Oil & Gas Stock Statistics show Marathon Petroleum up 162.8% and Valero Energy up 152.0% year to date as of October 5, 2026, while Valero leads one-year returns at 187.36% as of October 16. The S&P 500 Energy Index has gained about 52% in 2026 against about 13% for the S&P 500, with WTI crude trading near $100 a barrel.
Oil & Gas Stock in 2026 – Introduction
Oil & Gas Stock Statistics 2026 describe one of the sharpest sector rallies in years. The war with Iran pushed crude above $100 a barrel, and energy became the best-performing group in the S&P 500. Refiners gained the most. Marathon Petroleum, Valero Energy, and Phillips 66 each more than doubled in value in 2026, while most oil producers rose between 28% and 40%.
This report separates two numbers that writers often mix up: one-year returns and 2026 year-to-date returns. It ranks the top performers, compares refiners with producers, and tracks the winners and losers. It also sets stock gains beside crude prices. Dates matter here, so every table names the day its data was pulled. The report presents data only and does not give investment advice. Valero and Marathon Petroleum, the two names the market watches most closely, appear in nearly every table.
Interesting Fact(s): Oil & Gas Stock 2026
2026 Year-to-Date Return
S&P 500 Energy Index | ██████████ ~52%
S&P 500 | ███ ~13%
| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Best one-year S&P 500 energy stock (Oct 16) | Valero Energy, 187.36% |
| Top year-to-date stock on Finder list (Oct 5) | Marathon Petroleum, 162.8% |
| S&P 500 Energy Index, year to date (Oct 27) | About 52% |
| S&P 500, year to date (Oct 27) | About 13% |
| Brent crude, year to date (Oct 27) | About 87% |
| WTI crude, year to date (Oct 27) | About 75% |
| WTI futures close (Oct 26) | $100.05 |
| Marathon and Valero combined Q2 2026 profit | About $8.8 billion |
Source: Finviz data via Finder (October 5, 2026) and NerdWallet (October 16, 2026); Dow Jones Market Data (October 27, 2026); company earnings reports.
Energy stocks beat the broad market by about 39 percentage points this year. The S&P 500 Energy Index sits near 52%, and the S&P 500 sits near 13%. Marathon leads the Finder year-to-date list at 162.8%, while Valero leads one-year returns at 187.36%. The two lists measure different windows, so the names and figures differ.
Crude explains much of the move. Brent has gained about 87% this year and WTI about 75%. WTI futures closed at $100.05 on October 26. Refiners posted the biggest earnings jump. Marathon and Valero reported combined second-quarter profit of about $8.8 billion, and both beat Wall Street estimates.
Top Oil & Gas Stocks by Return 2026: Best One-Year Performers in the S&P 500
One-Year Return, Top 5 S&P 500 Energy Stocks (each █ = 10 percentage points)
Valero Energy | ███████████████████ 187.36%
Marathon Petroleum | █████████████████ 165.88%
Phillips 66 | █████████████ 129.22%
APA Corp | ███████████ 109.00%
Targa Resources | ██████████ 95.98%
| Rank | Ticker | Company | One-Year Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VLO | Valero Energy | 187.36% |
| 2 | MPC | Marathon Petroleum | 165.88% |
| 3 | PSX | Phillips 66 | 129.22% |
| 4 | APA | APA Corp | 109.00% |
| 5 | TRGP | Targa Resources | 95.98% |
Source: Finviz data via NerdWallet, as of October 16, 2026.
Refiners take three of the top five spots. Valero leads at 187.36%, and Marathon follows at 165.88%, a gap of 21.48 points. Phillips 66 adds 129.22%. APA is the only oil producer on the list, at 109.00%. Targa, a midstream company, finished at 95.98%, just 4.02 points short of doubling.
Earnings back the rally. Marathon’s refining margin more than doubled in the second quarter to $36.33 a barrel. Valero’s renewable diesel unit swung from a $79 million loss a year earlier to a $717 million profit in the second quarter. These numbers cover a trailing 12-month window, so they include late-2025 gains that fall outside the 2026 calendar year.
