Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Upgraded at Zacks Research

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note released on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on VLO. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on Valero Energy from $220.00 to $292.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and issued a $203.00 price target on shares of Valero Energy in a research report on Tuesday. Wall Street Zen raised Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 4th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, UBS Group upped their price target on Valero Energy from $215.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $228.18.

Valero Energy Price Performance

VLO stock opened at $233.82 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.64 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $69.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.61, a P/E/G ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 0.62. The business’s 50-day moving average is $227.84 and its two-hundred day moving average is $193.43. Valero Energy has a 1 year low of $110.00 and a 1 year high of $258.43.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.55. The company 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%.Valero Energy’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 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Valero Energy will post 19.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Valero Energy news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 8,311 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $227.69, for a total transaction of $1,892,331.59. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 42,242 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,618,080.98. The trade was a 16.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. AXS Investments LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. increased its position in Valero Energy by 157.0% during the fourth quarter. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. now owns 203 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 124 shares during the period. Finally, Cypress Capital Management LLC WY acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the third quarter worth approximately $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research upgraded VLO from “hold” to “strong-buy”, a near-term catalyst that can attract momentum buyers and support the share price. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks previews predict Valero has the setup for an earnings beat next week, citing the right mix of consensus trends and company drivers — this raises the odds of an upside surprise at the report. Valero Energy (VLO) Earnings Expected to Grow
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks has added VLO to momentum/strong-buy lists, signaling institutional and retail interest that may boost demand into earnings. Best Momentum Stocks to Buy for April 22nd
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces note VLO is a “trending” stock among retail users — increased attention can amplify moves but is not a directional fundamental driver by itself. Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) Is a Trending Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Scotiabank raised its price target from $178 to $226 and moved to “sector outperform” — a material raise in analyst conviction even though the new target sits near current levels. Scotiabank raises target
• Negative Sentiment: Wolfe Research reiterated an “Underperform” rating, which could cap upside or pressure sentiment among more cautious investors ahead of the print. Wolfe Research Reiterates Underperform

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.