Amundi Has $638.70 Million Stock Position in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• Amundi increased its Valero Energy position by 45.3% in the first quarter, acquiring 806,018 additional shares for a total holding worth approximately $638.7 million. Institutional investors collectively own 78.69% of VLO.
• Valero could benefit from elevated gasoline and diesel crack spreads, resilient fuel demand and tighter markets linked to geopolitical disruptions, though high crude costs and renewable-diesel volatility remain risks.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $266.71. Valero also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.20, equivalent to an annualized $4.80 payout and a 1.6% yield.

Amundi boosted its position in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 45.3% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,584,976 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after acquiring an additional 806,018 shares during the period. Amundi owned 0.87% of Valero Energy worth $638,695,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 0.9% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,177,191 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $2,959,065,000 after buying an additional 163,975 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,950,982 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,945,500,000 after acquiring an additional 63,919 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter worth about $1,111,542,000. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its position in Valero Energy by 7.5% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,668,210 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $922,728,000 after acquiring an additional 394,693 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northern Trust Corp lifted its position in Valero Energy by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 3,285,161 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $534,791,000 after acquiring an additional 17,336 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company's stock.

Valero Energy News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Elevated gasoline and diesel crack spreads, along with resilient fuel demand, are expected to support Valero’s second-quarter results for the period ended June 2026. Strong refining margins could lead to results that meet or exceed Wall Street expectations. Valero Energy Q2 Earnings on Deck: What's in Store for the Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Refiners including VLO have benefited from disruptions linked to Iran-related tensions, which have contributed to tighter fuel markets and unusually strong crack spreads. Buybacks and dividends add to the sector’s shareholder-return appeal. Refiner Stocks Are Near Record Highs—Can Iran-Driven Margins Keep Them There?
• Positive Sentiment: Higher oil prices related to geopolitical tensions and rising energy demand are helping keep energy stocks, including Valero, in focus as investors look for companies that can benefit from constrained supply. Oil Prices Are Surging and These 4 Stocks Are Cashing In
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are concentrating on Valero’s revenue, earnings and operating metrics ahead of the quarterly release. The estimates create the potential for a positive or negative earnings reaction depending on the size of any beat or miss. Gear Up for Valero Energy Q2 Earnings: Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics
• Negative Sentiment: High crude costs could pressure refining spreads, while volatility in Valero’s renewable diesel business may make earnings less predictable. These risks could limit further upside if margins normalize or the company’s results fall short of elevated expectations. Valero Energy Q2 Earnings on Deck: What's in Store for the Stock?

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Valero Energy news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, June 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.17, for a total transaction of $2,011,275.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 19,742 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,294,212.14. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 0.36% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have commented on VLO shares. Wall Street Zen raised Valero Energy from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. TD Cowen raised their target price on Valero Energy from $292.00 to $338.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 21st. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $329.00 price target on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, Mizuho increased their price target on Valero Energy from $222.00 to $289.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Valero Energy presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $266.71.

Valero Energy Price Performance

Valero Energy stock opened at $299.32 on Wednesday. Valero Energy Corporation has a 52 week low of $130.78 and a 52 week high of $320.24. The company's 50 day moving average price is $266.89 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $236.48. The stock has a market cap of $88.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.75, a P/E/G ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.16 by $1.06. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 15.94% and a net margin of 3.37%.The company had revenue of $32.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.38 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.89 earnings per share. Valero Energy's revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 36.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Investors of record on Friday, July 31st will be paid a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.6%. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio is presently 34.88%.

Valero Energy 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.

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