Investing in energy stocks

Sector-specific investing can help you broaden and diversify your portfolio. But each sector comes with a unique assortment of benefits and risks.

What are energy stocks?

Energy stocks fit into the energy sector of the stock market — one of 11 sectors defined by the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). Companies in the energy sector focus on the location, mining and production of oil, coal and natural gas.

What subcategories are included in this sector?

Companies that fall within the energy sector can be sorted into the following subcategories:

• Oil and gas. At the start of the supply chain, we find companies responsible for drilling and producing oil and natural gas.
• Pipelines. These mid-stream providers transport oil and natural gas from the drilling site to their respective refineries.
• Mining. Mining companies produce coal that helps fuel power plants.
• Renewable energy. Those that produce wind and solar energy are considered renewable energy providers.
• Chemicals. This subcategory is comprised of companies responsible for refining oil and gas into specialty chemicals.

How to invest in the energy sector

There are two ways to invest in the energy sector: individual stocks or exchange-traded funds. Individual stocks are highly liquid but offer limited exposure. Sector-tracking ETFs are less risky than stocks and offer portfolio diversification but typically pay lower dividends and have higher fees.

You’ll need a brokerage account to invest in stocks and ETFs. Here’s a quick look at the process:

1. Select a platform. Explore your brokerage account options to find the platform that best matches your investment goals.
2. Open an account. Most brokerage accounts can be opened online. You’ll need to fund your account before you can make trades.
3. Pick your securities. Use your platform’s research tools to search for stocks and ETFs by sector.
4. Place an order. Once you’ve found a security you’d like to purchase, place your order.
5. Track your investments. Monitor your investments by logging into your brokerage account.

What stocks are in the energy sector?

• Chevron Corporation (CVX.US)

  Company summary

  Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in integrated energy, chemicals, and petroleum operations worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment is involved in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as operates a gas-to-liquids plant. The Downstream segment engages in refining crude oil into petroleum products; marketing crude oil, refined products, and lubricants; transporting crude oil and refined products through pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacturing and marketing commodity petrochemicals, and fuel and lubricant additives, as well as alkylate and plastics for industrial uses. It is also involved in the cash management and debt financing activities; insurance operations; real estate activities; and technology businesses. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corporation and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is headquartered in San Ramon, California.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $211975880704
  • P/E ratio: 58.1794
  • PEG ratio: 0.5308
  • Dividend yield: 0.0479%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy CVX.US stock

• CVR Energy (CVI.US)

  Company summary

  CVR Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum refining and nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing activities in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Petroleum and Nitrogen Fertilizer. The Petroleum segment refines and markets gasoline, diesel fuel, and other refined products. It owns and operates a coking medium-sour crude oil refinery in southeast Kansas; and a crude oil refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, as well as supporting logistics assets. This segment primarily serves retailers, railroads, farm co-operatives, and other refiners/marketers. The Nitrogen Fertilizer segment owns and operates a nitrogen fertilizer plant in North America that utilizes a pet coke gasification process to produce nitrogen fertilizer products; and a nitrogen fertilizer facility in East Dubuque, Illinois that produces nitrogen fertilizers in the form of ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). It primarily markets UAN products to agricultural customers; and ammonia products to agricultural and industrial customers. CVR Energy, Inc. was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas. CVR Energy, Inc. is a subsidiary of Icahn Enterprises L.P.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $2027710336
  • PEG ratio: -2.16
  • Dividend yield: 0%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy CVI.US stock

• Devon Energy Corporation (DVN.US)

  Company summary

  Devon Energy Corporation, an independent energy company, primarily engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States. It operates approximately 3,942 gross wells. Devon Energy Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $27147698176
  • P/E ratio: 78.1676
  • PEG ratio: 1.9044
  • Dividend yield: 0.0111%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy DVN.US stock

• Diamondback Energy (FANG.US)

