Lamb Weston Holdings Inc vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Lamb Weston Holdings Inc trades at $46.87 (market cap $6.43B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $312.38 (market cap $93.03B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 14.5× Lamb Weston Holdings Inc's market cap, and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (3.26%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LW | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $6.43B | $93.03B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Energy |
52-Week High | $66.57 | $313.31 |
52-Week Low | $38.48 | $131.77 |
Enterprise Value | $10.40B | $98.79B |
Dividend Yield | 3.26% | 1.53% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lamb Weston (LW) trades at $46.59, down 0.43% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $49.33. The company reported revenue of $6.45B in 2025 and has beaten EPS estimates in the last three quarters. Recent news highlights its 'Focus to Win' strategy showing traction, with volume gains in North America and cost-saving initiatives supporting its turnaround.
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic, with potential upside from continued earnings beats and strategic execution, but risks include a pending class-action lawsuit, margin pressures, and high debt levels. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with 35% buy ratings, reflecting confidence in the turnaround amid operational challenges.
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
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 →