Lockheed Martin Corporation vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Lockheed Martin Corporation trades at $504.9 (market cap $117.48B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $312.07 (market cap $93.03B). The key difference: Lockheed Martin Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Lockheed Martin Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.71%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LMT | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $117.48B | $93.03B |
Sector | Industrials | Energy |
52-Week High | $676.70 | $313.31 |
52-Week Low | $410.74 | $131.77 |
Enterprise Value | $136.28B | $98.79B |
Dividend Yield | 2.71% | 1.53% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lockheed Martin (LMT) trades at $509.44, showing modest daily gains of 0.13%. The stock faces bearish technical signals with recent earnings misses in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, though Q3 2025 exceeded expectations. Revenue growth remains steady, reaching $75.05B in 2025, while net margins have compressed to 6.38%. Analyst sentiment is strongly positive with 57% buy ratings and a $614 consensus target, supported by recent contract wins and new product launches like the PAC-3 ACE interceptor.
LMT offers defensive exposure to elevated defense spending with a $194B backlog, but faces execution risks from margin pressure and debt levels. The stock trades at a premium 24.6x P/E with technical weakness near support at $504. Upside depends on Q2 earnings beat and defense budget sustainability amid geopolitical tensions.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $314.81, up 1.67% on the day, with strong technical momentum and bullish moving averages. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.22 surpassing expectations of $3.16. Revenue declined to $122.69 billion in 2025, but net income margin held at 3.37%, supported by robust refining margins. Recent news highlights strong fuel demand and elevated crack spreads benefiting Valero's outlook.
The outlook remains positive given earnings beats, analyst buy ratings (55.55%), and refining margin tailwinds. However, declining revenue trends, high RSI levels suggesting overbought conditions, and exposure to volatile energy markets pose risks. The consensus price target of $276.22 implies potential downside from current levels, requiring careful monitoring of Q2 2026 earnings.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor globally and has dominated the Western market for high-end fighter aircraft since the F-35 program was awarded in 2001. Lockheed's largest segment is aeronautics, which is dominated by the massive F-35 program. Lockheed's remaining segments are rotary and mission systems, which is mainly the Sikorsky helicopter business.
Read more on LMT →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 →