The energy sector has had a very solid 2014 as money has continued to chase some of the top large cap leaders in the area. As the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has finally broken through the $100 level, many firms on Wall Street are still bullish on the sector, but they are looking to different companies for the path forward.

A new research report from the energy team at Stifel maintains that there is a risk that the correction that started in late June has not yet finished, that value names should hold up better than growth names and that natural gas names should hold up better than oil names from here. The report highlights top stocks to buy now that may give investors a better risk/reward return from the sector as we finish up 2014 and head into next year.

Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC) is one of the biggest independent oil and gas producers in the country, with exploration or production work in all major domestic drilling areas, as well as in South America, Africa, Asia and New Zealand. Worldwide, natural gas makes up just over half of Anadarko’s reserves, but 87% of the new wells it drilled in the United States last year were gas wells. The company has daily production over 2.6 billion cubic feet. Investors are paid a 1% dividend. Stifel has a $128 price target. The Thomson/First Call consensus target is $125.57. Anadarko closed Monday at $108.85.

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EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG) is another top stock to buy at Stifel. The company is fueling record oil and natural gas production that is revolutionizing the U.S. energy position. Its position in the three biggest tight oil plays makes it a huge player in the exploration and production field. EOG is the top producer in the Eagle Ford Shale and it has solid rankings in both the Bakken and Permian Basin. Investors are paid a tiny 0.4% dividend. Stifel has a $120 target price. The consensus target is $124.42. EOG closed Monday at $105.43 a share.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) calls itself the most active driller in the country, with operations in 15 states, from the Rockies to Texas to Pennsylvania. The company is a good example of how “independent” doesn’t necessarily mean small. As of last year, the company owned an interest in 45,800 wells, of which 38,900 were primarily gas wells. Daily they produce almost 3 billion cubic feet. On Wall Street it is considered a pure-play natural gas stock. Investors are paid a 1.1% dividend. The Stifel price target is $34. The consensus target is $32.24. The stock closed Monday at $25.46.

Gulfport Energy Corp. (NASDAQ: GPOR) is rated one of the top growth ideas at Stifel. The company’s principal properties are located along the Louisiana Gulf Coast; in the Utica Shale, Eastern Ohio; in the Niobrara Formation, northwestern Colorado; and in the Bakken Formation, Western North Dakota and Eastern Montana. The company reported outstanding earnings late last month, and it has been seen as a takeover target. Stifel has set their price target at $70, while the consensus figure is $75.96. Gulfport closed Monday at $56.61.

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Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (NYSE: PXD) is a huge player in the Permian basin and the Eagle Ford in Texas, and it has been a big winner for shareholders. While keeping this as the top second half of the year stock to buy, the Stifel analysts are cautious as the price of oil is seeking to find a new base. The company was also recently named by the U.S. Commerce Department to produce and export condensate. Rumors have swirled over the past year that one of the big integrateds may target Pioneer as a takeover candidate. It would be a very expensive deal as the company’s market cap is almost $30 billion. Stifel has a $250 price target. The consensus target is $250.53. Pioneer closed Friday at $204.04.

Southwestern Energy Co. (NYSE: SWN) exploration and production business has operations in the Fayetteville Shale in Arkansas, the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, as well as other plays in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The company is also expected to be a big beneficiary of the overall trend increase in the price of natural gas, which Stifel sees staying above the $4 mark for the next two years. The firm keeps its price target at $50, while the consensus target is $47.21. Shares closed Monday at $39.75.

Investors with big gains in the top integrateds may want to consider taking profits and moving some energy sector money to these smaller, more nimble stocks. With far less exposure to the volatile Middle East, they make good additions to any growth-oriented portfolio.

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