Control Empresarial, a 10% owner of PBF Energy linked to billionaire Carlos Slim, sold 200,000 shares on April 6-7, 2026 for approximately $9.3 million. The firm has been steadily reducing its PBF Energy position throughout 2026, from 30.8 million shares to under 20 million. While PBF Energy shares are up over 70% year-to-date, the energy sector remains volatile due to the Iran conflict and oil price fluctuations. Investors are advised to await the company's Q1 earnings announcement on April 30 before making allocation decisions.

Gasoline prices surged 21.2% in March 2026, the largest monthly increase since 1967, driven by disruptions to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran war. National average gas prices jumped from $2.98 to $4.15 per gallon in six weeks. Goldman Sachs upgraded several refiner stocks as beneficiaries of elevated crack spreads and tighter energy supply chains, while economists debate whether this represents a temporary shock or a sustained inflationary regime.

With the Strait of Hormuz closure disrupting global energy and commodity flows, the article recommends 10 stocks positioned to benefit from supply chain shifts. These include U.S. oil producers, refiners benefiting from widened crack spreads, LNG exporters filling supply gaps, shipping companies handling longer routes, and fertilizer producers gaining from reduced competition.

U.S. gasoline prices surged to $4.02 per gallon and diesel hit $5.45, driven by Iran war disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz. Oil refiners are capitalizing on widened crack spreads (now ~$47/barrel vs. $20 pre-war), with refiner stocks posting exceptional gains. The VanEck Oil Refiners ETF (CRAK) is up 29% YTD on a 14-week winning streak, while individual refiners like Par Pacific and PBF Energy gained 50% and 41% in March respectively. Analysts raised price targets on Valero Energy, citing potential structural shifts in refining profitability.

PBF Energy's Senior Vice President Paul Davis exercised and sold 50,000 shares worth $2.24 million on March 4, 2026, reducing his direct holdings by 21.42%. However, the article argues this routine option exercise is not a sell signal, as Davis maintains 183,426 direct shares and 50,000 vested options. The real story is PBF's recovering refining margins, with the company beating Q4 2025 earnings expectations and management forecasting a favorable 2026 outlook.

Gas prices have surged to $3.98/gallon, nearly double Trump's $2 promise, due to the Iran war. Diesel has jumped 43% to $5.38 nationally and over $7 in California. Consumer sentiment has declined sharply as inflation expectations rise. Energy companies and refiners are posting strong gains, with SM Energy up 44% and PBF Energy up 40% month-to-date, benefiting from wider profit margins.

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 25% of global seaborne oil and 20% of LNG trade flows, is creating significant ripple effects across energy markets. Rising oil prices benefit U.S. exploration and production companies, while refining crack spreads have soared above $58. The disruption also benefits LNG suppliers from alternative sources, fertilizer producers, and LNG shipping companies facing longer routes.

Delek US shares surged 8.6% today due to rising refining crack spreads and a BofA analyst raising the price target from $28 to $40. The stock has gained 55% in 2026, benefiting from increased oil prices and geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf that have disrupted global refining supply. U.S. refiners like Delek, which source domestic crude oil, are well-positioned to capitalize on these supply disruptions.

Oil refiner stocks have surged due to widening crack spreads (the gap between crude and refined product prices) following the Iran conflict. However, the article warns that two small-cap refiners—CVR Energy and PBF Energy—may face rapid margin compression if spreads normalize, making profit-taking prudent. Both stocks show technical overbought conditions, insider selling, and analyst sell ratings despite recent parabolic rallies.

Diesel prices have surged above $5 per gallon for the first time since 2022, with Goldman Sachs warning that the real energy crisis lies in refined products rather than crude oil. Middle East supply disruptions and refinery outages are constraining global diesel and jet fuel supplies, creating record-wide refining margins. U.S. refiners are positioned to benefit significantly from these elevated crack spreads.

The Iran conflict has created a historic earnings boom for U.S. oil refiners as the 3-2-1 crack spread surges to approximately $40 per barrel—roughly double pre-conflict normalized margins. With global refining capacity declining and the U.S. operating the world's largest refining complex, the industry could see theoretical gross refining margins reach nearly $240 billion annually. Five major independent refiners are positioned to capture significant windfall profits from this structural advantage.

The Iran-U.S. conflict has triggered conditions for a refiner earnings supercycle, with diesel crack spreads at 78% of the all-time record and climbing 60% month-to-date. Historical precedent from 2004-2005 and 2022 shows refining stocks can deliver extraordinary returns during such periods. The article identifies five refiners positioned to benefit from widening crack spreads and potential $260+ billion in annualized gross refining margins.