Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Price Target Raised to $220.00

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price target boosted by equities researchers at Piper Sandler from $217.00 to $220.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “overweight” rating on the oil and gas company’s stock. Piper Sandler’s price target points to a potential upside of 20.70% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on VLO. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $169.00 to $184.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 17th. Bank of America reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $195.00 price objective (down from $198.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Raymond James Financial reissued a “strong-buy” rating and set a $195.00 target price (up previously from $181.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Friday, October 24th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $162.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 24th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, January 3rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Valero Energy has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $183.53.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of Valero Energy stock opened at $182.28 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $55.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.05, a P/E/G ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. Valero Energy has a twelve month low of $99.00 and a twelve month high of $194.50. The company’s fifty day moving average is $175.08 and its 200 day moving average is $163.39.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.10 by $0.72. The firm had revenue of $30.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.20 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 8.69% and a net margin of 1.21%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Valero Energy will post 7.92 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Jason W. Fraser sold 9,933 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.02, for a total transaction of $1,728,540.66. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 134,196 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,352,787.92. This represents a 6.89% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.04% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Valero Energy by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,724,707 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,576,035,000 after acquiring an additional 286,942 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 16.7% during the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 8,141,511 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,089,897,000 after purchasing an additional 1,164,217 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the second quarter worth about $827,390,000. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its position in Valero Energy by 5.0% in the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,273,517 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $897,869,000 after purchasing an additional 249,195 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 4,143,672 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $705,502,000 after buying an additional 209,597 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings and revenue beat consensus — adjusted net income ~$1.2B and adjusted EPS $3.82, topping estimates and signaling strong profitability. Valero Energy Reports 2025 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results
• Positive Sentiment: Higher refining margins and increased ethanol volumes were key drivers of the earnings beat — operational margin strength is the primary reason investors are bidding the stock up. Higher Refining Margins Push Valero’s Q4 Profit above Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management highlighted record throughput on the earnings call — better utilization supports near‑term free cash flow and refines the narrative of operational resilience. Valero Energy Earnings Call Highlights Record Throughput
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst reaction: Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $180, reflecting improved earnings visibility and boosting investor sentiment. Morgan Stanley Increases Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Price Target to $180.00
• Neutral Sentiment: Valero said it will buy Venezuelan crude from three authorized sellers — increases crude supply flexibility but carries geopolitical/operational considerations that investors will watch. Valero Energy says it will buy Venezuelan crude from three sellers
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary notes Valero’s solid quarter is already reflected in valuation metrics (higher P/E), so further upside depends on sustaining margins and cash return plans. Valero Energy: Solid Q4 Is Reflected In Valuation
• Negative Sentiment: Renewable diesel margins weakened in the quarter and acted as a drag on overall results — a potential headwind if those margins remain soft. Valero Energy Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates on Higher Refining Margins

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.