3 Energy Stocks With Robust Earnings and Sales Growth Energy stocks have been the best performers of 2022, with the sector up 48% compared with a 14% loss for the broader market. In fact, the only other sector that has generated a positive return this year is utilities, and their 9% gain pales in comparison. Fueling the rise in energy stocks has been the stark increase in oil and natural gas prices. At some point, the boom in energy prices will end and energy stocks will almost certainly give back some of their gains. However, that time is not yet here. And while the rising tide has lifted nearly all boats, it makes sense for investors to focus on the companies with strong earnings and sales growth. They are likely to outperform their peers and retain more of their gains even when the sector turns lower. With that in mind, let’s look at a few energy stocks that investors may want to focus on. OXY Occidental Petroleum $65.32 XOM Exxon Mobil $95.34 PXD Pioneer Natural Resources $241.97 Occidental Petroleum (OXY) Source: Pavel Kapysh | Shutterstock.com Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY ) is by far the best performer on this list, boasting a year-to-date gain of 125%.