Valero Energy CorpVLOCOMMENTAug 01, 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.
On and off he has liked the pure refining stocks, but for his own personal portfolio as it is a little risky for his clients. Even though they have tons of gas stations, what really moves this stock are the refining and marketing margins, which they make on each gallon of gas they sell. Refining margins depend on where West Texas prices are, where Brent North Sea prices are, and the spread between the 2. Also, if they are able to buy cheap Canadian oil this makes a big difference for them. When times are good that means they are getting the bigger spread.