Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Acquires 10,878 Shares of Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. increased its holdings in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 267,439 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,878 shares during the quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. owned approximately 0.09% of Valero Energy worth $69,652,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 3,400.0% during the 1st quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 105 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Financial Life Planners acquired a new stake in Valero Energy in the first quarter valued at $28,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 134.0% during the 1st 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 during the last quarter. Global Assets Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo raised its price target to $389 from $356 and reiterated an “overweight” rating. The new target implies further upside from the stock’s recent level, providing a notable near-term catalyst. Wells Fargo raises Valero price target
• Positive Sentiment: Valero’s fresh 52-week high reflects continued investor interest in its earnings outlook and operating momentum. The company’s latest quarterly results substantially exceeded expectations, with revenue rising sharply year over year, strengthening the fundamental case for the rally. Valero hits a fresh high
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have raised their earnings expectations: Erste Group increased its FY2027 EPS forecast to $28.75 from $25.43, while another analyst raised FY2026 estimates. Although Erste maintains a “hold” rating, the revisions indicate improving expectations for Valero’s profitability. Valero EPS estimates increased
• Positive Sentiment: Valero was included among stocks with strong relative price strength, positive earnings revisions and favorable momentum. It was also added to a Zacks Rank #1 “Strong Buy” growth-stock list, potentially attracting momentum-oriented investors. Stocks with relative price strength
• Neutral Sentiment: President Trump’s meeting with refiners to discuss gasoline prices creates uncertainty. Pressure to lower pump prices could benefit consumers but may squeeze refiners’ margins and shareholder returns.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Valero Energy stock opened at $361.90 on Wednesday. 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 $104.20 billion, a PE ratio of 15.02, a P/E/G ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 0.57. Valero Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $151.25 and a 12-month high of $364.90. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $308.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $261.71.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $10.11 by $2.43. Valero Energy had a net margin of 5.17% and a return on equity of 26.74%. The firm had revenue of $44.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $39.47 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.28 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 48.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts expect that Valero Energy Corporation will post 40.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 31st. Investors of record on Friday, July 31st were given a dividend of $1.20 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 31st. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 19.92%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction 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 completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 19,742 shares of the company’s stock, 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 legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.36% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $286.00 to $357.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 22nd. Weiss Ratings raised Valero Energy from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $329.00 price target on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $279.00 to $323.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Valero Energy from $356.00 to $389.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday. Two investment 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 company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Valero Energy presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $289.94.

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.