Ask Matt: Can I profit from the oil rebound?

Q: Can I profit from the oil rebound, too?

A: Oil company stocks have been crushed along with the price of the commodity. Some investors are trying to grab some deals in the mess.

Famed investor Warren Buffett is the latest investor trying to find a bottom in oil company stocks for a big gain. Buffett revealed late last week he took a roughly 11% stake in Phillips 66. Phillips 66 is a Houston-based energy company that produces oil and natural gas. Shares of Phillips 66 are down 8.7% over the past year - a poor showing relative to the Standard & Poor's 500, which is down 1.4% during the same time.

Some investors might mimic Buffett's move. Shares of Phillips 66 closed at $79.07 Monday. Analysts forecast shares of Phillips will be worth $93.33 each in 18 months, which would be 18% higher than they are now. Much hinges on the direction of the price of oil - which is a big wildcard. Investors looking to bet on the oil-company recovery, without picking individual stocks, have options. Vanguard, for instance, has the Vanguard Energy exchange-traded fund (VDE), which owns stakes in roughly 100 energy stocks including the biggest players like Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and yes, Phillips 66. This investment will expose you to an oil recovery, but reduce company-specific risks.