Oil & Gas Stocks That Doubled in Value 2026: Refiners Lead the Rally
Price Multiple Since January 1 (each █ = 0.25x)
Marathon Petroleum | ███████████ 2.63x
Valero Energy | ██████████ 2.52x
Phillips 66 | ████████ 2.05x
PBF Energy | ████████+ More than 2.00x
| Stock | YTD Return | Price Multiple | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon Petroleum (MPC) | 162.8% | 2.63x | $128.4 billion |
| Valero Energy (VLO) | 152.0% | 2.52x | $124.8 billion |
| Phillips 66 (PSX) | 105.1% | 2.05x | $116.1 billion |
| PBF Energy (PBF) | More than 100% | More than 2.00x | Not reported |
Source: Finviz data via Finder (October 5, 2026); Zacks Investment Research (September 4, 2026).
Four refiners have more than doubled this year. Marathon is up 162.8%, which turns $1,000 into about $2,628. Its roughly 64% stake in MPLX adds steadier midstream cash flow. Valero is up 152.0%, and Phillips 66 is up 105.1%. Zacks reported on September 4 that PBF Energy had also gained more than 100%, though it gave no exact figure. The three largest names carry market caps between $116.1 billion and $128.4 billion.
Margins drive these moves. CNBC reported in August that the WTI 3-2-1 crack spread reached about $59 a barrel, nearly triple its January level and far above the $19 average from 2010 through 2021. TD Cowen expects Marathon and Valero to repurchase about 20% of their market value by the end of 2027. The risk is mean reversion. If margins fall, valuations can fall quickly.
Best-Performing US Oil Stocks by YTD Return 2026
2026 Year-to-Date Return, Top 10 (each █ = 10 percentage points)
Marathon Petroleum | ████████████████ 162.8%
Valero Energy | ███████████████ 152.0%
Phillips 66 | ███████████ 105.1%
Targa Resources | █████ 52.3%
Occidental | ████ 40.1%
Exxon Mobil | ████ 35.0%
EOG Resources | ███ 34.0%
ConocoPhillips | ███ 33.9%
Chevron | ███ 33.1%
Devon Energy | ███ 28.5%
| Rank | Stock | Industry | YTD Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marathon Petroleum (MPC) | Refining and Marketing | 162.8% |
| 2 | Valero Energy (VLO) | Refining and Marketing | 152.0% |
| 3 | Phillips 66 (PSX) | Refining and Marketing | 105.1% |
| 4 | Targa Resources (TRGP) | Midstream | 52.3% |
| 5 | Occidental Petroleum (OXY) | Exploration and Production | 40.1% |
| 6 | Exxon Mobil (XOM) | Integrated | 35.0% |
| 7 | EOG Resources (EOG) | Exploration and Production | 34.0% |
| 8 | ConocoPhillips (COP) | Exploration and Production | 33.9% |
| 9 | Chevron (CVX) | Integrated | 33.1% |
| 10 | Devon Energy (DVN) | Exploration and Production | 28.5% |
Source: Finviz data via Finder, as of October 5, 2026. List covers S&P 500 oil and gas stocks with analyst ratings of Buy or better.
The top three refiners all passed 100%. Targa follows at 52.3%, and the other six stocks fall between 28.5% and 40.1%. The spread between first and tenth place is 134.3 points. The ten stocks average 67.7%, but the median is only 37.6%. A few refiners pull the average far above the typical stock.
Every name on the list beat the S&P 500’s gain of about 13%, measured October 27. Even Devon, in last place at 28.5%, gained more than twice the broad market. The list excludes stocks without a Buy rating, so it understates the full range of results. Gas-focused producers, covered below, trail this group. Exxon Mobil is the largest company on the list, with a market cap near $753 billion, while Chevron sits near $457 billion.
Oil Producers vs. Refiners 2026: Performance Comparison
Average 2026 YTD Return by Group (each █ = 10 percentage points)
Refiners (3) | ██████████████ 140.0%
Midstream (1) | █████ 52.3%
Producers (4) | ███ 34.1%
Integrated (2) | ███ 34.1%
| Group | Stocks | Average YTD Return | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refiners | MPC, VLO, PSX | 140.0% | 105.1%–162.8% |
| Midstream | TRGP | 52.3% | One stock |
| Producers (E&P) | OXY, EOG, COP, DVN | 34.1% | 28.5%–40.1% |
| Integrated majors | XOM, CVX | 34.1% | 33.1%–35.0% |
| S&P 500 Energy Index | Sector benchmark | About 52% | Not applicable |
Source: Finviz data via Finder (October 5, 2026); Dow Jones Market Data (October 27, 2026). Group averages are simple averages calculated by the author.
