Jim Cramer Discusses Valero Energy Stock Insights
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy VLO?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Stock Performance: Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has seen its shares rise by 119% over the past year and 46% year-to-date, indicating strong market performance and investor confidence in its growth potential.
- Analyst Rating Upgrade: Piper Sandler raised Valero's price target from $236 to $263 on April 8 while maintaining an Overweight rating, acknowledging potential headwinds in 2026 but remaining optimistic about its long-term outlook.
- Market Environment Impact: Goldman Sachs upgraded Valero's price target from $203 to $237 on March 12, maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting a sector upgrade in the wake of hostilities in Iran, indicating a reassessment of energy stocks.
- Investment Recommendation: Jim Cramer emphasized that despite uncertainties, Valero remains a compelling investment choice, particularly in the current market environment, suggesting it as a potential winner in the refining sector.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy VLO?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
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: 241.740
Low
149.00
Averages
186.56
High
223.00
Current: 241.740
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.
- Stock Performance: Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has seen its shares rise by 119% over the past year and 46% year-to-date, indicating strong market performance and investor confidence in its growth potential.
- Analyst Rating Upgrade: Piper Sandler raised Valero's price target from $236 to $263 on April 8 while maintaining an Overweight rating, acknowledging potential headwinds in 2026 but remaining optimistic about its long-term outlook.
- Market Environment Impact: Goldman Sachs upgraded Valero's price target from $203 to $237 on March 12, maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting a sector upgrade in the wake of hostilities in Iran, indicating a reassessment of energy stocks.
- Investment Recommendation: Jim Cramer emphasized that despite uncertainties, Valero remains a compelling investment choice, particularly in the current market environment, suggesting it as a potential winner in the refining sector.
See More
- Market Rally: The S&P 500 rose 1.20% and the Nasdaq 100 increased by 1.29%, reaching all-time highs, reflecting investor optimism regarding US-Iran peace talks, which may enhance risk appetite in the markets.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude prices fell over 11% to a five-week low after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is fully open, easing inflation concerns and causing the 10-year T-note yield to drop 7 basis points to 4.24%.
- Strong Earnings Season: The earnings season started robustly, with 81% of the 48 S&P 500 companies reporting Q1 earnings exceeding estimates, projecting a 12% year-over-year increase in earnings, providing strong support for the stock market.
- Airline Stocks Surge: Airline stocks surged as fuel costs decreased, with Alaska Air Group (ALK) rising over 10% and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) up more than 7%, indicating market confidence in the recovery of the airline industry.
See More
- Exxon Mobil Options Volume: As of now, Exxon Mobil (XOM) options have reached a trading volume of 137,720 contracts, equivalent to approximately 13.8 million shares, representing 53.9% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating strong market interest in its future performance.
- High Volume Call Options: Within XOM, the $145 strike call option is particularly active, with 20,824 contracts traded today, representing about 2.1 million shares, reflecting investor expectations for future price increases.
- Valero Options Activity: Valero Energy (VLO) options show a trading volume of 23,122 contracts, approximately 2.3 million shares, accounting for 52.9% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating rising market interest in its stock.
- Surge in Call Options Trading: For VLO, the $270 strike call option has seen a trading volume of 3,743 contracts, about 374,300 shares, suggesting that investors are optimistic about the stock's future performance, potentially driving its price higher.
See More
- Market Surge: The S&P 500 rose by 1.28% and the Nasdaq 100 reached an all-time high, reflecting investor optimism driven by peace talks between the US and Iran, which may enhance risk appetite and bolster overall market confidence.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell over 13% to a five-week low after the Strait of Hormuz reopened, easing inflation concerns and causing the 10-year Treasury yield to drop by 8 basis points, further supporting the bond market.
- Earnings Growth Expectations: Q1 earnings for the S&P 500 are projected to increase by 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only 3%, indicating resilience in corporate performance amid economic recovery and providing market support.
- Airline Stocks Soar: With reduced fuel costs, Alaska Air Group and United Airlines surged by over 14% and 11%, respectively, demonstrating the positive impact of falling oil prices on the airline industry, which could enhance profitability for related companies.
See More
- Energy Stocks Plummet: Energy stocks fell sharply as oil prices dropped over 12% after Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, with APA Corporation down more than 9% and Valero Energy falling over 8.5%, negatively impacting overall confidence in the energy sector.
- Travel Stocks Rally: Following Iran's announcement to open the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, Royal Caribbean surged 9.7%, United Airlines jumped over 9%, and Expedia gained 5%, reflecting optimistic market sentiment regarding travel recovery.
- Critical Metals Surge: Greenland's government approved the transfer of a 50.5% interest in Tanbreez Mining to Critical Metals, increasing its stake in the rare earths mine to 92.5%, which propelled the company's shares up over 40%, highlighting the strategic importance of rare earth resources.
- Netflix Disappoints: Streaming giant Netflix saw its stock drop 9% as it projected second-quarter earnings of 78 cents per share, missing the 84 cents forecast by analysts, compounded by co-founder Reed Hastings' announcement to leave the board in June, further dampening investor confidence.
See More
- Market Highs: The S&P 500 rose by 0.87% and the Nasdaq 100 reached an all-time high, reflecting growing investor optimism regarding a potential US-Iran peace deal, which may enhance risk appetite and further boost stock market momentum.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude prices fell over 10% after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz is now fully open for commercial shipping, easing inflation concerns and contributing to a 6 basis point drop in the 10-year Treasury yield, which invigorates the bond market.
- Earnings Optimism: Q1 earnings for the S&P 500 are projected to increase by 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, yet this overall positive outlook may attract more investor interest and bolster market confidence.
- Airline Stocks Surge: With reduced fuel costs, United Airlines (UAL) shares surged over 10%, while other airlines like Royal Caribbean (RCL) and Alaska Air (ALK) also saw significant gains, indicating strong market confidence in the recovery of the airline industry.
See More











