Lamb Weston Holdings Inc vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Lamb Weston Holdings Inc trades at $52.79 (market cap $7.23B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $320.61 (market cap $93.27B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 12.9× Lamb Weston Holdings Inc's market cap, and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (2.89%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LW | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $7.23B | $93.27B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Energy |
52-Week High | $66.57 | $323.92 |
52-Week Low | $38.48 | $133.38 |
Enterprise Value | $11.10B | $96.74B |
Dividend Yield | 2.89% | 1.48% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lamb Weston (LW) trades at $51.81, down 0.88% today, with a bullish technical signal and consistent earnings beats. The stock shows strong profitability with a 16.28% ROE and a 4.39% net margin, supported by positive cash flow from operations of $868.3M in 2025. Recent news highlights Q4 2026 results exceeding expectations and a declared $0.38 dividend.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $53.86, though risks include margin pressure from cost inflation and international headwinds. The stock offers a solid dividend yield and growth potential from operational improvements, but investors should monitor debt levels and competitive dynamics.
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
Lamb Weston is the world's second-largest producer of branded and private-label frozen potato products, such as French fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, diced potatoes, mashed potatoes, hash browns, and chips. The company also has a small appetizer business that produces onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and cheese curds. Including joint ventures, 63% of fiscal 2022 revenue was U.S.-based, with the remainder stemming from Europe, Canada, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, and several other countries. Lamb Weston's customer mix is estimated 58% quick-serve restaurants, 19% full-service restaurants, 8% other food services (hotels, commercial cafeterias, arenas, schools), and 16% retail. Lamb Weston became an independent company in 2016 when it was spun off from Conagra.
Read more on LW →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 →