Valero Energy Poised to Acquire Venezuelan Crude
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Acquisition Plan: Valero Energy (VLO) is poised to purchase up to 6.5 million barrels of Venezuelan crude in March, potentially becoming the largest foreign refiner of Venezuelan oil since the U.S. captured President Maduro, significantly enhancing its market position.
- Production Increase: If Valero secures 10 or more cargoes, it could achieve a refining capacity of approximately 210,000 barrels per day, potentially surpassing Chevron (CVX) as the top U.S. refiner of Venezuelan crude, further solidifying its industry leadership.
- Chevron's Supply: Chevron is expected to increase its Venezuelan crude exports from 220,000 barrels per day in January to 300,000 barrels per day in March, with Valero set to receive most of this supply, ensuring sustained growth in its refining capacity.
- Refining Capacity Expansion: Following an expansion at its Port Arthur refinery, Valero's total refining capacity for Venezuelan crude has reached approximately 240,000 barrels per day, positioning the company to enhance its competitiveness in the heavy oil market.
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Analyst Views on VLO
Wall Street analysts forecast VLO stock price to fall
17 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 196.910
Low
149.00
Averages
186.56
High
223.00
Current: 196.910
Low
149.00
Averages
186.56
High
223.00
About VLO
Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products. The Company sells its products primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Latin America. Its segments include Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. The Refining segment includes the operations of its petroleum refineries, the associated activities to market its refined petroleum products, and the logistics assets that support its refining operations. The Renewable Diesel segment represents the operations of Diamond Green Diesel (DGD), and the associated activities to market renewable diesel, renewable naphtha, and neat SAF. The Ethanol segment includes the operations of its ethanol plants and the associated activities to market its ethanol and co-products. It owns 15 petroleum refineries located in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Valero Energy Poised to Acquire Venezuelan Crude
- Acquisition Plan: Valero Energy (VLO) is poised to purchase up to 6.5 million barrels of Venezuelan crude in March, potentially becoming the largest foreign refiner of Venezuelan oil since the U.S. captured President Maduro, significantly enhancing its market position.
- Production Increase: If Valero secures 10 or more cargoes, it could achieve a refining capacity of approximately 210,000 barrels per day, potentially surpassing Chevron (CVX) as the top U.S. refiner of Venezuelan crude, further solidifying its industry leadership.
- Chevron's Supply: Chevron is expected to increase its Venezuelan crude exports from 220,000 barrels per day in January to 300,000 barrels per day in March, with Valero set to receive most of this supply, ensuring sustained growth in its refining capacity.
- Refining Capacity Expansion: Following an expansion at its Port Arthur refinery, Valero's total refining capacity for Venezuelan crude has reached approximately 240,000 barrels per day, positioning the company to enhance its competitiveness in the heavy oil market.
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- Refining Margin Recovery: The U.S. refining sector experienced a sharp recovery in Q4, with the 3-2-1 crack spread benchmark rebounding from multi-year lows earlier in 2024, driven by tighter global fuel supplies and seasonal demand increases, which bolstered profitability.
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- Refining Margin Surge: The company's refining margin per barrel increased by over 61% year-over-year to $13.61, while average throughput rose to 3.1 million barrels per day from nearly 3 million bpd last year, reflecting strong market demand recovery.
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- Acquisition Plan: Valero Energy (VLO) is poised to purchase up to 6.5 million barrels of Venezuelan crude in March, potentially becoming the largest foreign refiner of Venezuelan oil since the U.S. captured President Maduro, significantly enhancing its market position.
- Production Increase: If Valero secures 10 or more cargoes, it could achieve a refining capacity of approximately 210,000 barrels per day, potentially surpassing Chevron (CVX) as the top U.S. refiner of Venezuelan crude, further solidifying its industry leadership.
- Chevron's Supply: Chevron is expected to increase its Venezuelan crude exports from 220,000 barrels per day in January to 300,000 barrels per day in March, with Valero set to receive most of this supply, ensuring sustained growth in its refining capacity.
- Refining Capacity Expansion: Following an expansion at its Port Arthur refinery, Valero's total refining capacity for Venezuelan crude has reached approximately 240,000 barrels per day, positioning the company to enhance its competitiveness in the heavy oil market.
See More
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- Refining Margin Recovery: The U.S. refining sector experienced a sharp recovery in Q4, with the 3-2-1 crack spread benchmark rebounding from multi-year lows earlier in 2024, driven by tighter global fuel supplies and seasonal demand increases, which bolstered profitability.
- Increased Throughput: PBF's crude oil and feedstocks throughput rose to 888,900 barrels per day in the reported quarter, up from 862,000 barrels per day a year earlier, reflecting the company's ability to capitalize on market recovery opportunities.
- New Refinery Construction Update: PBF expects the construction of its Martinez refinery in California to be completed by February 16, 2026, with the catalytic cracking unit anticipated to start in the first week of March, further enhancing the company's production capacity and competitive position in the market.
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- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.39%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.84%, and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.64%, reflecting positive market sentiment driven by strong economic signals, particularly following the expansion of the manufacturing index.
- Rare Earth Stocks Surge: President Trump's plan to launch a $12 billion strategic stockpile of critical minerals to reduce reliance on China has led to a rise in US rare earth stocks, with USA Rare Earth up over 12% and United States Antimony Corp up over 6%, indicating a positive impact from supportive policies on the sector.
- Energy Stocks Under Pressure: WTI crude oil prices fell by more than 4%, primarily due to easing geopolitical risks, putting pressure on energy producers, with companies like ConocoPhillips and Chevron seeing declines of over 2%, reflecting market concerns about energy demand prospects.
- Cryptocurrency Market Retreats: Bitcoin prices dropped over 7% to a 9.75-month low, leading to widespread declines in cryptocurrency-related stocks, with Galaxy Digital Holdings down more than 4%, highlighting a weakening market confidence in crypto assets.
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- Rare Earth Stocks Surge: President Trump's plan to launch a $12 billion strategic stockpile of critical minerals to reduce reliance on China has led to a surge in US rare earth stocks, with USA Rare Earth up over 9%, highlighting the positive impact of policy support on related industries.
- Energy Stocks Under Pressure: WTI crude oil prices fell by more than 4% due to easing geopolitical risks, putting pressure on energy producers like ConocoPhillips and Chevron, which saw declines of over 2%, reflecting market concerns about energy demand.
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- Earnings Beat: Valero Energy Corporation's Q4 2025 results surpassed Wall Street expectations with an adjusted EPS of $3.82, exceeding forecasts by $0.55, indicating a robust rebound in refining margins and throughput.
- Refining Margin Surge: The company's refining margin per barrel increased by over 61% year-over-year to $13.61, while average throughput rose to 3.1 million barrels per day from nearly 3 million bpd last year, reflecting strong market demand recovery.
- Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns: Valero reported $6 billion in adjusted net cash from operating activities for FY 2025, returning $4 billion to shareholders with a payout ratio of 67%, showcasing strong cash flow management.
- Dividend Increase: The company raised its quarterly dividend by over 6% to $1.20 per share on January 22, currently offering an annual dividend yield of 2.61%, further enhancing its appeal to investors.
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