This El Paso-based company might be one of the smaller U.S. refiners, but its mighty stock was the industry's top performer in a good year. With refineries located in El Paso, Yorktown, Va., and near Gallup, N.M., Western Refining has the capacity to convert approximately 235,000 barrels of crude oil a day into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
The company set the stage for a profit rebound when it reduced operating costs by shuttering a pair of plants and consolidating operations. That paid off big-time last year when high but relatively stable oil prices allowed refiners to maintain healthy margins. In 2011, prices have risen sharply. Western and other refiners could get hurt if oil prices outpace gasoline and diesel prices.
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