Oil Is Surging and These 3 Energy Stocks Could Double Your Money Before 2027

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Oil prices are absolutely ripping higher, with investors of all stripes increasingly viewing oil stocks as a great place to invest. Indeed, with Brent crude approaching $85 per barrel at the time of writing, the ongoing geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East are clearly driving outsized expectations that future oil price surges could become the new normal we’re living in, in this time of turmoil.

Quick Read

• Exxon Mobil (XOM) produced 4.7M barrels and posted Q4 earnings of $6.5B on $82.3B revenue; Chevron (CVX) showed strong results; Marathon Petroleum (MPC) delivered $35.8B revenue (13% beat) and $4+ adjusted EPS.

• Geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East drive Brent crude toward $85 per barrel, boosting expectations that higher oil prices will expand margins and earnings for integrated energy companies and refiners.

• The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks. Get them here FREE.

Now, a lot can happen between now and the end of this year. And while some investors may suggest that plenty of top investment opportunities in the energy sector could be due for a double up over this time frame (if we do see triple-digit oil prices over this time frame), I’d still argue that the valuation and operating model differences between many top energy players remains stark.

READ: The analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks

With that in mind, here are three top opportunities I think investors would do well to consider right now, which do have the potential to see a doubling of their share price over the remaining 10 months of this year.

Exxon Mobil (XOM)

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) may be a somewhat interesting pick to include on this list, given the company’s size and importance in the U.S. energy sector. Indeed, we’re talking about the world’s largest integrated oil major, with a dominant upstream, refining, and chemicals footprint leveraged to higher crude and commodity prices.

That said, despite its size, Exxon has a number of key catalysts I think are worth pointing out as key drivers of the company’s near-term upside potential. For one, the company has seen its highest annual output in more than 40 years, producing more than 4.7 millions of barrels of oil equivalent this past year. Improved perating leverage embedded in Guyana, the Permian, and LNG as prices move higher should lead to higher margins, as the company looks to dominate its key production markets.

Indeed, investors are seeing this sort of textbook “late-cycle” activity this past quarter. Exxon’s Q4 2025 earnings of $6.5 billion dollars on revenue of $82.3 billion were modestly ahead of expectations despite still‑muted crude and bottom‑of‑cycle chemicals. I’d expect 2026 numbers to come in materially higher, given where oil prices have headed thus far, positioning Exxon well as the leveraged way to play surging commodity prices right now.

Chevron (CVX)

Next, we have Chevron (NYSE:CVX), a global integrated energy major with a growing U.S. shale, LNG, and downstream platform.

Another U.S. oil major, Chevron’s upside potential to me is driven by the company’s highly vertically-integrated business model. Chevron has also posted incredible results in recent quarters, with the company’s Q4 numbers coming in under the radar (in my view). That said, internals (such as EPS growth and adjusted earnings) have continued to shine. Personally, I think Chevron is among the best players in the energy patch from a diversification and cash flow growth perspective. Much of that has to do with the fact that Chevron owns essentially the entire value creation lifecycle in this sector, from production to refining, distribution, and ultimately retail.

While margins have come down over the past year, I think rising oil prices could be the elixir that solves for this problem. With a record production base, and plenty of balance sheet room to expand operations in a higher commodity price environment, this is a stock I think investors want to key in on right now.

Marathon Petroleum (MPC)

Lastly, we end with a great option for investors looking to maintain exposure to the refining segment of the energy sector, in Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC).

Indeed, if you want pure‑play leverage to product cracks in a world of tight refined‑product inventories, Marathon is the battleground bull case. Like the other names on this list, Marathon has seen strong performance of late. However, I’d argue this company is truly the juggernaut in providing near-term results. With the company’s revenue of $35.8 billion beating estimates by more than 13% and the company’s adjusted EPS exploding to more than $4 per share, this is a stock that looks very reasonably valued at current levels.

Yes, Marathon has been on the rise of late. But if we do see more pressure globally in the refining space, this is a top stock I think could disproportionately benefit from the ongoing global turmoil we’re seeing play out.

The company’s double-digit free cash flow yields at current levels, and its value as a top way to play strong demand for gasoline and other fuel products over the long-term, make MPC stock a solid buying opportunity with double-up potential in my view.

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