Nutrien Ltd vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Nutrien Ltd trades at $80.95 (market cap $38.47B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $391.21 (market cap $110.23B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 2.9× Nutrien Ltd's market cap, and Nutrien Ltd pays the higher dividend (2.73%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| NTR | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $38.47B | $110.23B |
Sector | Basic Materials | Energy |
52-Week High | $83.94 | $388.95 |
52-Week Low | $53.64 | $156.39 |
Enterprise Value | $50.28B | $113.71B |
Dividend Yield | 2.73% | 1.25% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Nutrien (NTR) trades at $80.68, up 1.52% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought RSI readings. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates but beating on revenue, driven by higher fertilizer prices. Analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with a $76.17 price target, though recent news includes a downgrade to Hold citing cost pressures and volume constraints. Cash flow trends show consistent operational strength but negative net cash flow in recent years.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by strong potash and nitrogen demand and institutional buying, but risks include cyclical earnings, rising sulfur costs, and volatile agricultural markets. The stock's current price above the consensus target suggests limited near-term upside, requiring monitoring of cost management and volume recovery for sustained growth.
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
Created in 2018 as a result of the merger between PotashCorp and Agrium, Nutrien is the world's largest fertilizer producer by capacity. Nutrien produces the three main crop nutrients--nitrogen, potash, and phosphate--although its main focus is potash, where it is the global leader in installed capacity with roughly 20% share. The company is also the largest agricultural retailer in the United States, selling fertilizers, crop chemicals, seeds, and services directly to farm customers through its brick-and-mortar stores and online platforms.
Read more on NTR →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 →