Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Announces Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $2.73 EPS

Posted by Geri Gentry on Oct 22nd, 2026

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO – Get Free Report) posted its earnings results on Thursday. The oil and gas company reported $23.90 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $21.17 by $2.73, Zacks reports. Valero Energy had a net margin of 5.17% and a return on equity of 26.74%. The firm had revenue of $46.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $42.71 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $3.66 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 43.3% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Valero Energy’s conference call:

Positive Sentiment: Valero reported a substantial year-over-year earnings increase, with third-quarter net income of $6.8 billion ($23.89 per share), versus $1.1 billion in the prior-year quarter. Refining operating income rose to $8.8 billion, while renewable diesel and ethanol also posted profitable results.
Positive Sentiment: Management sees refining fundamentals remaining favorable, citing low product inventories, limited excess capacity and resilient fuel demand. U.S. wholesale gasoline sales increased 4% year over year and distillate sales rose 2%, while Gulf Coast feedstock access and elevated freight costs are supporting Valero’s competitive position.
Positive Sentiment: Valero ended the quarter with $9.8 billion of cash, $8.6 billion of debt and only a 4% net debt-to-capitalization ratio, while returning cash at a 52% payout ratio. Management said excess cash will ultimately be directed to shareholders and that it has flexibility to increase returns as cash moves toward its $4 billion-$5 billion long-term target.
Positive Sentiment: The company maintained its approximately $2 billion 2026 capital-investment outlook, completed the $230 million St. Charles FCC optimization project on schedule and within budget, and said the project is already exceeding its expected EBITDA contribution. Port Arthur DHT repairs remain on track for completion by year-end, with total costs still estimated at $250 million and a substantial portion expected to be covered by insurance.
Negative Sentiment: Management warned that high crude freight costs create volatility and pressure for some North Atlantic, West Coast and Europe-linked operations, while a sharp rise in crude prices could compress refining cracks. Deferred industry turnarounds—estimated at roughly 1.5 million barrels per day globally—could also contribute to greater maintenance and reliability risk in 2027.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

NYSE:VLO traded down $17.25 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $419.50. 1,031,459 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,289,735. The firm has a market capitalization of $120.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 0.59. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $389.82 and a two-hundred day moving average of $308.10. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. Valero Energy has a 12 month low of $159.90 and a 12 month high of $461.52.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VLO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Weiss Ratings raised Valero Energy from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b+)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Valero Energy from $255.00 to $411.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Barclays boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $323.00 to $441.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Mizuho upped their target price on Valero Energy from $300.00 to $434.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $302.00 to $485.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $385.75.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on VLO

Key Stories Impacting Valero Energy

Here are the key news stories impacting Valero Energy this week:

Positive Sentiment: Valero reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $23.90 per share, exceeding consensus estimates of approximately $21.17–$21.28 and rising sharply from $3.66 a year earlier. Revenue increased 43.3% year over year to $46.10 billion, also surpassing expectations. Valero Energy Q3 Earnings and Revenues Surpass Estimates
Positive Sentiment: The company posted approximately $6.8 billion in net income for the quarter, compared with $1.1 billion in the prior-year period. Reuters attributed the record profitability to stronger refining margins, reinforcing the bullish operating backdrop for independent refiners. Valero kicks off refiner results with record quarterly profit on higher margins
Neutral Sentiment: Higher diesel costs and global energy-supply disruptions, including impacts connected to Iran, may support refinery margins but could also pressure fuel demand and operating costs. A proposed $8 billion U.S. relief program for farmers could partially offset diesel-cost pressures. Trump announces $8B bailout for farmers
Negative Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target to $400 from $375 but maintained a Hold rating. The new target remains below the stock’s recent trading level, signaling that the strong earnings may already be reflected in the valuation. TD Cowen raises Valero price target

About Valero Energy

(Get Free Report)

Valero Energy Corporation is an international energy company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The company’s primary business is refining and marketing transportation fuels, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other products used by commercial, industrial and consumer customers.

Valero operates refineries in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Its refining operations also produce asphalt, petrochemical feedstocks and other petroleum-based products. The company markets fuel through wholesale channels and branded retail networks, including Valero, Beacon and Shamrock-branded locations.

In addition to conventional refining, Valero has businesses focused on renewable fuels.

Earnings History for Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO)

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