Refiners gained 140.0% on average, about 4.1 times the 34.1% average for producers. That is a gap of 105.8 points. Producers earn money from the price of crude. Refiners earn money from the spread between crude and finished fuel, and that spread nearly tripled. Integrated majors sit at 34.1%, with Exxon at 35.0% and Chevron at 33.1%. Chevron reported its best quarter in six years.
Midstream Targa gained 52.3%, close to the sector index at about 52%. The index blends all groups, so refiners lift it while producers and majors hold it back. Investors who bought a broad energy fund received a middle result, not the refiner result. The group averages use only the Finder list, so they describe those stocks and not the whole industry. In September, the sector traded at 14.2 times expected earnings against nearly 20 times for the S&P 500.
Biggest Oil Stock Winners and Losers 2026: Q3 Leaders and Laggards
Q3 2026 Return (each █ = 3 percentage points)
Equinor (over) | +███████████ 33%+
Suncor (over) | +█████████ 27%+
Canadian Natural | +███████ 20.2%
Antero Resources | -██ -5.0%
Advantage Energy | -██ -5.7%
Expand Energy | -██ -7.2%
EQT | -███ -8.4%
Comstock Resources | -██████ -17.4%
| Stock | Group | Q3 2026 Return |
|---|---|---|
| Equinor | Integrated | More than 33% |
| Suncor Energy | Integrated | More than 27% |
| Canadian Natural Resources | Producer | 20.2% |
| Antero Resources | Natural gas | −5.0% |
| Advantage Energy | Natural gas | −5.7% |
| Expand Energy | Natural gas | −7.2% |
| EQT | Natural gas | −8.4% |
| Comstock Resources | Natural gas | −17.4% |
Source: OilPrice.com Q3 2026 energy stock review; Reuters (October 27, 2026). Returns cover the third quarter only, not the full year.
Energy went from the worst S&P 500 sector in the second quarter to the best in the third. Oil majors and producers gained, but natural gas producers fell. Equinor rose more than 33%, Suncor more than 27%, and Canadian Natural 20.2%. Natural gas futures fell 7.6% in the quarter and finished just above $3 per million Btu. One refining stock gained more than 50% in the same period while a gas producer lost double digits.
Comstock fell 17.4%, EQT fell 8.4%, Expand fell 7.2%, Advantage fell 5.7%, and Antero fell 5.0%. US gas output is on track for a second record year in 2026. EQT announced a $13 billion all-stock purchase of Range Resources on October 26 to build the largest US gas producer. Q3 figures do not show full-year results, so check year-to-date data before ranking these stocks.
Oil Prices vs. Energy Stock Returns 2026: Crude, XLE and the S&P 500
2026 YTD Change as of Oct 27 (each █ = 10 percentage points)
US Oil Fund (USO) | ██████████████ 137%
Brent crude | █████████ 87%
WTI crude | ████████ 75%
Energy Select SPDR | █████ 53%
S&P 500 Energy Index | █████ 52%
S&P 500 | █ 13%
| Metric | 2026 YTD Change |
|---|---|
| United States Oil Fund (USO) | About 137% |
| Brent crude | About 87% |
| WTI crude | About 75% |
| Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) | About 53% |
| S&P 500 Energy Index | About 52% |
| S&P 500 | About 13% |
| Retail gasoline price (Oct 27) | $4.246 per gallon |
Source: Dow Jones Market Data and GasBuddy, October 27, 2026.
Stocks gained less than crude. XLE is up about 53% against 75% for WTI and 87% for Brent. Energy shares captured about 71% of WTI’s gain and 61% of Brent’s. Equity investors price in the chance that crude falls once supply returns. USO tracks futures contracts, so its 137% gain is not a clean match for spot prices.
The sector hit record highs on October 26. Retail gasoline reached $4.246 a gallon, up about 40% in a year. FactSet reports average energy earnings growth of 15.4%, against 8.1% a year earlier. Oil traded above $100 for most of the past month. One analyst warns that a resolution of the war could send crude, and energy stocks, sharply lower. XLE rose 37.02% in the first quarter, energy ranked last among sectors in the second, and the group then led again in the third.
