Benjamin Edwards Inc. Buys 2,721 Shares of Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Benjamin Edwards Inc. boosted its position in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,440 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after buying an additional 2,721 shares during the period. Benjamin Edwards Inc.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $3,140,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VLO. Private Trust Co. NA raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 2.0% during the third quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 3,381 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $576,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 70.2% during the third quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 160 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. Broadway Wealth Solutions Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 3.8% in the second quarter. Broadway Wealth Solutions Inc. now owns 1,864 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $251,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares in the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 17.0% during the third quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 476 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $76,000 after acquiring an additional 69 shares during the period. Finally, Sowell Financial Services LLC increased its position in shares of Valero Energy by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 11,467 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,952,000 after purchasing an additional 70 shares during the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo and Barclays reaffirmed buy ratings on VLO, reinforcing institutional support that can underpin the stock. Wells Fargo Keeps Their Buy Rating on Valero Energy (VLO)
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target to $200 and keeps an overweight view, signaling analysts see upside versus recent levels. JPMorgan raises VLO target
• Positive Sentiment: Media and TV commentary (Jim Cramer) highlight refiners like Valero as potential beneficiaries if U.S. policy opens access to Venezuelan crude — a positive sentiment tailwind for refining margins and investor interest. Jim Cramer Says Refiners Like Valero as Potential Winners From Venezuelan Oil
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks notes Valero’s strong earnings surprise history and factors (operational flexibility, margin capture) that increase the odds of an earnings beat — a catalyst that could lift the stock if results beat again. Will Valero Energy (VLO) Beat Estimates Again?
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusually high options volume indicates heavy positioning/speculation around VLO — can amplify moves in either direction but doesn’t signal a fundamental change alone. Valero Energy Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:VLO)
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of a White House meeting with oil majors (Barron’s) and comments that majors may move slowly into Venezuela (Reuters) create a mixed timeline: policy momentum exists, but execution and investment timelines remain uncertain. Trump to Meet With Chevron and Other Oil Companies on Venezuela Bessent says largest oil companies are likely to move slower in Venezuela
• Negative Sentiment: Critical analysis (Seeking Alpha) calls the “Venezuela hype” into question, arguing the upside may be overstated — this increased skepticism can pressure the stock if investors reassess realistic benefits. Valero Energy: Sell The Venezuela Hype
• Negative Sentiment: Reports that U.S. oil companies want firm guarantees before investing in Venezuela (FT/Reuters) highlight political, legal and investment risk — a material constraint on how quickly Valero could benefit. US oil companies say they need guarantees to invest in Venezuela
• Negative Sentiment: Piper Sandler trimmed its price target (from $223 to $217) — a modest downgrade to upside expectations that can add downward pressure despite an overweight rating. Piper Sandler lowers PT

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other Valero Energy news, CFO Jason W. Fraser sold 9,933 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.02, for a total transaction of $1,728,540.66. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 134,196 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $23,352,787.92. The trade was a 6.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.04% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Erste Group Bank initiated coverage on Valero Energy in a report on Monday, November 10th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Morgan Stanley cut Valero Energy from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $160.00 to $175.00 in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $197.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $216.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $181.00 to $194.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 10th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $183.00.

Valero Energy Stock Down 3.1%

NYSE:VLO opened at $185.30 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $172.96 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $159.50. The firm has a market cap of $56.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.68, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 0.77. Valero Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $99.00 and a fifty-two week high of $192.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.60.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 23rd. The oil and gas company reported $3.66 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.15 by $0.51. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 8.69% and a net margin of 1.21%.The company had revenue of $32.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $28.80 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.14 earnings per share. Valero Energy’s revenue was down 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 18th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 20th were given a $1.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 20th. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 94.36%.

Valero Energy Company Profile

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.