Valero Energy (VLO) Ascends But Remains Behind Market: Some Facts to Note

The most recent trading session ended with Valero Energy (VLO) standing at $118.65, reflecting a +0.05% shift from the previouse trading day's closing. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.73%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.16%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.98%.Heading into today, shares of the oil refiner had lost 15.84% over the past month, lagging the Oils-Energy sector's loss of 9.2% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.34% in that time.Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Valero Energy in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings report is set to be unveiled on January 30, 2025. It is anticipated that the company will report an EPS of $0.62, marking an 82.54% fall compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Alongside, our most recent consensus estimate is anticipating revenue of $30.63 billion, indicating a 13.52% downward movement from the same quarter last year.For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates are projecting earnings of $8.82 per share and revenue of $129.29 billion, which would represent changes of -64.58% and -10.69%, respectively, from the prior year.Additionally, investors should keep an eye on any recent revisions to analyst forecasts for Valero Energy. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. With this in mind, we can consider positive estimate revisions a sign of optimism about the company's business outlook.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 1.09% fall in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Right now, Valero Energy possesses a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).In terms of valuation, Valero Energy is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 13.44. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 13.47, which means Valero Energy is trading at a discount to the group.We can additionally observe that VLO currently boasts a PEG ratio of 2.24. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. The average PEG ratio for the Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry stood at 2.24 at the close of the market yesterday.The Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 172, finds itself in the bottom 32% echelons of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank is ordered from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.To follow VLO in the coming trading sessions, be sure to utilize Zacks.com.Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2025Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2025?History suggests their performance could be sensational.From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2024, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,112.6%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +475.6%. Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2025. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 2.Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Valero Energy Corporation (VLO): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks