Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Given New $255.00 Price Target at Morgan Stanley

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price target boosted by Morgan Stanley from $232.00 to $255.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Barclays increased their price target on Valero Energy from $184.00 to $261.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. TD Cowen increased their price target on Valero Energy from $255.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $280.00 price objective on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Thursday. Zacks Research upgraded Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Valero Energy from a “hold (c)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $245.59.

Valero Energy Price Performance

Valero Energy stock opened at $258.27 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $76.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.77, a PEG ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 0.55. The business has a 50-day moving average of $245.51 and a 200-day moving average of $212.55. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. Valero Energy has a 1 year low of $130.78 and a 1 year high of $265.61.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.16 by $1.06. The business had revenue of $32.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.38 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 3.37% and a return on equity of 15.94%. Valero Energy’s quarterly revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.89 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Valero Energy will post 26.83 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be issued a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is currently 34.88%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VLO. V Square Quantitative Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 6,670 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,648,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 5.5% in the 4th quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 975 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $159,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 32.9% in the 4th quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 206 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in Valero Energy by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 9,610 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,564,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KPP Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in Valero Energy by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. KPP Advisory Services LLC now owns 2,156 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $533,000 after acquiring an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its FY2026 and FY2027 earnings estimates for Valero, signaling improved profitability expectations for the refining business. MarketBeat Valero Energy coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks added VLO to its Rank #1 (Strong Buy) growth list and highlighted it as a top-ranked momentum stock, which can reinforce bullish sentiment among traders. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for June 12th
• Positive Sentiment: Valero has also been highlighted in recent commentary for its strong Gulf Coast refining advantages, flexible feedstock sourcing, and shareholder returns, helping explain the stock’s recent outperformance. Valero Stock Surges 53.3% in Six Months: Should Investors Buy Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $255 from $232 but kept an “equal weight” rating, suggesting the firm sees limited upside from current levels rather than a strong new catalyst. Benzinga report
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles noted that VLO is one of the most searched stocks on Zacks and a name traders are watching closely, but that attention alone does not change fundamentals. Investors Heavily Search Valero Energy Corporation (VLO): Here is What You Need to Know

About Valero Energy

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.