Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 8,283.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 99,594 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after purchasing an additional 98,406 shares during the period. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc.'s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $25,938,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $1,111,542,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Valero Energy during the second quarter valued at about $1,195,943,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership acquired a new stake in Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $275,239,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 2,635.7% in the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 950,527 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $154,736,000 after acquiring an additional 915,782 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Amundi grew its position in Valero Energy by 45.3% in the 1st quarter. Amundi now owns 2,584,976 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $638,695,000 after purchasing an additional 806,018 shares during the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Valero Energy from $286.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Zacks Research raised shares of Valero Energy from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $289.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $259.00 to $302.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $288.00.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Valero Energy
Insider Buying and Selling at Valero Energy
In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.17, for a total value of $2,011,275.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 19,742 shares in the company, valued at $5,294,212.14. The trade was a 27.53% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Valero Energy Stock Up 1.8%
Shares of NYSE:VLO opened at $352.66 on Friday. Valero Energy Corporation has a 12 month low of $150.10 and a 12 month high of $353.00. The company's 50-day moving average price is $303.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $259.07. The company has a quick ratio of 1.23, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The firm has a market cap of $101.54 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.63, a P/E/G ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.55.
Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $10.11 by $2.43. Valero Energy had a net margin of 5.17% and a return on equity of 26.74%. The firm had revenue of $44.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $39.47 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.28 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 48.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Valero Energy Corporation will post 40.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Valero Energy Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Investors of record on Friday, July 31st will be issued a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.92%.
Trending Headlines about Valero Energy
Here are the key news stories impacting Valero Energy this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Tight refining market supports margins: Historically low fuel inventories, limited excess refining capacity and ongoing supply disruptions are creating a favorable environment for higher crack spreads. Valero’s flexible, complex coastal refinery network is well positioned to process various crude grades and supply multiple fuel markets. Valero Energy Looks Well Placed in the Tight Global Refining Market
- Positive Sentiment: Strong second-quarter performance and estimates: Valero’s second-quarter 2026 results reportedly showed substantial year-over-year improvement in adjusted EPS and revenue. Rising consensus estimates and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) indicate that analysts are becoming more constructive on the company’s earnings prospects. Did Strong Q2 2026 Earnings and Refining Tailwinds Just Shift Valero Energy’s Investment Narrative?
- Positive Sentiment: Relative market strength and favorable valuation: VLO recently gained while the broader market declined. Its low PEG ratio compared with industry peers may be adding to the stock’s appeal, particularly as refining profitability expectations improve. Valero Energy Gains as Market Dips
- Negative Sentiment: One analyst downgrade: Erste Group Bank AG lowered Valero from “buy” to “hold,” which could limit upside sentiment after the stock’s strong advance and near-record trading levels. Finviz Valero Analyst Update
Valero Energy Profile
(
Free Report)
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.
Further Reading
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