Tomorrow, investors could be delighted by some of North America's largest independent refiners, with Philips 66 (PSX -0.35%), Marathon Petroleum (MPC 0.19%), and Valero Energy (VLO 0.08%) all releasing fourth-quarter earnings. With the WTI-Brent crude price spread expanding once again, shareholders could see an upside earnings surprise. Regardless, investors should take note of the different directions these refiners are moving and secure positions for the long term.  

A winner for the new year
There's a huge difference between a good stock and a stock that can make you rich. The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for 2014, and it's one of those stocks that could make you rich. You can find out which stock it is in the special free report "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2014." Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

This segment is from Tuesday's edition of Digging for Value, in which sector analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman discuss energy and materials news with host Alison Southwick. The twice-weekly show can be viewed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It can also be found on Twitter, along with our extended coverage of the energy and materials sectors, @TMFEnergy.