Exxon is the second-largest publicly traded energy company, followed by Chevron in third place. If you prefer to go with industry-leading companies, either one will do. That said, Chevron's market cap ...

Oil prices are having a down year. Brent, the global benchmark price, has fallen 15% to around $63 a barrel. That slump has weighed on the cash flows and stock prices of most oil companies.

For the first time this century, the stocks have risen in a year when the price of the commodity was down by more than 10%.

Chevron and Exxon are 'deep-pocketed names that are thinking 20 and 30 years out' Chevron plans to boost oil and gas production by up to 3% a year through 2030. Exxon's five-year plan calls for an ...