Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Given New $259.00 Price Target at Citigroup

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price target lifted by Citigroup from $246.00 to $259.00 in a research note published on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $247.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $184.00 to $261.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. Raymond James Financial upped their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $215.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $236.71.

Valero Energy Trading Down 2.2%

NYSE:VLO traded down $5.46 on Friday, reaching $247.12. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,479,855 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,917,933. Valero Energy has a 12-month low of $114.76 and a 12-month high of $258.43. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $232.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $196.27. The firm has a market cap of $73.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 0.58. 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 (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.16 by $1.06. The business had revenue of $32.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $31.38 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 15.96% and a net margin of 3.37%.The company’s revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.89 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Valero Energy will post 23.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 8,311 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $227.69, for a total value of $1,892,331.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 42,242 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,618,080.98. The trade was a 16.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.36% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Valero Energy by 17.4% during the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 160,794 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,377,000 after acquiring an additional 23,859 shares in the last quarter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $4,534,000. Tema Etfs LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,669,000. Cerity Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 9.0% during the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 104,859 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $17,853,000 after purchasing an additional 8,638 shares during the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 491,134 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $83,620,000 after purchasing an additional 17,165 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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: Q1 earnings and revenue beat — Valero reported $4.22 EPS and $32.38B revenue, a sharp rebound from a loss a year earlier as refining and renewable diesel margins surged; the print topped Street estimates and was accompanied by a positive press release. Valero Energy Reports First Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Operational strength — Valero plans to run its 13 refineries in the U.S. and U.K. at up to 95% of combined throughput (~3.0M bpd) in Q2, supporting margin capture and free cash flow potential. Valero to run refineries up to 95% capacity in Q2 2026, conf call
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst revisions — Erste Group lifted FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts materially, reflecting the stronger margin outlook and boosting earnings estimates. (Analyst note summarized in coverage)
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term value view — Zacks highlights Valero as a top value stock for long-term investors based on style scores; useful for buy-and-hold thesis but less relevant to intra-day moves. Why Valero Energy (VLO) is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
• Negative Sentiment: Sector headwinds and macro uncertainty — Broader “Big Oil” commentary warns of a tug-of-war (geopolitical news, margins volatility) that could keep energy stocks volatile and cap multiple expansion despite Valero’s beat. Big Oil Earnings Set To Sharply Decline. Blame This Tug-Of-War.
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term profit-taking risk — After a significant run toward a 52-week high, traders may be trimming positions, contributing to the pullback despite strong fundamentals. (Market technical/flow effect)

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.