Shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO – Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-one analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $245.5882.
A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on VLO. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Valero Energy from a “hold (c)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $255.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $184.00 to $261.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $246.00 to $259.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st.
Get Our Latest Stock Report on VLO
Valero Energy Price Performance
Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.16 by $1.06. The business had revenue of $32.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.38 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 3.37% and a return on equity of 15.94%. The company’s revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.89 earnings per share. Research analysts predict that Valero Energy will post 27.45 earnings per share for the current year.
Valero Energy Announces Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Investors of record on Thursday, May 21st were paid a $1.20 dividend. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, May 21st. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.88%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $236.90, for a total value of $1,776,750.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 27,242 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,453,629.80. This trade represents a 21.59% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.36% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valero Energy
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Sapient Capital LLC raised its stake in Valero Energy by 724.2% in the first quarter. Sapient Capital LLC now owns 34,361 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $8,491,000 after purchasing an additional 30,192 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Valero Energy by 15.0% in the first quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,092,978 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $270,053,000 after purchasing an additional 142,451 shares in the last quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services raised its stake in Valero Energy by 245.0% in the first quarter. First National Bank of Mount Dora Trust Investment Services now owns 17,954 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $4,436,000 after purchasing an additional 12,750 shares in the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC raised its stake in Valero Energy by 15.2% in the first quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 2,850 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $704,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 19.2% during the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 59,298 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $14,651,000 after acquiring an additional 9,553 shares in the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
More Valero Energy News
Here are the key news stories impacting Valero Energy this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Valero is benefiting from a favorable refining backdrop, with commentary pointing to strong crack spreads, tight fuel inventories, and expectations that refinery utilization will remain high, all of which support earnings and cash flow. Valero Energy shares climb as refining margin tailwinds stay in focus
- Positive Sentiment: Valero has been highlighted as a strong cash-return story, with investors watching for continued dividends and share buybacks as refining conditions remain supportive. Valero Energy (VLO) Stock Is Tied To A Cash Return Story Right Now
- Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo reiterated its buy rating on Valero, reinforcing a constructive view from analysts even as the stock trades near the upper end of its recent range. Wells Fargo Sticks to Their Buy Rating for Valero Energy (VLO)
- Neutral Sentiment: Comparative pieces versus Cenovus argue that Valero still looks attractive on recent gains, but also note that peers may offer lower valuation or different strategic advantages. Cenovus vs. Valero Energy: Which Energy Stock Is the Better Buy?
- Negative Sentiment: One Zacks Research note downgraded Valero from strong-buy to hold, which could temper enthusiasm after the recent run-up. Zacks.com
Valero Energy Company Profile
Valero Energy Corporation is a San Antonio, Texas–based integrated downstream energy company that manufactures and markets transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks and other industrial products. The company’s operations focus on refining crude oil into finished fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as producing asphalt and other refined product streams for commercial and industrial customers.
In addition to refining, Valero has significant operations in renewable fuels, including the production of ethanol and other biofuels, and it manages an extensive logistics network of pipelines, terminals, rail and marine assets to move feedstocks and finished products.
Featured Articles
- Five stocks we like better than Valero Energy
- MDA Space Targets US Defense Market With $620M Acquisition
- Carnival’s Second Quarter: Is the Stock Still Complicated?
- Domino’s Stock Slides to 52-Week Low as Investors Digest CEO Change
- Microsoft Solves AI’s Biggest Bottleneck With Chevron Deal
Receive News & Ratings for Valero Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Valero Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
