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Best Oil and Gas Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top oil and gas stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best oil and gas stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best oil stocks to buy right now are:

Chord Energy (NASDAQ:CHRD) is the #1 top oil and gas stock out of 73 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Chord Energy (NASDAQ:CHRD) is: Value: C, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Chord Energy (NASDAQ:CHRD) has a Due Diligence Score of 27, which is -2 points lower than the oil and gas industry average of 29. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates CHRD as a "A".

CHRD passed 9 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Chord Energy has seen its stock return 17.72% over the past year, overperforming other oil and gas stocks by 16 percentage points.

Chord Energy has an average 1 year price target of $157.64, an upside of 28.03% from Chord Energy's current stock price of $123.12.

Chord Energy stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 11 analysts covering Chord Energy, 54.55% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 18.18% have issued a Buy, 27.27% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Ring Energy (NYSEMKT:REI) is the #2 top oil and gas stock out of 73 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Ring Energy (NYSEMKT:REI) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Ring Energy (NYSEMKT:REI) has a Due Diligence Score of 16, which is -13 points lower than the oil and gas industry average of 29. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates REI as a "B".

REI passed 5 out of 33 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Ring Energy has seen its stock return 32.56% over the past year, overperforming other oil and gas stocks by 31 percentage points.

Sm Energy Co (NYSE:SM) is the #3 top oil and gas stock out of 73 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Sm Energy Co (NYSE:SM) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: D, Financials: C, and AI: A.

Sm Energy Co (NYSE:SM) has a Due Diligence Score of 53, which is 24 points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 29.

SM passed 20 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Sm Energy Co has seen its stock lose -1.49% over the past year, underperforming other oil and gas stocks by -3 percentage points.

Sm Energy Co has an average 1 year price target of $37.33, an upside of 37.56% from Sm Energy Co's current stock price of $27.14.

Sm Energy Co stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 12 analysts covering Sm Energy Co, 41.67% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 16.67% have issued a Buy, 41.67% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 40 oil and gas stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 oil and gas stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Mach Natural Resources (NYSE:MNR) has an annual dividend yield of 14.62%, which is 10 percentage points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 4.59%.

Mach Natural Resources's dividend payout ratio of 255.8% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Vitesse Energy (NYSE:VTS) has an annual dividend yield of 12.51%, which is 8 percentage points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 4.59%.

Vitesse Energy's dividend payout ratio of -434% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Evolution Petroleum (NYSEMKT:EPM) has an annual dividend yield of 12.44%, which is 8 percentage points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 4.59%. Evolution Petroleum's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% one times in the last 10 years. Evolution Petroleum's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Evolution Petroleum's dividend payout ratio of -436.4% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Oil and gas stocks were down -1.28% in the last day, and down -4.87% over the last week. Canadian Natural Resources was the among the top losers in the oil & gas e&p industry, dropping -3.23% yesterday.

Shares of oil and gas exploration and production companies are trading lower after the U.S. and Iran electronically signed a peace plan, sending crude prices down and potentially hurting the economics of future projects.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued oil and gas stocks right now are:

Apa (NASDAQ:APA) is the most undervalued oil and gas stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Apa has a valuation score of 29, which is 5 points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 24. It passed 2 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Apa's stock has gained 62.63% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the oil and gas industry by 61 percentage points.

Ring Energy (NYSEMKT:REI) is the second most undervalued oil and gas stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Ring Energy has a valuation score of 14, which is -10 points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 24. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates REI a Valuation Rating of "B".

Ring Energy's stock has gained 32.56% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the oil and gas industry by 31 percentage points.

Crescent Energy Co (NYSE:CRGY) is the third most undervalued oil and gas stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Crescent Energy Co has a valuation score of 14, which is -10 points higher than the oil and gas industry average of 24. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates CRGY a Valuation Rating of "B".

Crescent Energy Co's stock has gained 9.66% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the oil and gas industry by 8 percentage points.

50% of oil and gas stocks rated by analysts are a strong buy right now. On average, analysts expect oil and gas stocks to rise by 38.13% over the next year.

1.47% of oil and gas stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 20.59% of oil and gas stocks are rated B (Buy), 57.35% are rated C (Hold), 13.24% are rated D (Sell), and 7.35% are rated F (Strong Sell).