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Special Report
3 Surprising S&P 500 Outperformers of 2026Written by Ryan Hasson. Article Posted: 4/12/2026. 
Key Points
- LyondellBasell, APA Corporation, and Valero Energy rank 11th, 14th, and 25th among the S&P 500's top-performers on the year, while the index sits close to flat.
- All three have been driven by the same catalyst: the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran, which sent oil prices surging.
- After their stellar runs, all three have pulled back sharply this week following ceasefire news, potentially offering investors a fresh entry point within each stock's broader uptrend.
- Special Report: Elon’s “Hidden” Company
In recent years, when investors have thought about market outperformance, the usual suspects have likely come to mind: AI stocks, semiconductors, and mega-cap technology. That was the story for much of the past few years. But 2026 has produced something different. Many of the S&P 500's strongest performers year to date are not tech companies — three stand out: a refiner, a petrochemical giant, and an oil producer. Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO), LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), and APA Corporation (NASDAQ: APA) rank 25th, 11th, and 14th among S&P 500 performers year to date. The common thread is the geopolitical shock triggered by the U.S. and Israel's confrontation with Iran in late February, which sent oil prices higher and disrupted global supply chains. After a stellar run, all three names have pulled back significantly — potentially offering investors fresh momentum entry points. Valero Energy: The Refiner Built for This Moment
For a moment…
Forget about Trump’s ties to Israel.
Forget about reports of Iran’s nuclear program.
Because my research has led me to believe we’re risking World War 3 with Iran for a completely different reason. Click here to find out what it is.
Valero Energy is one of the world's largest independent petroleum refiners and fuel producers, with operations across refining, renewable fuels, ethanol production, and an extensive logistics network. Refiners have often been overlooked versus upstream producers and explorers, but in 2026 they have emerged as one of the market's most powerful trades. Valero has led the cohort with roughly a 44% year-to-date gain, making it the 25th-best-performing stock in the S&P 500. The Iran-related disruption has been the primary catalyst. Interruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz tightened global supply, pushed crack spreads higher, and improved the economics for U.S.-based refiners like Valero that source feedstock domestically. The company had already shown solid earnings power before the geopolitical tailwind: in Q4 2025, Valero posted EPS of $3.82, beating the consensus estimate of $3.27 by $0.55. Earnings are expected to rise nearly 32% over the coming year to about $10.45 per share. Institutional ownership sits near 79%, with significant inflows over the past 12 months, and the stock pays roughly a 2% dividend yield. For investors seeking exposure to the refiner, the recent 9% pullback from its 52-week high could present a compelling opportunity if the uptrend holds. LyondellBasell: The Petrochemical Winner Nobody Saw ComingLyondellBasell is a global chemical company specializing in polyolefins and advanced polymers. The stock fell sharply in 2025 amid a prolonged industry downturn and negative earnings, so it was not on many investors' radars entering 2026. Yet it has surged nearly 66% year to date, ranking as the 11th-best-performing stock in the S&P 500. The conflict and resulting disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz pushed input costs higher for petrochemical producers that rely on oil-based naphtha cracking. LYB, which primarily uses low-cost North American natural gas liquids as feedstock, suddenly gained a significant competitive advantage. Earnings are expected to grow about 26% in the coming year, from $6.31 to $7.96 per share, as the company targets over $1 billion in cost savings by year-end. A recent cease-fire announcement prompted profit-taking and pushed the stock down roughly 6%. If LYB can confirm a higher low within its uptrend, this pullback could be an attractive momentum entry in one of the S&P 500's top performers this year. APA Corporation: The Oil Producer Quietly DeliveringAPA Corporation is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the Permian Basin, Egypt, and the North Sea. Like LYB, it wasn't generating much buzz at the start of the year, but its almost 60% gain this year has made it the 14th-best-performing S&P 500 stock. The rally has been driven by higher oil prices and operational improvements that have largely flown under the radar. APA generated over $1 billion in free cash flow in 2025 despite weaker oil prices, cut annual costs by $300 million, and kept production roughly flat. In its most recent report, the company posted EPS of $0.91, beating the consensus by $0.29. Like the other names, APA recently pulled back in the week after oil prices eased following the cease-fire announcement. That pullback, however, could create an entry opportunity for investors who believe the supply-chain disruptions won't be resolved quickly. The April 8 low of roughly $35 would need to hold to confirm a higher low within the uptrend and preserve the stock's year-to-date momentum. |
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