Hormel Foods Corp vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Hormel Foods Corp trades at $24.11 (market cap $13.37B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $325.3 (market cap $93.27B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 7× Hormel Foods Corp's market cap, and Hormel Foods Corp pays the higher dividend (4.81%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HRL | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.37B | $93.27B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Energy |
52-Week High | $29.25 | $323.92 |
52-Week Low | $19.74 | $133.38 |
Enterprise Value | $15.37B | $96.74B |
Dividend Yield | 4.81% | 1.48% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $24.705, down 1.26% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and neutral oscillators. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.40, beating expectations, but net income margin declined to 3.82% in 2025. Recent news includes the appointment of John Ghingo as CEO and the sale of its Brazilian CERATTI business, signaling strategic refocusing.
Outlook is mixed: strong dividend yield and consistent earnings beats support income investors, but margin pressures and bearish technicals pose near-term risks. Analyst consensus is 'Hold' with a $26.33 price target, suggesting limited upside. Macroeconomic headwinds in consumer staples may challenge growth.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $314.95, up 5.58% in 24 hours, reflecting strong momentum. The stock exhibits bullish technical signals with key support at $307 and resistance at $324. Recent quarterly earnings consistently beat expectations, with Q2 2026 EPS of $12.54 surpassing the $10.11 estimate. Revenue for 2026 is projected to rise to $139.4 billion, with net income margin improving to 5.17%.
Outlook remains positive due to robust refining margins and renewable diesel growth, but risks include volatile oil prices and geopolitical tensions. Analysts maintain a buy consensus with a $324.27 price target, indicating potential upside. Investors should monitor execution on earnings guidance and global energy supply dynamics.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Hormel Foods is a protein-focused branded food company. Its brands include its namesake Hormel, Spam, Jennie-O, Dinty Moore, Applegate, Wholly Guacamole, and Skippy. The vast majority of the company's revenue is U.S.-based: 64% U.S. retail, 28% U.S. food service, and 8% international. By product type, in fiscal 2021, 23% of revenue was shelf-stable foods, 18% was poultry (branded and commodity), 55% was other perishable food, and 3% was other, primarily nutritional products. The company holds the number-one market position in shelf-stable meat, shelf-stable ready meals, pepperoni, natural/organic deli meat, and guacamole and the number-two position in turkey, bacon, chilled ready meals, and peanut butter.
Read more on HRL →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 →