10 No-Brainer Stocks to Buy as Long as the Strait of Hormuz Is Closed

By Lee Samaha – Mar 31, 2026 at 9:05PM ESTKey PointsOil, LNG, refining, shipping, and fertilizer companies could benefit from ongoing disruptions.U.S.-based producers and exporters are among those positioned to outperform due to supply chain shifts.With the conflict in the Persian Gulf still ongoing, it's a good idea to buy some protection for a portfolio in case of an extended conflict, or even a relatively short one that results in lasting structural damage to the economic activity that preceded it. Following that line of thought, here's a whistle-stop tour through 10 stocks that can help investors in the current environment. Three oil stocks to benefit if the price of oil spikes even higher It's hard not to come across as Captain Obvious here, but oil and gas exploration and production companies are a good place to start, particularly those operating in the U.S., such as Permian Basin-focused Devon Energy (DVN 2.45%) and Diamondback Energy (FANG 0.43%). Those two companies are not only attractive as a tactical way to manage the risk of an oil price spike; they also look like a great value based on the price of oil before the conflict. The third is integrated major Chevron (CVX 1.87%). Its upstream operations (exploration and production) benefit from a higher price of oil, and its downstream operations (refining) are also benefiting from the widening in the crack spread (difference between crude oil price and refined product price) caused by the difficulty Asian refiners are having obtaining crude oil and the lack of refined product. ExpandNYSE: CVXChevronToday's Change(-1.87%) $-3.94Current Price$206.78Key Data PointsMarket Cap$420BDay's Range$202.00 - $213.0852wk Range$132.04 - $214.71Volume760KAvg Vol13MGross Margin14.66%Dividend Yield3.28% DVN data by YCharts Petroleum product refiners Speaking of the crack spread, the most widely followed one is the 3-2-1 spread (the spread between the cost of three barrels of crude and two barrels of gasoline plus one barrel of diesel), and it's blown up to just over $54 from less than $20 at the start of the year. That's great news for refiners like Valero Energy (VLO 1.43%) and PBF Energy (NYSE: PBF), who source crude from the U.S. regardless of its price. The latter is more of a pure-play refiner (Valero also has a renewable diesel business and ethanol operations), and PBF has outperformed the market. These stocks are likely to outperform as long as the crack spread remains wide and there's no demand destruction for transportation products (gasoline, etc.) caused by high prices. Don't forget liquefied natural gas (LNG) According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 34% of global crude oil trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and 20% of global LNG trade does too. Almost 90% of LNG volume through the Strait goes to Asia, and the rest to Europe. LNG could also take longer to recover than oil, even if the Strait is opened, particularly if the world's largest LNG export facility, Ras Laffan in Qatar, continues to suffer damage. Image source: Getty Images. Three companies that can help fill the LNG supply gap created by the Strait blockade.

Woodside Energy Group (WDS 1.71%) is an Australian LNG producer (with a 4.5% dividend yield and a U.S. listing) and is ideally positioned to supply LNG to Asian markets. Cheniere Energy (LNG 3.36%) is already the largest U.S. LNG exporter, and although it's operating at maximum capacity now, it's in a multiyear process of expanding its export capacity with a new LNG train (a unit to liquefy natural gas) expected to ramp production imminently. The third LNG (and also crude oil) play is Norway's Equinor (EQNR 0.40%), a leading LNG exporter with assets off Norway's coast. It will help fill the gap for European countries previously supplied with LNG through the Strait. Shipping and fertilizers Speaking of Norway and LNG, shipping company Flex LNG (FLNG 0.23%) is also well positioned to benefit from higher LNG shipping rates and demand for its modern, fuel-efficient fleet. If LNG can't reach Asia through the Strait, it's likely to be shipped over much longer distances – great news for shipping companies, daily rates, and fleet utilization. Finally, it isn't just crude oil, LNG, and refined petroleum products that go through the Strait. About a third of global seaborne fertilizer flows through the Strait, according to the United Nations. Gas is the major component of fertilizer, and the lack of gas and fertilizer through the Strait means that a U.S.-focused ferrilizer producer like CF Industries (CF 5.55%) will benefit from its manufacturing facilities in the West as well as its supply of gas from the U.S.Read NextMar 31, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloOil Prices Are Near Multiyear Highs. Here's the Best Energy Stock to Buy With $1,000.Mar 31, 2026 •By Scott LevineSmart Money Is Piling Into These 2 Energy Stocks as the Iran Crisis Deepens -- Should You Follow?Mar 31, 2026 •By Keith SpeightsThe Dow Is on the Verge of a Correction: 3 Stocks to Buy NowMar 26, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloOil Just Hit $100 a Barrel. Here's the 1 Energy Stock Built to Win Whether Prices Stay High or Crash.Mar 26, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg BrewerBetter Oil Stock: Chevron vs. Devon EnergyMar 25, 2026 •By Keith NoonanHow to Invest in Dividend Stocks: A Guide to Dividend InvestingAbout the AuthorLee Samaha is a contributing Stock Market Analyst at The Motley Fool covering industrials, electricals, energy, materials, transportation, and infrastructure stocks. Prior to The Motley Fool, Lee was a Civil Engineer and Investment Manager. He holds a Bachelor of Civil and Structural Engineering from Southampton University and a Certificate in Investment Management from Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. Lee first cut his investing teeth on The Motley Fool bulletin boards (commonly referred to as the “Fool Boards,”) and he’s infinitely grateful to all of the investors he learned from in this powerful investing community.TMFSaintGermainX@LeeSamahaStocks MentionedChevronNYSE: CVX$206.90(-1.81%)-$3.81Devon EnergyNYSE: DVN$50.32(-2.33%)-$1.20Valero EnergyNYSE: VLO$246.68(-1.43%)-$3.59CF IndustriesNYSE: CF$129.96(-5.55%)-$7.64Equinor AsaNYSE: EQNR$42.23(-0.40%)-$0.17Cheniere EnergyNYSE: LNG$282.83(-3.68%)-$10.82Diamondback EnergyNASDAQ: FANG$197.79(-0.43%)-$0.86PBF EnergyNYSE: PBF$47.62(-5.31%)-$2.67Woodside Energy GroupNYSE: WDS$23.86(-1.71%)-$0.42Flex LngNYSE: FLNG$29.71(-0.23%)-$0.07*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.