Ruggaard & Associates LLC Acquires New Shares in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Ruggaard & Associates LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor purchased 3,703 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock, valued at approximately $964,000. Valero Energy makes up about 0.3% of Ruggaard & Associates LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of VLO. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 18,177,191 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,959,065,000 after acquiring an additional 163,975 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Valero Energy by 0.5% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 11,950,982 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,945,500,000 after purchasing an additional 63,919 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,111,542,000. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 7.5% in the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 5,668,210 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $922,728,000 after purchasing an additional 394,693 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE increased its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 11.4% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 5,033,310 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,243,630,000 after buying an additional 516,975 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Erste Group Bank lowered shares of Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Valero Energy from $292.00 to $356.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Raymond James Financial raised their target price on Valero Energy from $300.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $232.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, June 12th. Finally, Citigroup increased their target price on Valero Energy from $259.00 to $302.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 14th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $288.00.

Valero Energy Price Performance

Shares of VLO stock opened at $346.90 on Friday. Valero Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $149.52 and a fifty-two week high of $353.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a current ratio of 1.64. The firm has a market capitalization of $99.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.39, a PEG ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.55. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $301.22 and its 200-day simple moving average is $258.41.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $10.11 by $2.43. The firm had revenue of $44.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.47 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 5.17% and a return on equity of 26.74%. Valero Energy’s revenue was up 48.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.28 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Valero Energy Corporation will post 40.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The company 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 $1.20 dividend. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 31st. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 19.92%.

Valero Energy News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Tight global refining capacity, low light-product inventories and supply disruptions are supporting stronger refining margins. Valero’s flexible coastal refinery network is positioned to benefit if these conditions persist. Is Valero Energy Poised to Benefit From a Tight Refining Market?
• Positive Sentiment: Valero was included in a Zacks list of Rank #1 “Strong Buy” growth stocks, reflecting favorable earnings momentum and growth characteristics. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for August 27th
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s approximately $7.9 billion cash balance, low leverage and established capital-return program provide financial flexibility. Refinery upgrades could further improve cash generation and shareholder returns. Will Valero’s Excess Cash Translate Into Higher Shareholder Returns?
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage also points to falling Treasury yields, strong earnings trends and low debt as potential supports for VLO, while Barron’s sees additional upside after the shares more than doubled in 2026 on surging refining margins. 3 Growth Stocks to Buy as Treasury Yields Fall
• Neutral Sentiment: Valero was highlighted in several investment screens and value-oriented articles, increasing visibility but adding limited new company-specific information.
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank AG downgraded Valero from “buy” to “hold.” The move may temper enthusiasm, particularly with the stock trading close to its 52-week high after a substantial rally. Finviz Valero Energy coverage

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the senior vice president owned 19,742 shares in the company, valued at $5,294,212.14. This represents a 27.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 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.