5 Energy Stocks with Incredible Momentum to Buy in 2017

Yes … it's that time of the year again – end of year stock market performance review season. And predictions for 2017.

Which market sector outperformed all others in 2016? Knowing which sector has been hot could point to where you should invest in 2017.

Investors looking for the ‘strongest performer’ for the U.S. stock market's price action this year need look no further than stocks in the energy sector. Yes, you heard it right.

With a market-thumping +25% return, 'Energy' has been the top performing sector S&P sector in 2016 proving that oil is indeed alive and kicking.

Energy Roadmap for 2017

Yes, oil had a great 2016 but what about 2017? Will history repeat itself?

While it’s hard to predict whether oil will double again and energy will outperform all other sectors next year, there's reason to believe that 2017 could be an excellent one for oil stocks

That said, we pair the Momentum Style Score of A with a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy), which as you know indicates stocks with high chances of outperforming the market over the next 1-3 months. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

One of the main factors driving the Zacks Rank is estimate revisions, so stocks with high ranks as well as high momentum scores have even greater chances of short-term appreciation.

Here, we’ve picked out five energy stocks for momentum investors based primarily on these two factors.

Our Choices

Newfield Exploration Co. NFX: Sporting a Zacks Rank #1, Woodlands, TX-based Newfield Exploration is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas onshore in the U.S.

Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A: The Hague-based Royal Dutch Shell is one of the largest publicly traded oil and gas companies in the world, based on proved reserves. Shell currently has a Zacks Rank #2.

InterOil Corp. IOC: InterOil – holding Zacks Rank #2 –is a U.S.-listed, independent oil and gas company with assets in Papua New Guinea.

Stone Energy Corp. SGY: Lafayette, LA-based Stone Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company engaged in the acquisition and subsequent exploration, development, operation and production of oil and gas properties located primarily in the Gulf of Mexico. Stone Energy currently has a Zacks Rank #2.

Bill Barrett Corp. BBG: Headquartered in Denver, CO, Bill Barrett – with a Zacks Rank #2 – is an independent oil and gas developer in the Denver-Julesburg Basin of Colorado and the Uinta Basin of Utah