5 Best Short-Term Stocks to Buy Now

2. HighPeak Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:HPK)

HighPeak Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:HPK) is one of the best short-term stocks to buy now. On March 11, 2026, the company reported a net loss of $25.2 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2025, even as full-year net income remained positive at $19.0 million, or $0.14 per diluted share. Full-year sales volumes averaged 48.3 MBoe/d, while fourth-quarter volumes averaged 43.7 MBoe/d. Management used the release less to celebrate 2025 than to signal a more defensive 2026 plan built around cash flow, debt reduction, and lower spending.

That shift was explicit. HighPeak said it is suspending its dividend to increase annual liquidity by an estimated $20 million to $25 million, cutting its 2026 capital budget nearly in half year over year, and running one drilling rig and one frac crew for most of the year. Its 2026 guidance calls for average daily production of 41,000 to 44,000 Boe/d and total capital expenditures of $255 million to $285 million. The company also said quarter-to-date production was already exceeding 46 MBoe/d despite winter storm disruption, suggesting it is trying to protect balance-sheet flexibility without fully giving up operating momentum.

HighPeak Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:HPK) is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on unconventional crude oil and natural gas reserves in the Midland Basin in West Texas.