Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. Decreases Stock Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. cut its stake in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 2.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 94,823 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 2,550 shares during the period. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $16,144,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 70.2% in the 3rd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 160 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 66 shares during the period. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the third quarter worth $34,000. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY purchased a new stake in Valero Energy during the third quarter worth $34,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Valero Energy by 145.3% during the third quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 211 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Valero Energy in the second quarter valued at $43,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $237 and kept a Buy rating, offering a near-term catalyst and institutional endorsement that can support the share price. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Valero increased its quarterly dividend to $1.20 (annualized $4.80), which strengthens the income argument for the stock and can attract yield-focused buyers. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Notable institutional accumulation has been reported (several funds adding positions), signalling conviction from longer-term investors in a refining recovery. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are revising fair-value assumptions (example fair value moved to ~$202.72), producing mixed calls — some firms lift targets, others trim them depending on refining/crude assumptions. This creates divergent analyst signals rather than a clear consensus catalyst. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Several investor-attention and dividend-themed write-ups (Zacks/Yahoo) are increasing visibility; helpful for flows but not a direct fundamental change. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling: SVP Eric A. Fisher disclosed sizable sales this week (8,311 shares at ~ $227.69 and an additional 400 shares at ~$238.60). Large insider disposals can spook short-term sentiment even though he retains a substantial holding. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Policy risk: reports that the White House is considering a temporary Jones Act waiver to ease fuel shipping could, if enacted, lower domestic fuel prices and compress refiners’ margins — a material industry risk for Valero. Read More.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

NYSE VLO opened at $230.57 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36. Valero Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $99.00 and a fifty-two week high of $240.27. The business has a fifty day moving average of $197.83 and a 200-day moving average of $178.02. The stock has a market cap of $68.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.70.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.55. The business 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 12.35% and a net margin of 1.91%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.64 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 5th were paid a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 5th. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. This is an increase from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is 62.83%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Valero Energy from $203.00 to $237.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Bank of America reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $195.00 price objective (down from $198.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. Mizuho restated a “neutral” rating and set a $192.00 target price (up from $190.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Friday, December 12th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $217.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Valero Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $193.20.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 400 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.60, for a total value of $95,440.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.