Goldman Sachs Says Oil Could Surpass $120 a Barrel if Hormuz Disruptions Don't Ease. Here's What That Means for Oil Stocks.

3 hours ago 2

Matt DiLallo, The Motley Fool

Tue, July 21, 2026 astatine 12:35 PM CDT 5 min read

Goldman Sachs sees a imaginable instrumentality of triple-digit crude prices connected the skyline if disruptions to lipid flows retired of the Strait of Hormuz don't easiness soon. Analysts astatine the concern slope estimation that Brent crude oil, the planetary benchmark price, could apical $120 a tube adjacent 4th and mean much than $100 a tube adjacent twelvemonth if that cardinal waterway remains disrupted. The caller summation successful hostilities betwixt the U.S. and Iran has already driven Brent up implicit $90 a barrel, a astir 30% surge from its caller bottommost successful the debased $70s, erstwhile it appeared that the 2 sides had a woody to extremity hostilities and reopen the Strait.

Here's a look astatine the concern bank's existent lipid terms scenarios and what they mean for oil stocks.

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Two paths for lipid prices

Analysts astatine Goldman Sachs precocious published a enactment outlining their outlook for crude prices. The basal lawsuit is that Brent volition mean $80 a tube successful the 4th fourth of 2026 and beryllium astir $75 adjacent year. This outlook assumes that there's a de-escalation successful hostilities betwixt the U.S. and Iran earlier the extremity of this year. Despite caller attacks by some sides, there's renewed anticipation that they could instrumentality steps to de-escalate the existent conflict. Several quality outlets precocious reported that mediators presented a connection to Iran that included a 10-day ceasefire to revive bid talks betwixt the countries.

However, portion de-escalation is Goldman Sachs' basal case, it present sees upside terms risks. Oil flows retired of that cardinal waterway person astir stopped since the caller resurgence successful warring and person averaged 45% beneath pre-war levels successful the past month, according to Goldman's estimates. That's driving the bank's upside scenario. It sees Brent surging past $120 a tube by the 4th fourth if the Strait remains disrupted. Meanwhile, it sees crude averaging $100 a tube adjacent twelvemonth if the disturbance continues passim 2027, and accumulation successful the Persian Gulf doesn't retrieve to its pre-war level until the extremity of the year, erstwhile further lipid bypass pipeline capableness comes online.

Oil stocks tin thrive successful either script

Goldman Sachs' upside script for lipid prices would beryllium a boon for lipid producers. They'd currency successful connected triple-digit crude prices, enabling them to further fortify their equilibrium sheets and instrumentality much currency to shareholders done higher dividends and stock repurchases. However, the bank's basal lawsuit for crude prices -- $80 by the 4th fourth and $75 a tube successful 2027 -- is inactive a large scope for lipid companies.

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