NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 16:59 ET — Market closed
- Valero shares last closed up 1.55% at $165.31 on Friday; U.S. markets are shut Saturday.
- Oil settled slightly lower as traders weighed oversupply worries against geopolitical risks; OPEC+ meets Sunday.
- Valero’s next earnings report is scheduled for Jan. 29, before the opening bell.
Valero Energy Corp shares rose 1.55% to close at $165.31 on Friday, the first trading day of 2026. U.S. equity markets were closed on Saturday.
The early-year tape matters for refiners because investors are resetting positions after crude posted its steepest annual drop since 2020. Refining stocks often trade on expectations for fuel margins, not just the direction of oil.
For Valero, attention is shifting to its late-January earnings update and management’s read on refining profitability heading into 2026. Traders are also watching crude supply signals ahead of an OPEC+ meeting this weekend.
Oil prices finished the session slightly lower as oversupply concerns outweighed a steady drumbeat of geopolitical headlines, Reuters reported. Brent futures settled down 10 cents at $60.75 a barrel and U.S. WTI eased 10 cents to $57.32. “Oil prices are locked in this long-term trading range,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group. Reuters
On Wall Street, the Dow ended up 0.66% and the S&P 500 gained 0.19%, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.03% in light holiday trading, Reuters said. Treasury yields rose as investors looked ahead to a catch-up run of delayed U.S. data following the recent government shutdown.
Other U.S. refiners also ended higher on the day. Marathon Petroleum rose 1.56% and Phillips 66 gained 1.16%, while Delek U.S. climbed about 0.4%, data showed.
Valero’s stock snapped a two-day losing streak but lagged gains in several larger energy names on Friday, MarketWatch reported. The shares were about 11% below their 52-week high of $185.62, and volume of roughly 1.9 million shares ran below the stock’s 50-day average.
Valero said it will release fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Thursday, Jan. 29, before the market opens, and host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. ET.
A regulatory filing showed Homer Bhullar became Valero’s chief financial officer effective Jan. 1, succeeding Jason Fraser.
Before Monday’s open, investors will focus on weekend headlines from OPEC+ and whether the group signals continued restraint on supply. Any sharp move in crude can quickly ripple through refinery stocks via expectations for gasoline and diesel pricing.
Rates and macro data are also back in play for energy equities. Investors are watching how next week’s backlog of U.S. releases reshapes expectations for Federal Reserve policy and economic growth.
For refiners, the key swing factor remains the 3-2-1 crack spread — a simple yardstick for the margin from turning three barrels of crude into two barrels of gasoline and one barrel of diesel. That margin, along with guidance on throughput and cash returns, is likely to set the tone for Valero shares into its Jan. 29 report.
