Valero Energy Corporation $VLO Shares Bought by Jennison Associates LLC

Key Points

• Jennison Associates LLC boosted its Valero Energy stake by 377.1% in the first quarter, ending with 413,437 shares worth about $102.2 million. Institutional investors still own a large majority of the stock, at 78.69%.
• Valero also saw insider selling, with SVP Eric A. Fisher selling 7,500 shares for about $2.0 million. After the sale, he still held 19,742 shares, and insiders collectively own just 0.36% of the company.
• Analysts remain cautious but generally constructive on VLO, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $253.06. The company also recently beat quarterly earnings expectations and declared a $1.20 per share dividend.

Jennison Associates LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 377.1% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 413,437 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after purchasing an additional 326,777 shares during the quarter. Jennison Associates LLC owned about 0.14% of Valero Energy worth $102,152,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its position in Valero Energy by 3,400.0% in the 1st 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 in the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Financial Life Planners purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 1st quarter worth $28,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 134.0% during the first quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 117 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Torren Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 29th. The stock was 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 directly owned 19,742 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,294,212.14. This trade represents a 27.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VLO has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Mizuho raised their price target on Valero Energy from $222.00 to $289.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. Piper Sandler raised their target price on Valero Energy from $236.00 to $263.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $226.00 and gave the stock a "sector outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen upped their price target on Valero Energy from $276.00 to $292.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, June 29th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $253.06.

More Valero Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Valero expanded its share repurchase authorization, which can boost earnings per share over time and indicates the board sees value in the stock. Valero Energy Expands Share Repurchase Authorization Program
• Positive Sentiment: Valero declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.20 per share, reinforcing its appeal to income-focused investors and highlighting strong cash generation. Valero Energy Corporation Declares Regular Cash Dividend on Common Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Energy stocks rose late Friday afternoon, with the broader sector gaining on the day, which likely provided a supportive backdrop for VLO shares. Sector Update: Energy Stocks Rise Late Afternoon
• Neutral Sentiment: Separately, there was unusual put-option activity in Valero, suggesting some traders are hedging or positioning for near-term volatility rather than making a clear directional bet.
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent articles also pointed to improving earnings estimates and momentum, which may be helping sentiment, though these were commentary pieces rather than new company announcements. Can Valero Energy (VLO) Run Higher on Rising Earnings Estimates?

Valero Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:VLO opened at $309.50 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.58. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $258.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $229.77. Valero Energy Corporation has a one year low of $130.78 and a one year high of $309.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $91.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.49, a PEG ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 0.55.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.16 by $1.06. The company had revenue of $32.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.38 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 15.94% and a net margin of 3.37%.Valero Energy's revenue was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.89 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 32.61 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 31st will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 31st. Valero Energy's payout ratio is 34.88%.

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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