Valero Energy (VLO) Gains As Market Dips: What You Should Know

VLO

Valero Energy (VLO - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $180.61, moving +0.13% from the previous trading session. The stock outperformed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 1.23%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 1.36%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, lost 1.4%.

Coming into today, shares of the oil refiner had gained 24.88% in the past month. In that same time, the Oils-Energy sector gained 9.61%, while the S&P 500 gained 1.61%.

Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Valero Energy in its upcoming release. The company plans to announce its earnings on April 25, 2024. The company is predicted to post an EPS of $3.07, indicating a 62.88% decline compared to the equivalent quarter last year. Meanwhile, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenue is projecting net sales of $32.05 billion, down 12.05% from the year-ago period.

Regarding the entire year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates forecast earnings of $16.20 per share and revenue of $133.63 billion, indicating changes of -34.94% and -7.69%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, it would be beneficial for investors to monitor any recent shifts in analyst projections for Valero Energy. These revisions help to show the ever-changing nature of near-term business trends. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the company's business operations and its ability to generate profits.

Our research reveals that these estimate alterations are directly linked with the stock price performance in the near future. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). It has a remarkable, outside-audited track record of success, with #1 stocks delivering an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 7.24% higher. Valero Energy is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

With respect to valuation, Valero Energy is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 11.13. This denotes a discount relative to the industry's average Forward P/E of 13.52.

Investors should also note that VLO has a PEG ratio of 1.86 right now. Comparable to the widely accepted P/E ratio, the PEG ratio also accounts for the company's projected earnings growth. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry held an average PEG ratio of 2.05.

The Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry is part of the Oils-Energy sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 97, finds itself in the top 39% echelons of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.

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