% | +0% | +9% | -6% | +5% | +1% | +7% | +26% | +7% | -4% | — | — | +53.6% |
| COP | +5% | +6% | +5% | -4% | -6% | +1% | +6% | +11% | +10% | +12% | — | — | +52.8% |
| OXY | +4% | +5% | +8% | -0% | -13% | +2% | -2% | +10% | +17% | +14% | — | — | +51.1% |
| MPC | +3% | +2% | +6% | +7% | +1% | -0% | -16% | +8% | +13% | +17% | — | — | +46.9% |
| FANG | +2% | +8% | +1% | -4% | +0% | +7% | -1% | +9% | +6% | +11% | — | — | +45.4% |
| CTRA | +4% | -4% | +1% | -3% | +0% | +14% | -2% | +10% | +6% | +11% | — | — | +42.5% |
| EOG | +10% | +1% | +4% | -10% | -5% | +2% | -3% | +8% | +11% | +13% | — | — | +32.2% |
| WMB | +5% | -5% | -3% | +10% | -9% | +5% | -1% | +12% | +11% | -1% | — | — | +25.6% |
| KMI | +5% | -4% | -4% | +5% | -7% | +5% | +1% | +11% | +10% | +1% | — | — | +24.0% |
| EQT | +6% | -8% | -3% | +5% | -2% | +14% | -12% | +8% | +7% | +6% | — | — | +19.4% |
| OKE | +1% | +1% | -6% | -4% | -8% | +10% | +1% | +8% | +6% | +9% | — | — | +16.0% |
All Energy Stocks
The table below lists all 20 energy stocks sorted by market capitalization. The three largest — XOM, CVX, COP — represent 57% of the sector's total $2.2T market cap. Over five years, 20 of these stocks have delivered positive returns.
| Stock | Market Cap | 1Y Return | 5Y Return | 10Y Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XOM Exxon Mobil Corporation | $671B | +44.3% | +228.7% | +200.8% |
| CVX Chevron Corporation | $410B | +30.2% | +133.9% | +232.9% |
| COP ConocoPhillips | $155B | +29.1% | +167.6% | +334.0% |
| WMB The Williams Companies, | $90B | +27.5% | +298.8% | +675.1% |
| EOG EOG Resources, Inc. | $76B | +15.7% | +143.7% | +159.2% |
| KMI Kinder Morgan, Inc. | $75B | +25.9% | +175.7% | +209.1% |
| SLB SLB N.V. | $74B | +23.8% | +93.9% | -10.7% |
| VLO Valero Energy Corporation | $71B | +85.8% | +256.6% | +443.4% |
| PSX Phillips 66 | $71B | +46.0% | +150.7% | +197.6% |
| MPC Marathon Petroleum Corporation | $69B | +58.4% | +368.4% | +765.3% |
| BKR Baker Hughes Company | $62B | +44.6% | +195.0% | +162.1% |
| OXY Occidental Petroleum Corporation | $60B | +28.5% | +121.4% | +17.1% |
| OKE ONEOK, Inc. | $57B | -4.4% | +137.0% | +497.2% |
| FANG Diamondback Energy, Inc. | $54B | +24.3% | +191.1% | +224.1% |
| TRGP Targa Resources Corp. | $52B | +24.4% | +696.1% | +1253.0% |
| EQT EQT Corporation | $41B | +24.8% | +269.4% | +108.7% |
| HAL Halliburton Company | $32B | +55.8% | +76.3% | +30.0% |
| DVN Devon Energy Corporation | $30B | +37.6% | +163.5% | +187.9% |
| CTRA Coterra Energy Inc. | $26B | +21.7% | +136.7% | +107.2% |
| APA APA Corporation | $14B | +99.2% | +114.0% | +4.5% |
About Energy Stocks
The energy sector represents 20 companies in our US market coverage, with a combined market capitalization of $2.2T. These stocks span integrated oil & gas, exploration & production (E&P), refining, oilfield services, and energy equipment.
The sector is dominated by mega-caps: XOM ($671B), CVX ($410B), and COP ($155B) together account for 57% of the sector's total market value.
Industry Performance Breakdown
Other Key Energy Industries
Investing in Energy Stocks
Energy stocks are highly cyclical and volatile, with returns driven primarily by oil and gas prices. They can provide portfolio diversification and inflation hedging but require tolerance for commodity price swings.
For diversified exposure, investors often consider the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE), which provides broad energy sector coverage in a single investment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Energy Stocks
What are the best energy stocks?
The top-performing energy stock over the past year is APA with a return of +99.2%. The sector includes 20 companies with a combined market cap of $2.2T, led by integrated majors like XOM and CVX. Over five years, 20 energy stocks have delivered positive returns.
How do energy stocks correlate with oil prices?
Energy stock returns are heavily driven by oil and natural gas prices. E&P companies have the highest oil price sensitivity, while integrated majors (XOM, CVX) are more diversified across refining and chemicals. Currently, Integrated Majors leads the sector at +34.5% average 1-year return, while E&P Companies returns +26.5%.
What is the difference between clean energy and traditional energy stocks?
Traditional energy companies (XOM, CVX, COP) focus on oil, gas, and refining with established cash flows and dividends. Clean energy stocks cover solar, wind, and battery technology but tend to be more volatile and less profitable. Many traditional energy companies are investing in low-carbon projects while maintaining fossil fuel operations.
What are the best energy ETFs?
The most popular energy ETF is XLE (Energy Select Sector SPDR), which provides broad exposure to S&P 500 energy companies. Other options include VDE (Vanguard Energy) for broader coverage, OIH (VanEck Oil Services) for oilfield services, and AMLP (Alerian MLP) for midstream pipeline exposure with high dividend yields.
Are energy stocks good for dividends?
Energy companies have become strong dividend payers, especially since the post-2020 shift toward capital discipline. Many integrated majors and E&P companies now prioritize returning cash to shareholders through dividends and buybacks rather than aggressive production growth. The sector's average 1-year return of +37.2% reflects both price returns and income.