Wells Fargo & Company Boosts Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Price Target to $389.00

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price objective increased by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $356.00 to $389.00 in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the oil and gas company’s stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 8.85% from the stock’s current price.

VLO has been the topic of a number of other reports. TD Cowen increased their target price on Valero Energy from $338.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $286.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $280.00 to $355.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Mizuho lifted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $289.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Valero Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $289.94.

Valero Energy Stock Down 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:VLO traded down $1.55 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $357.37. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 357,344 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,289,702. Valero Energy has a 12-month low of $151.25 and a 12-month high of $364.90. 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 firm has a 50 day moving average of $305.88 and a 200-day moving average of $260.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $102.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.86, a PEG ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.55.

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 19,742 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,294,212.14. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.36% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of VLO. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 57.6% during the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC now owns 104 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its position in Valero Energy by 0.6% during the first quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 6,670 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,648,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. grew its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. now owns 916 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $239,000 after buying an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 5.0% in the 2nd quarter. Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,054 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $275,000 after buying an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 975 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $159,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valero Energy News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Momentum and earnings revisions support the stock. Valero was highlighted among stocks with strong relative price strength, positive earnings revisions and resilient momentum despite market volatility. 5 Relative Price Strength Stocks With Momentum on Their Side
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised a forward earnings estimate. Erste Group Bank increased its FY2027 EPS forecast to $28.75 from $25.43, signaling improved expectations for Valero’s future profitability. However, the firm maintains a “Hold” rating. FY2027 EPS Estimate Update
• Positive Sentiment: Valero received strong momentum-stock recognition. Zacks identified VLO as a strong momentum stock and included it among its top-ranked growth stocks, potentially attracting additional investor interest. Why Valero Energy Is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: The fresh high raises questions about additional upside. A Zacks review notes that VLO’s strong run has pushed the stock to a 52-week high, leaving investors to weigh its favorable fundamentals against the risk of limited near-term upside after the rally. Valero Energy Hits Fresh High
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and analyst caution may restrain gains. Valero’s “Hold” rating from Erste Group and its move close to the 52-week high could encourage profit-taking, even as the broader earnings outlook remains favorable.

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.