Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Price Target Raised to $180.00

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price objective upped by Morgan Stanley from $175.00 to $180.00 in a report issued on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Bank of America reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $195.00 target price (down from $198.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Barclays raised their price objective on Valero Energy from $169.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, November 17th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $223.00 to $217.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $183.33.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE VLO opened at $182.28 on Tuesday. Valero Energy has a 12-month low of $99.00 and a 12-month high of $194.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $55.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $175.08 and a 200 day moving average of $163.39.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.10 by $0.72. Valero Energy had a net margin of 1.21% and a return on equity of 8.69%. The business had revenue of $30.37 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $28.20 billion. On average, research analysts anticipate that Valero Energy will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 5th will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. This is a positive change from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 5th. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 94.36%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Valero Energy news, CFO Jason W. Fraser sold 9,933 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.02, for a total value of $1,728,540.66. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 134,196 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,352,787.92. The trade was a 6.89% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Valero Energy during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 70.2% during the 3rd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 160 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the third quarter worth $35,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings and revenue beat expectations — Valero reported adjusted EPS of $3.82 and revenue of $30.37 billion, beating consensus and showing a sharp improvement versus a year earlier; management reported higher refining margins drove the profit upswing. Valero Energy Reports 2025 Fourth Quarter and Full-Year Results
• Positive Sentiment: Refining-margin strength lifted results — Multiple reports and the company call highlighted higher refining margins and increased ethanol volumes as the main profit drivers for Q4. This supports near-term earnings visibility for the refining business. Higher Refining Margins Push Valero’s Q4 Profit above Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Brokerage lift — Morgan Stanley raised its price target on VLO to $180, reflecting improved earnings momentum and valuation recalibration after the Q4 print. Analyst upgrades can support the share price. Morgan Stanley Increases Valero Energy Price Target to $180.00
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction: some outlets noted shares rose on the earnings beat — initial trading saw positive moves as investors digested the stronger-than-expected results and margin commentary. Valero Energy shares rise as refining strength drives earnings beat
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings-call detail and outlook — The Q4 call/transcript reviewed operations, volumes and margin drivers; management discussed segment trends but offered limited long-term guidance beyond current margin environment. Read the call highlights/transcript for nuances on capex, turnaround timing and margin outlook. Valero Energy Corp (VLO) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro context — broader economic data (unit labor costs, jobless claims and market futures) are influencing energy demand expectations; keep an eye on macro releases that could shift refining margins. Unit Labor Costs Remain Negative
• Negative Sentiment: Planned purchases of Venezuelan crude raise geopolitical/reputational risk — Valero said it will buy barrels from three authorized Venezuelan sellers; while legal, the move adds potential regulatory and PR uncertainty that some investors may view negatively. Valero will buy Venezuelan crude from three sellers
• Negative Sentiment: Mix in margin profile — while refining margins were strong, renewable-diesel margins were reported weaker; that product mix dynamic could pressure segment profitability if it persists. 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.