Hennessy Advisors Inc. Cuts Position in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Hennessy Advisors Inc. lowered its holdings in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 71.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 1,067 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 2,633 shares during the quarter. Hennessy Advisors Inc.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $278,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 3,400.0% in the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 105 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the third quarter worth about $27,000. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in Valero Energy in the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 134.0% during the 1st quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 117 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 67 shares during the period. Finally, AXS Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy Price Performance

VLO stock opened at $352.66 on Monday. Valero Energy Corporation has a 52-week low of $150.10 and a 52-week high of $353.00. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $303.55 and its 200-day simple moving average is $259.47. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $101.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.55.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $10.11 by $2.43. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 26.74% and a net margin of 5.17%.The business had revenue of $44.48 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.28 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 48.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Valero Energy Corporation will post 40.7 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 31st will be paid a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 19.92%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VLO has been the topic of a number of research reports. Mizuho upped their price target on Valero Energy from $289.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Barclays upped their target price on Valero Energy from $279.00 to $323.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. TD Cowen raised their price target on Valero Energy from $338.00 to $350.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Erste Group Bank downgraded Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $288.00.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.17, for a total transaction of $2,011,275.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 19,742 shares in the company, valued at $5,294,212.14. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Key Valero Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Tight refining market supports margins: Historically low fuel inventories, limited excess refining capacity and ongoing supply disruptions are creating a favorable environment for higher crack spreads. Valero’s flexible, complex coastal refinery network is well positioned to process various crude grades and supply multiple fuel markets. Valero Energy Looks Well Placed in the Tight Global Refining Market
• Positive Sentiment: Strong second-quarter performance and estimates: Valero’s second-quarter 2026 results reportedly showed substantial year-over-year improvement in adjusted EPS and revenue. Rising consensus estimates and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) indicate that analysts are becoming more constructive on the company’s earnings prospects. Did Strong Q2 2026 Earnings and Refining Tailwinds Just Shift Valero Energy’s Investment Narrative?
• Positive Sentiment: Relative market strength and favorable valuation: VLO recently gained while the broader market declined. Its low PEG ratio compared with industry peers may be adding to the stock’s appeal, particularly as refining profitability expectations improve. Valero Energy Gains as Market Dips
• Negative Sentiment: One analyst downgrade: Erste Group Bank AG lowered Valero from “buy” to “hold,” which could limit upside sentiment after the stock’s strong advance and near-record trading levels. Finviz Valero Analyst Update

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.