Valero Energy Has Become A 'Show Me' Story Now

JPMorgan said in a note
Valero Energy CorporationVLO
has now become a "show me" story, but does that justify an upgrade?

The firm says no, and downgraded shares of Valero Energy from Overweight to Neutral. However, this status did afford the stock an adjusted price target to the upside, from $75 to $78.

Analysts Phil Gresh, John Royall and Anthony Yu think the stock has already received some multiple uplifts due to more stable returns recently and improved capital discipline under the direction of CEO Joe Gorder. The analysts are of the view, for a further uplift, it could take some time, given the cyclical nature of the industry.

JPMorgan believes 2016 was not a recession for refining, despite the year being tough on it. Rather, the firm said the industry was beset by problems arising out of capacity additions outpacing demand growth. Although the year was potentially below "mid-cycle," the firm thinks it was not a trough.

See also: An Energy ETF That's Actually Surging

The firm said its hypothetic downside case suggested that free cash flow should not be as bad as 2009, assuming Valero maintains capital discipline. The firm feels the free cash flow would be adequate to cover the dividend, although it feels buyback could be cut to zero.

As such, the firm is encouraged by Valero's improved free cash flow profile and commitment to return capital, leading up to some multiple enhancement already, but it thinks achieving a more significant multiple upgrade could take time. The firm estimates the total return potential from Valero's stock, including the dividend, to be 6 percent compared to 7 percent for the group.

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Image Credit: By Zereshk - Own work, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Posted In: Analyst ColorDowngradesPrice TargetCommoditiesMarketsAnalyst RatingsAnthony YuJoe GorderJohn RoyallJP MorganPhil Gresh
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