Sapient Capital LLC Buys 4,254 Shares of Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• Sapient Capital increased its Valero Energy stake by 12.4% in the second quarter, purchasing 4,254 additional shares to hold 38,615 shares valued at approximately $10.1 million. Institutional investors collectively own 78.69% of VLO.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $288, although Valero’s valuation is above the industry average and could limit further upside.
• Valero reported a strong quarter, with earnings of $12.54 per share and revenue of $44.48 billion, while revenue rose 48.8% year over year. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $1.20 per share, representing a 1.6% yield.

Sapient Capital LLC increased its stake in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 12.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 38,615 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after purchasing an additional 4,254 shares during the period. Sapient Capital LLC's holdings in Valero Energy were worth $10,057,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Allied Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy during the second quarter worth about $110,000. Arista Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 45.1% during the 2nd quarter. Arista Wealth Management LLC now owns 5,167 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,346,000 after acquiring an additional 1,605 shares during the period. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Sax Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,841 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $455,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Everpar Advisors LLC increased its stake in Valero Energy by 11.0% in the second quarter. Everpar Advisors LLC now owns 1,550 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $404,000 after acquiring an additional 153 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in Valero Energy by 20.0% in the second quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. now owns 5,551 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $1,446,000 after acquiring an additional 925 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VLO has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Valero Energy from $292.00 to $356.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $338.00 to $350.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $350.00 price objective on Valero Energy in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, Scotiabank raised their price objective on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $288.00.

Valero Energy News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Valero’s completed share-repurchase program provides shareholder support, while its second-quarter and first-half 2026 results establish a strong recent operating backdrop. However, the market is weighing those benefits against the stock’s valuation. Valero Energy Buyback And Results Leave Valuation Looking Finely Balanced
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research upgraded VLO from “hold” to “strong-buy,” adding a favorable near-term analyst signal. Zacks.com
• Positive Sentiment: Additional research highlights Valero’s growth, flexible crude sourcing, potentially favorable crude costs and strong balance sheet. Wall Street’s average brokerage recommendation is also bullish, although investors should treat sell-side ratings cautiously. Why Valero Energy Is a Strong Growth Stock Is It Worth Investing in Valero Energy Based on Wall Street’s Bullish Views?
• Neutral Sentiment: Valero shares had a positive 90-day performance and exceptionally strong five-year total return, but their recent seven-day return declined, suggesting some profit-taking following the prior rally. Valero Energy Buyback And Results Leave Valuation Looking Finely Balanced
• Negative Sentiment: Valero underperformed other energy companies in the latest session, indicating weaker near-term investor demand relative to peers. Valero Energy Stock Underperforms Friday
• Negative Sentiment: Valero trades at about 6.44 times trailing EBITDA, above the industry average of 5.77 times. The premium valuation may limit further upside or prompt investors to wait for a better entry point. Valero Energy Stock Buy at a Premium or Wait for a Better Entry Point?

Valero Energy Price Performance

Shares of VLO opened at $297.94 on Monday. 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 stock has a market cap of $88.47 billion, a PE ratio of 12.36, a PEG ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.55. Valero Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $130.78 and a 12-month high of $320.24. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $276.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $243.32.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $10.11 by $2.43. The firm had revenue of $44.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.47 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 26.74% and a net margin of 5.17%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 48.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.28 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Corporation will post 39.55 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Investors of record on Friday, July 31st will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. 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 (DPR) is currently 19.92%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Valero Energy 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 transaction of $2,011,275.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 19,742 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,294,212.14. The trade was a 27.53% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Valero Energy Company 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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