Valero Energy’s (VLO) Hold Rating Reiterated at Jefferies Financial Group

Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed their hold rating on shares of Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a $401.00 price target on the oil and gas company’s stock.

A number of other research firms have also issued reports on VLO. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $279.00 to $323.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $255.00 to $411.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $329.00 to $435.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $289.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Valero Energy from $356.00 to $389.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Valero Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $335.12.

Valero Energy Trading Up 1.9%

NYSE:VLO opened at $382.84 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $346.35 and a 200 day simple moving average of $283.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $110.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.25 and a beta of 0.57. Valero Energy has a 1-year low of $155.29 and a 1-year high of $419.04. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $10.11 by $2.43. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 26.74% and a net margin of 5.17%.The firm had revenue of $44.48 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.28 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 48.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts forecast that Valero Energy will post 49.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 31st. Investors of record on Friday, July 31st were given a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.3%. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is presently 19.92%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Valero Energy news, SVP Eric Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.17, for a total value of $2,011,275.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 19,742 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,294,212.14. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.36% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH boosted its position in Valero Energy by 4.2% in the first quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 192,430 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $47,546,000 after buying an additional 7,702 shares in the last quarter. Dymon Asia Capital Singapore PTE. LTD. acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth approximately $2,268,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 293,657 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $47,804,000 after buying an additional 7,302 shares in the last quarter. Moore Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the second quarter valued at approximately $13,193,000. Finally, MUFG Securities EMEA plc raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 110.3% in the fourth quarter. MUFG Securities EMEA plc now owns 12,504 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,036,000 after acquiring an additional 6,558 shares during the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Tight global refined-product markets, limited refining capacity and resilient fuel demand are supporting refining margins. This backdrop is viewed as a key driver for Valero’s earnings and explains much of the stock’s recent strength. Tight Global Markets Drive Refining Sector: 3 Stocks to Consider
• Positive Sentiment: Valero’s Gulf Coast location provides access to competitively priced crude, while its balance sheet supports cash flow and shareholder returns. Analysts also point to the company’s exposure to supportive refining margins. Gulf Coast Advantage and Strong Balance Sheet Aid Valero Energy
• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $457 and maintained a Buy rating, signaling confidence that improving industry conditions can support further upside. Erste Group Bank also increased its 2026 and 2027 EPS estimates, although it retained a Hold rating. Goldman Sachs Adjusts Valero Energy Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Valero recently reported earnings and revenue well above consensus estimates, providing a strong fundamental backdrop. However, those results are from the prior quarter and investors are likely placing greater weight on current refining margins and policy developments.
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that President Trump wants to ban U.S. diesel exports triggered concern among refiners. Such a policy could increase domestic supply, pressure diesel prices and reduce Valero’s export opportunities, though no final policy has been enacted. Trump Wants to Ban Diesel Exports
• Negative Sentiment: Jefferies’ downgrade and Hold rating, along with investor Steve Weiss’s decision to sell after a substantial recent gain, underscore valuation and longer-term concerns about energy stocks. These developments contributed to recent volatility. Valero Energy Shares Fall After Jefferies Downgrade

Valero Energy Company Profile

Valero Energy Corporation is an international energy company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Its primary business is refining crude oil into transportation fuels and other products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, lubricants and petrochemical feedstocks.

Valero operates refineries and related facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and markets its products through wholesale and commercial channels in North America and other international markets.