Energy is the top-performing S&P 500 sector for 2021 as investors bet that a return to normal will boost the group, and Goldman Sachs envisions these stocks continuing to outperform. However, after the sector's 40% jump this year, the firm noted that going forward investors should be selective rather than buying the sector as a whole.
"We believe that simply having leverage to a re-opening trade will not sustain outperformance anymore, as much of this is now reflected in valuations," the firm said Friday in a note to clients. Analysts led by Neil Mehta looked for stocks that have "company specific drivers and catalysts that can unlock value, independent of the crude outlook."
The firm put together a list of eight "idiosyncratic" ideas in the sector. Here are some of the names, all of which the firm rates at buy:
