Inceptionr LLC Reduces Position in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• Inceptionr LLC cut its Valero Energy stake by 88.2% in the first quarter, selling 6,664 shares and retaining 890 shares valued at approximately $220,000. Institutional investors collectively own 78.69% of VLO.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $266.71; several firms recently raised their targets, including Goldman Sachs to $357 and Raymond James to $340.
• Valero reported first-quarter EPS of $4.22, well above the $3.16 consensus, and declared a quarterly dividend of $1.20. Strong refining margins and fuel demand could support upcoming results, though higher crude costs and renewable-diesel volatility remain risks.

Inceptionr LLC trimmed its stake in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 88.2% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 890 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after selling 6,664 shares during the period. Inceptionr LLC's holdings in Valero Energy were worth $220,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Whipplewood Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Valero Energy by 3,400.0% during the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 105 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares during the period. Financial Life Planners purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 134.0% during the 1st quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 117 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Global Assets Advisory LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have weighed in on VLO. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $329.00 price target on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $300.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price 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. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $286.00 to $357.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Finally, Zacks Research lowered Valero Energy from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $266.71.

Key Stories Impacting Valero Energy

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?

Valero Energy Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of VLO opened at $299.32 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.15. Valero Energy Corporation has a 1 year low of $130.78 and a 1 year high of $320.24. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $266.89 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $236.48. The firm has a market cap of $88.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.55.

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

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Shareholders 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 payout ratio is presently 34.88%.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated 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 owned 19,742 shares in the company, valued at $5,294,212.14. This trade represents a 27.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.36% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

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