One-Year Returns vs. 2026 YTD Returns: Why the Numbers Differ
YTD (Oct 5) vs One-Year (Oct 16), each █ = 10 percentage points
Valero YTD | ███████████████ 152.0%
1yr | ███████████████████ 187.36%
Marathon YTD | ████████████████ 162.8%
1yr | █████████████████ 165.88%
Phillips 66 YTD | ███████████ 105.1%
1yr | █████████████ 129.22%
Targa YTD | █████ 52.3%
1yr | ██████████ 95.98%
| Stock | 2026 YTD Return (Oct 5) | One-Year Return (Oct 16) | Gap in Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valero (VLO) | 152.0% | 187.36% | 35.4 |
| Marathon (MPC) | 162.8% | 165.88% | 3.1 |
| Phillips 66 (PSX) | 105.1% | 129.22% | 24.1 |
| Targa (TRGP) | 52.3% | 95.98% | 43.7 |
Source: Finviz data via Finder (October 5, 2026) and NerdWallet (October 16, 2026). The two readings come from different dates.
A year-to-date return starts on January 1, 2026. A one-year return starts roughly twelve months before the reading date, so it includes late 2025. Valero’s one-year gain of 187.36% beats its YTD gain of 152.0% by 35.4 points, which means Valero also rose late last year. Marathon’s gap is only 3.1 points, so nearly all of its gain came in 2026. Targa shows the widest gap at 43.7 points.
The readings come from different dates, October 5 and October 16, so part of each gap reflects price moves in between. Percentage points also compare gains from different starting prices. A fair headline needs the window and the date. “Doubled in 2026” fits Marathon, Valero, and Phillips 66. “Doubled in a year” adds APA at 109.00%. Targa has not doubled on either measure.
Oil & Gas Stock 2026 FAQs
Which oil and gas stocks doubled in 2026?
Marathon Petroleum (162.8%), Valero Energy (152.0%), and Phillips 66 (105.1%) have more than doubled year to date, as of October 5. Zacks reports that PBF Energy has also gained more than 100%.
What is the best-performing oil stock of 2026?
It depends on the window. Marathon leads the year-to-date list at 162.8%. Valero leads one-year returns among S&P 500 energy stocks at 187.36%.
How much have energy stocks gained in 2026?
The S&P 500 Energy Index is up about 52%, and XLE is up about 53%, as of October 27. The S&P 500 is up about 13%.
What is the difference between one-year and YTD returns?
YTD returns start on January 1, 2026. One-year returns cover the trailing 12 months, so they include late 2025.
Why did refiners outperform oil producers?
Refiners profit from the spread between crude and fuel. The WTI 3-2-1 crack spread reached about $59 a barrel, against a $19 average from 2010 to 2021. Producers gain mainly from crude prices.
What is the price of oil in October 2026?
WTI futures closed at $100.05 on October 26. Brent has gained about 87% this year, and WTI about 75%.
Which oil and gas stocks fell in 2026?
Natural gas producers lagged in the third quarter. Comstock fell 17.4%, EQT fell 8.4%, and Expand Energy fell 7.2%.
What is a crack spread?
A crack spread is the gap between the price of crude oil and the price of the fuels refined from it. A wider spread means higher refining profit.
Are these returns a reason to buy oil stocks?
No. Past returns do not predict future results, and refiner earnings can fall quickly if margins shrink. Check current prices and consult a licensed advisor before you invest.
How has XLE performed in 2026?
The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) is up about 53% year to date as of October 27. It gained 37.02% in the first quarter alone.
Did energy stocks beat the S&P 500 in 2026?
Yes. The S&P 500 Energy Index is up about 52%, against about 13% for the S&P 500, a gap of roughly 39 points.
Which is bigger, Marathon Petroleum or Valero?
Marathon had a market cap of $128.4 billion on October 5, and Valero had $124.8 billion. Phillips 66 followed at $116.1 billion.
What is the largest oil and gas stock by market cap?
Exxon Mobil, at about $753 billion on October 5, according to Finder’s Finviz data. Chevron ranked second on that list at about $457 billion.
How much does gasoline cost in October 2026?
Regular unleaded averaged $4.246 a gallon on October 27, according to GasBuddy. That is up about 40% from a year earlier.
Where do these oil stock numbers come from?
Stock returns come from Finviz data published by Finder and NerdWallet. Index and crude figures come from Dow Jones Market Data. Earnings figures come from company reports and Zacks.
Will oil and gas stocks keep rising?
No one can say. Analysts note that refiner stocks price in strong margins, and a drop in crack spreads or crude could cut valuations.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.