Kroger Co vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Kroger Co trades at $61.64 (market cap $36.27B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $433.75 (market cap $127.78B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 3.5× Kroger Co's market cap, and Kroger Co pays the higher dividend (2.54%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Kroger Co for 108 Days and Valero Energy Corporation for 56 Days on average.
| KR | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $36.27B | $127.78B |
Volume | 8,301,523 | 2,570,225 |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Energy |
52-Week High | $75.60 | $443.80 |
52-Week Low | $55.53 | $156.39 |
Typical Hold Time | 108 Days | 56 Days |
Enterprise Value | $57.69B | $131.26B |
Dividend Yield | 2.54% | 1.08% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Kroger (KR) trades at $61.41, up 3.65% with a bullish technical signal and positive analyst sentiment. The stock shows strong fundamentals with $147.12B revenue, 23.11% gross margins, and consistent dividend payments. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q2 2026, while Q1 2026 slightly missed. Technical indicators show the stock trading near pivot point resistance at $62 with solid support at $59-60 levels. The company maintains robust cash flow generation with $5.79B from operations in 2025.
Kroger presents a compelling investment case with attractive valuation (P/S 0.26), strong analyst support (47.72% buy ratings), and $70.62 consensus price target offering 15% upside. Key risks include integration challenges with Giant Eagle acquisition, cost pressures affecting 2026 margins, and competitive threats from Walmart. The stock's digital growth initiatives and retail media expansion provide growth catalysts, though investors should monitor identical sales performance and acquisition integration progress.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $443.80, up 4.65% with strong bullish momentum near its 52-week high. The stock shows robust technical strength with moving averages in bullish alignment, though RSI indicates overbought conditions. Fundamentally, VLO has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters with Q3 2026 expectations at $20.41 EPS. Revenue declined to $122.69B in 2025 but is projected to recover to $139.4B in 2026, while maintaining strong profitability metrics including 29.31% ROE.
VLO presents a compelling growth story with refining margins supporting cash flow generation, though current valuation at 18.51 P/E appears fair. Key risks include potential diesel export restrictions and cyclical energy demand. Analyst consensus remains bullish with 54% buy ratings and $408.10 price target, though current price exceeds consensus. The stock's Gulf Coast advantage and strong balance sheet provide fundamental support for continued outperformance.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Latest headlines on both assets
Kroger is the leading American grocer, with 2,726 supermarkets operating under several banners throughout the country as of the end of fiscal 2021. Around 83% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 60% also sell fuel. The company also operates roughly 120 fine jewelry stores. Kroger features a leading private-label offering and manufactures around 30% of its own-brand units (and more than 40% of its grocery own-label assortment) itself, in 33 food production plants nationwide. Kroger is a top-two grocer in most of its major markets (as of early 2021, according to company data). Virtually all of Kroger's sales come from the United States.
Read more on KR →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 →