Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. trades at $47.64 (market cap $98.11B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $330.25 (market cap $93.27B). The key difference: Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Valero Energy Corporation are close in size by market cap, and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. pays the higher dividend (3.73%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CNQ | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $98.11B | $93.27B |
Sector | Energy | Energy |
52-Week High | $50.55 | $323.92 |
52-Week Low | $29.31 | $133.38 |
Enterprise Value | $108.54B | $96.74B |
Dividend Yield | 3.73% | 1.48% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) trades at $47.65, up 0.85% with strong technical momentum. The stock shows robust fundamentals with Q2 2026 EPS beating estimates at $1.53 versus $1.43 expected, continuing a trend of earnings outperformance. Valuation metrics remain attractive with P/E of 11.82 and EV/EBITDA of 6.35, while profitability metrics impress with 26.69% ROE and 22.87% net margin. Recent news highlights record production and dividend consistency.
CNQ presents a compelling investment case with strong operational performance, attractive valuation, and shareholder returns through dividends. The primary risks include oil price volatility and execution challenges in capital projects. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with 27 buy ratings and no sell recommendations, supporting upside potential from current levels.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $329.99, up 4.78% on the day, reflecting strong momentum after recent earnings beats. The stock shows bullish technical signals with moving averages supporting upward trends, while fundamentals indicate robust profitability with a 29.31% ROE and a P/E of 13.51. Recent news highlights refining strength and geopolitical factors benefiting the sector.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus favoring a Buy rating and a $324.27 price target. Key risks include volatile oil prices and refining margin pressures, but disciplined capital allocation and renewable diesel growth offer upside potential for investors seeking energy exposure.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Canadian Natural Resources is one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in western Canada, supplemented by operations in the North Sea and Offshore Africa. The company's portfolio includes light and medium oil, heavy oil, bitumen, synthetic oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. Production averaged 1.16 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020, and the company estimates that it holds over 11.5 billion boe of proven and probable crude oil and natural gas reserves.
Read more on CNQ →Valero Energy is one of the largest independent refiners in the United States. It operates 14 refineries with a total throughput capacity of 3.2 million barrels a day in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Valero also owns 14 ethanol plants with capacity of 1.7 billion gallons of ethanol a year and holds a 50% stake in Diamond Green Diesel, which has capacity to produce 700 million gallons per year of renewable diesel.
Read more on VLO →