Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, nine have given a buy recommendation and two have given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $183.00.

Several brokerages have recently commented on VLO. Erste Group Bank initiated coverage on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Monday, November 10th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $162.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating and issued a $195.00 price target (up previously from $181.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Friday, October 24th. Bank of America restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $195.00 price target (down from $198.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 3rd.

Valero Energy Trading Up 0.1%

VLO stock opened at $187.00 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. Valero Energy has a twelve month low of $99.00 and a twelve month high of $194.35. The company has a market cap of $57.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.04, a PEG ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.77. The business has a fifty day moving average of $174.73 and a 200-day moving average of $162.50.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The oil and gas company reported $3.66 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.15 by $0.51. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 8.69% and a net margin of 1.21%.The firm had revenue of $32.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.80 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.14 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Valero Energy will post 7.92 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 9th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 5th will be paid a $1.20 dividend. This is a boost from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 5th. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 94.36%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Jason W. Fraser sold 9,933 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.02, for a total transaction of $1,728,540.66. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 134,196 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,352,787.92. The trade was a 6.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.04% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. GFG Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in Valero Energy by 70.2% during the 3rd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 160 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 1,277.8% in the second quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. now owns 248 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Wealth Strategies & Associates bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the third quarter worth $34,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Board raises quarterly cash dividend to $1.20 (annualized $4.80), a 6.2% increase from the prior payout — a signal of cash-flow confidence and higher shareholder return. Valero Energy Corporation Increases Regular Cash Dividend on Common Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Valero bought a Venezuelan crude cargo under Washington’s deal with Caracas — this provides an additional, potentially lower-cost feedstock supply for Gulf Coast refineries and could help downstream margins. Exclusive: Valero buys Venezuelan oil cargo as part of Washington’s deal with Caracas
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and market commentary note softer WTI/crude under $60 can boost refiners like Valero by lowering feedstock costs and supporting margins — a favorable backdrop for expected earnings. Softness in Oil Price: What Lies Ahead for VLO’s Refining Operations?
• Positive Sentiment: ETF/asset manager mentions: VanEck highlighted VLO among oil plays, which can attract fund flows and investor attention. VanEck spotlights SLB, HAL, BKR, PSX, and VLO as oil plays
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and valuation pieces note VLO’s earnings cadence and mixed valuation signals (P/E vs DCF) — useful context but not an immediate catalyst. A Look At Valero Energy (VLO) Valuation As P/E And DCF Send Mixed Signals
• Neutral Sentiment: Inclusion in broader dividend/safe-stock roundups and S&P 500/refining scale pieces reinforces visibility but is not a near-term earnings driver. Goldman Sachs Says Correction Could Be Coming: 5 Safe Dividend Stocks From The Conviction List
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded VLO from “strong-buy” to “hold,” which could pressure sentiment among some retail and model-driven investors. 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.