  Company summary

  Diamondback Energy, Inc., an independent oil and natural gas company, focuses on the acquisition, development, exploration, and exploitation of unconventional and onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. It primarily focuses on the development of the Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations of the Midland basin; and the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations of the Delaware basin, which are part of the Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico. As of December 31, 2020, the company's total acreage position was approximately 449,642 gross acres in the Permian Basin; and estimated proved oil and natural gas reserves were 1,316,441 thousand barrels of crude oil equivalent. It also held working interests in 4,326 gross producing wells, as well as royalty interests in 4,553 additional wells. In addition, the company owns mineral interests approximately 787,264 gross acres and 24,350 net royalty acres in the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale; and owns, operates, develops, and acquires midstream infrastructure assets, including 927 miles of crude oil gathering pipelines, natural gas gathering pipelines, and an integrated water system in the Midland and Delaware Basins of the Permian Basin. Diamondback Energy, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $19604527104
  • PEG ratio: 0.253
  • Dividend yield: 0.0149%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy FANG.US stock

• Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM.US)

  Company summary

  Exxon Mobil Corporation explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical segments. The company is also involved in the manufacture, trade, transport, and sale of crude oil, natural gas, petroleum products, petrochemicals, and other specialty products; and manufactures and sells petrochemicals, including olefins, polyolefins, aromatics, and various other petrochemicals. As of December 31, 2020, it had approximately 22,239 net operated wells with proved reserves. The company was founded in 1870 and is based in Irving, Texas.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $264978530304
  • PEG ratio: 2.5238
  • Dividend yield: 0.0561%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy XOM.US stock

• Halliburton Company (HAL.US)

  Company summary

  Halliburton Company provides a range of services and products to oil and natural gas companies worldwide. The company's Completion and Production segment offers production enhancement services, including stimulation and sand control services; and cementing services, such as well bonding and casing, as well as provides casing equipment. It also provides completion tools that offer downhole solutions and services, including well completion products and services, intelligent well completions, liner hanger and sand control systems, and service tools; production solutions comprising coiled tubing, hydraulic workover units, downhole tools, pumping services, and nitrogen services; and pipeline and process services, such as pre-commissioning, commissioning, maintenance, and decommissioning. In addition, this segment offers electrical submersible pumps, as well as artificial lift services. The company's Drilling and Evaluation segment provides drilling fluid systems, performance additives, completion fluids, solids control, specialized testing equipment, and waste management services; oilfield completion, production, and downstream water and process treatment chemicals and services; and drilling systems and services. It also offers wireline and perforating services, including open-hole logging, and cased-hole and slickline; and drill bits and services comprising roller cone rock bits, fixed cutter bits, hole enlargement, and related downhole tools and services, as well as coring equipment and services. In addition, this segment provides cloud based digital services and artificial intelligence solutions on an open architecture for subsurface insights, integrated well construction, and reservoir and production management; testing and subsea services, such as acquisition and analysis of reservoir information and optimization solutions; and project management and integrated asset management services. Halliburton Company was founded in 1919 and is based in Houston, Texas.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $23161878528
  • P/E ratio: 159.5706
  • PEG ratio: 0.5283
  • Dividend yield: 0.0073%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy HAL.US stock

• Hess Corporation (HES.US)

  Company summary

  Hess Corporation, an exploration and production company, explores, develops, produces, purchases, transports, and sells crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas. The company operates through two segments, Exploration and Production, and Marketing and Refining. It conducts production operations primarily in the United States, Denmark, the Malaysia/Thailand Joint Development Area, and Malaysia; and exploration activities primarily offshore Guyana, Suriname, Canada, and in the Gulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2020, the company had total proved reserves of 1,077 million barrels of oil equivalent. It is also involved in the gathering, compressing, and processing of natural gas; fractionating NGLs; gathering, terminaling, loading, and transporting crude oil and NGLs through rail car; storing and terminaling propane, as well as providing water handling services primarily in the Bakken Shale plays in the Williston Basin area of North Dakota. The company was incorporated in 1920 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $27917021184
  • PEG ratio: -1.93
  • Dividend yield: 0.0111%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy HES.US stock

• Kinder Morgan (KMI.US)

  Company summary

  Kinder Morgan, Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. The company operates through Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, Terminals, and CO2 segments. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline, and underground storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas liquefaction and storage facilities. The Products Pipelines segment owns and operates refined petroleum products, and crude oil and condensate pipelines; and associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix facilities. The Terminals segment owns and/or operates liquids and bulk terminals that stores and handles various commodities, including gasoline, diesel fuel, chemicals, ethanol, metals, and petroleum coke; and owns tankers. The CO2 segment produces, transports, and markets CO2 to recovery and production crude oil from mature oil fields; and owns interests in/or operates oil fields and gasoline processing plants, as well as operates a crude oil pipeline system in West Texas. It owns and operates approximately 83,000 miles of pipelines and 144 terminals. The company was formerly known as Kinder Morgan Holdco LLC and changed its name to Kinder Morgan, Inc. in February 2011. Kinder Morgan, Inc. was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $41839960064
  • P/E ratio: 24.5806
  • PEG ratio: 1.9914
  • Dividend yield: 0.0579%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy KMI.US stock

