Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. Cuts Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. decreased its position in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 1.6% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 142,748 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 2,305 shares during the quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $23,238,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy in the third quarter worth about $27,000. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY purchased a new position in Valero Energy in the third quarter worth about $34,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in Valero Energy in the third quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in Valero Energy by 145.3% in the third quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 211 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Stock Up 1.5%

Shares of NYSE:VLO opened at $262.43 on Wednesday. Valero Energy Corporation has a 1 year low of $125.10 and a 1 year high of $262.89. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $240.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $203.15. The firm has a market capitalization of $77.92 billion, a PE ratio of 19.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 0.58. 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 (NYSE:VLO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.16 by $1.06. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 15.94% and a net margin of 3.37%.The business had revenue of $32.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.38 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.89 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 28.26 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.8%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is 34.88%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on VLO. UBS Group lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $215.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. Argus upgraded Valero Energy to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $220.00 to $292.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. TD Cowen lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $255.00 to $276.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $237.94.

Valero Energy News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Valero hit a new 52-week high, signaling strong momentum as investors continue to bid up the shares. Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) Hits Fresh High: Is There Still Room to Run?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings-related coverage remains upbeat after Valero beat first-quarter expectations and said refining margins should stay strong, reinforcing the case for higher profits. Valero Energy (VLO) Crushes Estimates in Q1, Expects Refining Margins to Remain Strong
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and Zacks noted rising earnings estimates and a strong value profile, which can attract momentum and value investors alike. Earnings Estimates Rising for Valero Energy (VLO): Will It Gain?
• Positive Sentiment: Valero was also included on a Zacks list of strong growth stocks, adding to the bullish narrative around the name. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for May 18th
• Neutral Sentiment: One analyst, Erste Group Bank, trimmed FY2027 EPS slightly, but the change was small and the forecast still remains solid relative to current consensus. Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) Hits Fresh High: Is There Still Room to Run?

Insider Activity

In other Valero Energy news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 8,311 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $227.69, for a total transaction of $1,892,331.59. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 42,242 shares in the company, valued at $9,618,080.98. The trade was a 16.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.36% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Valero Energy 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.