Valero Energy Corporation (VLO)

In the past six months, Valero Energy Corp.'s stock price reached 52-week highs in January 2026 due to refining margins and cash returns. Global geopolitics and eased U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil have also impacted the stock. Valero's Q3 2025 earnings reported $3.66 EPS, surpassing estimates, with revenue of $32.17 billion. The company returned $1.3 billion to stockholders through dividends and share repurchases. Analyst ratings and price targets have seen adjustments, with the stock gaining 34.2% over the past year. As of January 7, 2026, the share price was $183.86, an increase of 46.86% from January 8, 2025.

Specific details regarding the seasonality of demand for Valero Energy Corp.'s products and services are not explicitly detailed in the search results. However, as a producer of transportation fuels, demand for products like gasoline and diesel can typically exhibit seasonal fluctuations, often increasing during summer months due to higher travel activity and potentially during winter for heating oil in certain regions. The refining industry, in general, can experience seasonal shifts in demand and margins.

Valero Energy Corporation is an American fuels producer involved in manufacturing and marketing transportation fuels and related products. It operates in the downstream oil and gas industry, focusing on petroleum refining and renewable fuels production. Valero is the world's largest independent petroleum refiner and a leading producer of low-carbon transportation fuels, with products including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, petrochemicals, lubricants, ethanol, and renewable diesel. The company operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.

Valero Energy Corp. operates 15 refineries in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with a throughput capacity of 3.2 million barrels per day. It also operates 12 ethanol plants in the U.S. with a production capacity of 1.6 billion gallons per year. Its renewable diesel plants are located in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. Valero markets its refined products wholesale in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Ireland, and has operations and financial reporting for Mexico and Peru.

Valero Energy Corp. emphasizes its commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and community development. The company prides itself on being a responsible operator and a good employer, fostering a culture that supports diversity and inclusion, and providing a safe, healthy, and rewarding work environment. In 2024, Valero achieved its best year ever for safety performance for both employees and for employees and contractors combined, as well as for Tier 1 API Process Safety performance in its refining segment. There were no specific events negatively impacting Valero Energy Corp.'s brand reputation mentioned in the provided search results for the past year.

Valero Energy Corp.'s ownership is predominantly held by institutional investors, owning over 50% of the company. The Vanguard Group, Inc. is the largest shareholder with 12.48% of shares, followed by BlackRock, Inc. with an 8.53% stake. Other major institutional owners include State Street Corp, Price T Rowe Associates Inc /md/, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc, and Morgan Stanley. Insiders hold a small fraction of shares, while the general public holds around 12% to 15% of the stock.