• Pioneer Natural Resources Company (PXD.US)

  Company summary

  Pioneer Natural Resources Company operates as an independent oil and gas exploration and production company in the United States. The company explores for, develops, and produces oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and gas. It has operations in the Permian Basin in West Texas. As of December 31, 2020, the company had proved undeveloped reserves and proved developed non-producing reserves of 31 million barrels of oil, 17 million barrels of NGLs, and 88 billion cubic feet of gas; and owned interests in 11 gas processing plants. Pioneer Natural Resources Company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $46374166528
  • P/E ratio: 140.3914
  • PEG ratio: 0.3436
  • Dividend yield: 0.0116%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy PXD.US stock

• Valero Energy Corporation (VLO.US)

  Company summary

  Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. The company is involved in oil and gas refining, marketing, and bulk selling activities. It produces conventional, premium, and reformulated gasolines; gasoline meeting the specifications of the California Air Resources Board (CARB); diesel fuels, low-sulfur and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuels; CARB diesel; other distillates; jet fuels; blendstocks; lube oils and natural gas liquids; and asphalts, petrochemicals, lubricants, and other refined petroleum products. As of December 31, 2020, the company owned 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.2 million barrels per day. It sells its refined products through wholesale rack and bulk markets; and through approximately 7,000 outlets under the Valero, Beacon, Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, Ultramar, and Texaco brands. The company also produces and sells ethanol, dry distiller grains, syrup, and inedible corn oil primarily to refiners and gasoline blenders, as well as to animal feed customers. It owns and operates 13 ethanol plants with a combined ethanol production capacity of approximately 1.69 billion gallons per year. In addition, the company owns and operates crude oil and refined petroleum products pipelines, terminals, tanks, marine docks, truck rack bays, and other logistics assets. Further, it owns and operates a plant that processes animal fats, used cooking oils, and other vegetable oils into renewable diesel. The company was formerly known as Valero Refining and Marketing Company and changed its name to Valero Energy Corporation in August 1997. Valero Energy Corporation was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

  Historical performance

  Stock information

  • Market capitalization: $32158019584
  • PEG ratio: 10.4681
  • Dividend yield: 0.0495%

  Get more detailed information and learn how to buy VLO.US stock

What ETFs track the energy sector?

Popular ETFs in the energy sector include:

Compare solar energy stocks

How is the energy sector performing?

The stock market is in constant flux, and individual stocks can change prices second by second. But you can use the performance of ETFs to gauge the average performance of a stock market sector over time. The graph below tracks the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE).

Why invest in energy stocks?

Energy is a resource the world depends on. The energy market is massive, and for good reason — this resource has been in high demand for many years. And even accounting for the shift towards clean energy, the world is still decades away from being free from oil, coal and gas.

Profitability in the energy sector is largely tied to the price of crude oil, but stock prices are typically stable and frequently pay dividends. Income from energy stocks may also be tax-sheltered — an attractive incentive for investors.

What unique risks does the energy sector face?

Politics play a sizable role in the energy sector. If companies explore for energy resources in unstable territories, projects are at risk of being sidelined or halted in the face of political turmoil.

Incorrect geological reports, oil spills and accidents can be costly for investors. This sector isn’t without its risks and investors should weigh the benefits against the drawbacks before allocating funds.

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Bottom line

The energy sector offers the opportunity for profit but carries a unique set of risks. The best way to invest depends on your portfolio and your investment goals. Review your trading platform options to find the brokerage account that best meets your needs.

Frequently asked questions

• What types of companies are included in the energy sector?

  Some of the biggest companies in the energy sector include Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Kinder Morgan, Schlumberger and Shell.

• What types of energy sources are included in the energy sector?

  Companies within the energy sector produce and distribute both nonrenewable and renewable energy, including petroleum, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, nuclear energy, hydropower, biofuels, wind power and solar power.