Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Upgraded by Zacks Research to “Strong-Buy” Rating

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) was upgraded by Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $212.00 to $246.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Wolfe Research restated an “underperform” rating and issued a $203.00 target price on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Tuesday. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $184.00 to $261.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $178.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $228.18.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:VLO opened at $234.30 on Tuesday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $227.10 and its 200 day simple moving average is $193.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.11. Valero Energy has a 1 year low of $110.00 and a 1 year high of $258.43.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.55. Valero Energy had a net margin of 1.91% and a return on equity of 12.35%. The business had revenue of $30.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $28.20 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.64 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Valero Energy will post 19.03 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 8,311 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $227.69, for a total transaction of $1,892,331.59. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 42,242 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,618,080.98. The trade was a 16.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.36% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 5.5% during the fourth 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 during the period. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 32.9% during the fourth 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 during the period. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 9,610 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,564,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares during the period. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 1.4% during the fourth quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 3,788 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $617,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Finally, Prospera Financial Services Inc lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 16,268 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,651,000 after buying an additional 53 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

More Valero Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks added VLO to its Rank #1 (Strong Buy) / momentum lists this morning, a visible retail- and quant-focused endorsement that can attract short?term buying and ETF/overlay flows. New Strong Buy Stocks for April 22nd
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators are flagging sustained upside from refinery margins, diesel strength and Valero’s capital returns — Seeking Alpha highlights potential windfall profits, large EBITDA scenarios and a buyback/dividend-driven 14% capital return case that supports higher long-term valuation. Valero: Windfall Profits Lead To 14% Capital Returns
• Positive Sentiment: Macro/refining tailwind — diesel prices have jumped and outlets note Valero as a beneficiary of the spike and of its push into renewable fuels, which supports near?term earnings and sentiment. Diesel Is Up 50% in Weeks. Here Are 2 Stocks Quietly Benefiting From the Spike.
• Neutral Sentiment: Scotiabank raised its Valero price target sharply (from $178 to $226) and upgraded to “sector outperform” — a positive signal — but the PT still sits slightly below the current share price, making the net impact mixed for immediate upside. Benzinga
• Neutral Sentiment: Broad sector/peer headlines (BP earnings preview, offshore rig revenue notes like Nabors) are worth watching because refining margins and oil prices drive Valero’s earnings sensitivity, but these are indirect and won’t necessarily move VLO alone. Important Factors to Watch Ahead of BP’s Q1 Earnings Release
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research reiterated an “underperform” view and a $203 price target (well below the current level), and related analyst commentary flagged that Valero may be priced for peak margins and unsustainable cash flows — this can pressure sentiment and trigger profit-taking or a re-rating if investors follow the call. Valero: Priced for Peak Margins and Unsustainable Cash Flows, Warranting a Sell Rating

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.