IFP Advisors Inc Has $1.98 Million Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• IFP Advisors nearly doubled its Valero Energy position in the second quarter, acquiring 3,704 additional shares for a total holding of 7,601 shares valued at approximately $1.98 million. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company.
• Valero reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $12.54 beating estimates of $10.11 and revenue rising 48.8% year over year to $44.48 billion. The company also pays an annualized dividend of $4.80 per share, yielding about 1.2%.
• Analyst sentiment is generally positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $301.76, although the stock recently traded near its 52-week high. An insider sale of 7,500 shares provides a cautionary signal.

IFP Advisors Inc increased its position in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 95.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 7,601 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after buying an additional 3,704 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc's holdings in Valero Energy were worth $1,980,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. West Family Investments Inc. grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 133.7% in the 2nd quarter. West Family Investments Inc. now owns 2,106 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $548,000 after acquiring an additional 1,205 shares during the period. Empirical Finance LLC lifted its stake in Valero Energy by 53.3% in the 2nd quarter. Empirical Finance LLC now owns 25,476 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $6,635,000 after purchasing an additional 8,862 shares during the last quarter. Nykredit A S bought a new position in Valero Energy during the second quarter worth about $28,481,000. Range Advisory LLC bought a new position in Valero Energy during the second quarter worth about $253,000. Finally, Cornerstone Financial Management LLC increased its position in Valero Energy by 57.6% during the second quarter. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC now owns 104 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other news, SVP Eric Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the company'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 transaction of $2,011,275.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 19,742 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $5,294,212.14. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.36% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have issued reports on VLO shares. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Valero Energy from $286.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, June 12th. Raymond James Financial increased their price target on Valero Energy from $300.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings raised Valero Energy from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $338.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $301.76.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

NYSE:VLO opened at $390.81 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $327.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $271.31. The stock has a market cap of $112.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.22, a PEG ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 0.57. Valero Energy Corporation has a 1-year low of $155.29 and a 1-year high of $399.26. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 EPS 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 business had revenue of $44.48 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.47 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.28 earnings per share. Valero Energy's revenue was up 48.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Corporation will post 41.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 31st were given a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Valero Energy's payout ratio is presently 19.92%.

Trending Headlines about Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong refining margins support profitability. Tight refined-product markets, relatively low diesel inventories and firm distillate demand are improving fuel crack spreads. Valero’s flexible coastal refinery network may allow it to capture these margins while global refining capacity remains constrained. Will Tight Refined Product Markets Support Valero's Profitability?
• Positive Sentiment: Energy-market tailwinds are lifting the sector. Crude prices above $100 per barrel, amid concerns about shipping attacks and wider Middle East supply disruptions, have supported energy and refining stocks. Valero Energy gains as strong refining margins and energy-market tailwinds support shares
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings and estimates remain favorable. Valero’s latest reported quarter produced $12.54 in EPS versus a $10.11 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 48.8% year over year. Erste Group Bank also raised its 2026 EPS forecast to $43.31 from $42.76, above the current consensus estimate of $41.15.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst and quantitative support add to bullish sentiment. UBS recently raised its price target to $450 while maintaining a Buy rating, and Zacks included VLO among its Rank #1 “Strong Buy” growth stocks. A reported bullish order-flow signal also attracted trading attention. Valero Energy Shares Up 2% After Key Trading Signal
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional positioning is mixed. Hundreds of institutions added shares in the latest quarter, but several large investors reduced their holdings, including T. Rowe Price, Ameriprise, Victory Capital and Geode.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling is a cautionary signal. Valero insiders reportedly made three open-market sales totaling approximately 22,500 shares over the past six months, with no reported purchases. In addition, some published analyst targets remain well below the current share price, highlighting valuation risk if refining margins weaken.

About Valero Energy

Valero Energy Corporation is an international energy company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Its primary business is refining crude oil into transportation fuels and other products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, lubricants and petrochemical feedstocks.

Valero operates refineries and related facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and markets its products through wholesale and commercial channels in North America and other international markets.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VLO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.