Valero Energy CorpVLOSELLMar 17, 2014Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 11, 2026. Market Open.
Refineries and such. Probably looking at a nicer dividend, but slower growth. This is the one for you if you just want to relax and collect the dividend.
FANG is the one Jim Cramer's always recommending. This one will be volatile. The one to pick if you want to have fun and make (or lose) a lot.
Trades at a low PE, but is a value trap and is highly cyclical. Their EPS leapt from $9.16 in 20167 to -$3.50 in 2020 to $29.11 last year! Up, down and up big. Has had a a partial share buyback. Today, share are hitting 5-year highs. However, future 2025 EPS estimates are sliding to less than half of 2022's peaks, because of less demand for oil and gas. Also, the existential long-term obstacle are EV's. Consider the massive clean-energy incentives in Biden's 2022 IRA. It's possible earnings have already peaked--big warning.
Refiners are the ultimate cyclicals because you have no control over input costs and very little control over the end demand. There is still excess refining capacity, particularly in Europe. If you own, take profits because at some stage something will come along to upset the apple cart. Very thin margins on very large volume businesses.