Morgan Stanley vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Morgan Stanley trades at $215.61 (market cap $339.62B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $389.98 (market cap $110.23B). The key difference: Morgan Stanley is far larger — about 3.1× Valero Energy Corporation's market cap, and Morgan Stanley pays the higher dividend (2.13%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| MS | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $339.62B | $110.23B |
Sector | Financials | Energy |
52-Week High | $228.42 | $388.95 |
52-Week Low | $151.86 | $156.39 |
Dividend Yield | 2.13% | 1.25% |
Enterprise Value | — | $113.71B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Morgan Stanley (MS) trades at $215.33, down 1.09% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $239.58. Revenue grew to $66.0 billion in 2025, with net income margin expanding to 25.56%, and the company has beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. Recent news highlights its role in leading Anthropic's IPO and advancements in AI integration for wealth management.
The outlook remains positive given strong earnings momentum and strategic initiatives, though risks include volatile cash flows from operations and high leverage. Wall Street sentiment is bullish with 55.77% of analysts rating it a Buy, supporting potential upside from current levels amid broader financial sector strength.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $382.85, up 3.27% today, reflecting strong momentum amid favorable refining conditions. The stock exhibits a bullish technical trend, with recent earnings beats and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) as of September 9, 2026. Fundamentals show robust profitability with a 29.31% ROE, though revenue has declined from $176.4B in 2022 to $122.7B in 2025. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $345.55 price target, and the company maintains a solid balance sheet with $4.66B in cash.
VLO's outlook is supported by tight fuel supplies and healthy demand, with projected 2026 net income of $7.2B. Key risks include volatile energy prices and potential regulatory pressures. The stock offers growth potential but faces headwinds from revenue declines and geopolitical factors affecting the energy sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Morgan Stanley is a global investment bank whose history, through its legacy firms, can be traced back to 1924. The company has institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management segments. The company had about $5 trillion of client assets as well as over 70,000 employees at the end of 2021. Approximately 50% of the company's net revenue is from its institutional securities business, with the remainder coming from wealth and investment management. The company derives about 30% of its total revenue outside the Americas.
Read more on MS →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 →