M&T Bank Corp Has $61.74 Million Position in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• M&T Bank raised its stake in Valero by 18.1% to 401,617 shares (about $61.74 million), while institutional investors collectively own roughly 78.69% of the stock.
• Valero beat Q4 expectations with EPS of $3.82 (vs. $3.27 est.) and revenue of $30.37 billion, and increased its quarterly dividend to $1.20 ($4.80 annual, ~2.1% yield).
• Analysts are mixed: several firms lifted price targets (Raymond James $290, UBS $280) and the consensus is a "Moderate Buy" (avg target $228.31), but Wolfe Research warns the stock is priced for peak margins amid near‑term tailwinds from diesel price spikes and geopolitical-driven fuel price moves.

M&T Bank Corp increased its holdings in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 18.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 401,617 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after acquiring an additional 61,657 shares during the quarter. M&T Bank Corp owned about 0.13% of Valero Energy worth $61,740,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in VLO. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Valero Energy by 17.4% in the 3rd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 160,794 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $27,377,000 after purchasing an additional 23,859 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $4,534,000. Cerity Partners LLC boosted its stake in Valero Energy by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 104,859 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $17,853,000 after purchasing an additional 8,638 shares during the period. Tema Etfs LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,669,000. Finally, National Pension Service boosted its stake in Valero Energy by 3.6% in the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 491,134 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $83,620,000 after purchasing an additional 17,165 shares during the period. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

NYSE:VLO opened at $233.73 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $226.49 and a 200-day moving average price of $192.86. The company has a market cap of $69.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.59, a PEG ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.64. Valero Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $109.83 and a fifty-two week high of $258.43.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.55. The firm had revenue of $30.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $28.20 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 12.35% and a net margin of 1.91%.The company's revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.64 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Corporation will post 18.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 5th were given a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 5th. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. This is an increase from Valero Energy's previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio is currently 62.83%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Valero Energy

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 400 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $238.60, for a total transaction of $95,440.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms recently issued reports on VLO. Argus upgraded Valero Energy to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Zacks Research downgraded Valero Energy from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Raymond James Financial upped their target price on Valero Energy from $215.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 25th. UBS Group upped their target price on Valero Energy from $215.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Valero Energy from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $228.31.

Key Headlines Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst / deep-dive bullish thesis — A Seeking Alpha note argues Valero can sustain elevated crack spreads, generate windfall profits and deliver ~14% returns via dividends and buybacks (price target ~$280), supporting upside expectations. Valero: Windfall Profits Lead To 14% Capital Returns
• Positive Sentiment: Fuel-demand / margin tailwind — A MarketBeat / The Motley Fool–linked story highlights a ~50% recent spike in diesel, naming refiners (including Valero) as direct beneficiaries as refining margins expand and renewables exposure provides optionality. Diesel Is Up 50% in Weeks. Here Are 2 Stocks Quietly Benefiting From the Spike.
• Positive Sentiment: Geopolitical oil supply shock — News that crude jumped amid U.S.–Iran developments has boosted refining stocks by pushing up input/wholesale prices and crack spreads, a near-term tailwind for Valero’s margins. Oil Prices Jump, S&P 500 Falls As U.S.-Iran Jabs Puts Ceasefire In Doubt
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary / sector positioning — A market wrap noted VLO outperformed while the broader market dipped, reflecting sector rotation into energy names. This is more descriptive of flow than a fundamental change. Valero Energy (VLO) Gains As Market Dips: What You Should Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/valuation discussion — Coverage pieces are re‑pricing VLO around geopolitical risk and recent volatility; a valuation overview notes recent pullbacks but strong YTD/1‑year returns, keeping investor debate active. A Look At Valero Energy (VLO) Valuation As Geopolitical Tensions And Analyst Support Shape Sector Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: Sell/underperform push from Wolfe Research — Wolfe revisited Valero, arguing current prices are “priced for peak margins” and issued a sell/underperform view with a ~$203 price target; other outlets echoed the reaffirmed underperform stance. This raises downside risk if margins normalize. Valero: Priced for Peak Margins and Unsustainable Cash Flows, Warranting a Sell Rating Benzinga note on Wolfe Research reaffirmation

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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