The Most Overlooked Sector in Your Portfolio Is Also the Most Profitable

Jason Williams

Posted June 27, 2025

If you’re like most investors, your portfolio is probably overweight tech, light on energy, and chasing whatever's trending on financial news headlines.

But here's the thing: while everyone is busy speculating on AI and crypto, one of the oldest, most essential industries on the planet is quietly producing record profits…

And being completely ignored by the market.

american oil and gas

We’re talking about traditional energy — oil and natural gas (and to a lesser extent, coal).

Despite powering nearly every aspect of modern life, from transportation and electricity to fertilizer and plastics, the sector remains dramatically undervalued compared to the broader stock market.

And investors who understand this disconnect have a rare opportunity to position themselves ahead of the next big wave.

Let’s break it down.

Oil and Gas: Still the Lifeblood of the Global Economy

It’s easy to get swept up in the headlines about wind, solar, and battery breakthroughs.

Renewable energy is exciting, no doubt. But here’s the truth: the world still runs on hydrocarbons — and it will for decades to come.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), over 80% of the world's total energy consumption still comes from oil, gas, and coal.

american oil and gas mix

And even in the most aggressive green transition scenarios, hydrocarbons will continue supplying the majority of global energy through 2050 and beyond.

Why? Because nothing else delivers energy as efficiently, reliably, and affordably at scale.

Wind and solar are intermittent…

Batteries are expensive and difficult to recycle…

Nuclear is years, potentially decades away from scale.

Hydrogen? Not even close to commercially viable.

Meanwhile, global energy demand is rising, not falling.

american oil and gas demand

The world’s population is growing, not shrinking.

american oil and gas population

Developing economies are industrializing.

AI and data centers are consuming enormous amounts of power.

american oil and gas data centers

Every major trend points to more energy use — not less.

And when the world needs energy now — not twenty years from now — it turns to oil and natural gas.

Wall Street Doesn’t Get It

Despite all this, traditional energy stocks are still trading at massive discounts.

The S&P 500 is sitting near record highs, driven largely by mega-cap tech stocks with sky-high valuations.

Meanwhile, energy stocks are trading at single-digit price-to-earnings ratios and throwing off enormous amounts of free cash flow.

We're talking dividend yields north of 5%, share buybacks, fortress balance sheets — and yet investors act like the entire sector is headed for extinction.

american oil and gas underinvested

This disconnect has created one of the most compelling contrarian opportunities in the market today.

And the smartest money in the world is starting to take notice…

american oil and gas buffett

Warren Buffett has been steadily buying up shares of Occidental Petroleum. Private equity firms are pouring billions into upstream oil and gas deals.

Even some of the ESG crowd is quietly shifting their tone as energy security and reliability take center stage.

If you’re looking for where the puck is headed — not where it’s been — traditional energy deserves a serious look.

Why U.S. Oil and Gas Producers Are the Best Bet

Of all the players in global energy, U.S.-based oil and gas producers are uniquely positioned to win.

Why?

Because the U.S. has the resources, the infrastructure, the technology, and — despite political headwinds — a generally supportive legal and financial system for oil and gas development.

America is already the world’s top oil and gas producer.

american oil and gas top producer

And thanks to the shale revolution, U.S. producers can ramp up quickly, drill efficiently, and stay profitable even when prices fall.

Let’s look at three standout names across the size spectrum that give you diversified exposure to this theme —plus one bonus pick you’ll want to learn more about.

The Big One: Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG)

Diamondback Energy is a heavyweight player in the Permian Basin, one of the most productive oil fields in the world.

The company is laser-focused on West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where it holds an enormous acreage position and some of the lowest-cost wells in the industry.

With smart capital discipline and a relentless focus on efficiency, Diamondback has become one of the most profitable operators in the space.

It generates gobs of free cash flow, rewards shareholders with generous dividends and buybacks, and runs a tight, lean operation.

If you want exposure to U.S. oil with less volatility and serious staying power, Diamondback is one of the best bets out there.

The Mid-Sized Machine: Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN)

Devon Energy is a powerhouse in its own right, operating across multiple major shale basins — including the Delaware (part of the Permian), Anadarko, Powder River, and Eagle Ford.

american oil and gas dvn

What makes Devon stand out is its innovative fixed-plus-variable dividend model, which lets investors directly benefit from strong oil prices. When prices rise, so does your payout.

Devon has also been acquiring high-quality assets and integrating them efficiently, expanding its footprint while maintaining low costs and solid returns.

It’s a textbook example of a well-run, mid-cap producer that balances growth and capital return in a shareholder-friendly way.

The Small-Cap Sleeper: Prairie Operating Company (NASDAQ: PROP)

Now let’s talk about a much smaller — but potentially much more explosive — opportunity.

Prairie Operating Company is flying under Wall Street’s radar, but not for long…

With operations in the heart of the DJ Basin surrounded by major players like Chevron and Occidental, this small-cap E&P firm is laser-focused on unlocking value from proven acreage with the help of next-gen drilling techniques and tight capital management.

Small companies like Prairie are often where the biggest gains are made — especially when oil prices are trending up and the market is just starting to rotate back into energy.

If Prairie can continue to scale its operations and hit production targets, early investors could see substantial upside.

This is the kind of story that gets whispered in private equity circles before the rest of the market catches on.

A High-Tech Wildcard You Don’t Want to Miss

There’s one more company we’re tracking that’s doing something different.

It’s a small, under-the-radar U.S. oil and gas producer that’s leveraging proprietary drilling and completion technology to dramatically boost output while slashing costs.

It’s nimble, it’s innovative, and it’s got serious acreage in a high-yield basin.

And while Wall Street isn’t paying attention yet, the early results from this company’s latest wells are turning heads behind the scenes.

We’ve just finished a brand-new research report covering this up-and-comer — and you can get it free today.

Just click here to grab your copy and learn why this might be one of the most profitable oil stocks you’ve never heard of.

Bottom Line: Energy Is the Contrarian Trade of the Decade

Let’s recap.

✔️ The world still runs on oil and gas — and it will for decades.

✔️ Energy demand is rising.

✔️ U.S. producers are best-positioned to meet it.

✔️ And the market still hasn’t priced any of that in.

You’ve got Diamondback and Devon offering size, scale, and strong returns…

Prairie Operating Company bringing small-cap growth potential…

And a fourth wild card that could be your ticket to triple-digit gains if you act before the rest of the market catches on.

Don’t wait for Wall Street to give you permission to invest. The best opportunities come when no one else is looking.

Get invested in the future of American energy today — and grab your free report to learn more about the next breakout oil stock now.

P.S. While Wall Street clings to green energy fantasies, Trump just crowned coal as the backbone of America's $12 trillion AI revolution — and it's already generating real profits. One tiny U.S. company is at the center of it all, controlling a billion-ton reserve and paying an 11% dividend backed by long-term utility contracts. Early investors could collect over $5,000 a year as coal fuels America's comeback.

To your wealth,

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Jason Williams

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After graduating Cum Laude in finance and economics, Jason designed and analyzed complex projects for the U.S. Army. He made the jump to the private sector as an investment banking analyst at Morgan Stanley, where he eventually led his own team responsible for billions of dollars in daily trading. Jason left Wall Street to found his own investment office and now shares the strategies he used and the network he built with you. Jason is the founder of Main Street Ventures, a pre-IPO investment newsletter; the founder of Future Giants, a nano cap investing service; and authors The Wealth Advisory income stock newsletter. He is also the managing editor of Wealth Daily. To learn more about Jason, click here.

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