Oil prices jump after Iran says critical Strait of Hormuz to remain shut
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US control of Venezuela shifts the outlook for US oil stocks.
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Energy stocks rally as Venezuela developments drive buying.
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Which US oil stocks look best placed to benefit?
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Energy stocks moved into focus after the US placed Venezuela under temporary oversight, reshaping expectations for investment flows into one of the world’s largest oil reserves. Markets are now assessing which American oil companies are best positioned to benefit as Washington signals support for rebuilding Venezuela’s energy sector and restoring production over time.
US President Donald Trump said the US would oversee the country until a political transition is possible. Trump has also urged US energy firms to take a leading role in rebuilding Venezuela’s oil industry, saying they could help restore production and bring output back to stable levels in the OPEC member country.
Markets believe this could allow more investment into Venezuela’s large oil reserves, potentially benefiting US oil companies that have experience operating in the region.
Several US oil stocks rose strongly yesterday as investors reacted to developments in Venezuela. Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) led the gains, jumping 9.2%. Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) rose 7.2%, while Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) gained more than 5%.
With Venezuela’s oil sector likely to remain in focus under US trusteeship, investors are increasingly looking for opportunities among American oil companies that could benefit over the coming months.
Against this backdrop, we used the Investing.com stock screener to identify undervalued US oil stocks that may be well placed to catch up and deliver strong gains in the current environment.
12 undervalued US oil stocks to watch as Venezuela takes center stage
Here are the criteria we used for this research:
InvestingPro Fair Value estimates a stock’s worth by combining several well-known valuation models into a single average. The Financial Health Score, meanwhile, measures a company’s financial strength using key figures from its financial statements, along with comparisons to similar companies.
This research identified 12 potential investment opportunities.
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Looking more closely, these US oil stocks are undervalued by 30.4% to 71% based on InvestingPro Fair Value estimates.
That said, oil is not the only area investors should watch when looking for opportunities in 2026. Putting all investments into one sector also goes against basic diversification principles.
To spot opportunities across other sectors, the Investing.com screener provides ready-made tools with preset filters. These allow investors to quickly find stocks with multiple strengths in sectors such as materials, banking, industrials, consumer goods, technology, and real estate, all with just one click.
Please note that some of these pre-configured searches are available only to InvestingPro subscribers with a PRO+ plan.
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Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only. It is not intended to encourage the purchase of assets in any way, nor does it constitute a solicitation, offer, recommendation or suggestion to invest. I would like to remind you that all assets are evaluated from multiple perspectives and are highly risky, so any investment decision and the associated risk belongs to the investor. We also do not provide any investment advisory services.