Prospect Capital Corporation vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Prospect Capital Corporation trades at $2.14 (market cap $1.08B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $311.47 (market cap $93.47B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 86.5× Prospect Capital Corporation's market cap, and Prospect Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (23.26%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| PSEC | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $1.08B | $93.47B |
Sector | Financials | Energy |
52-Week High | $3.47 | $314.80 |
52-Week Low | $2.15 | $131.77 |
Dividend Yield | 23.26% | 1.52% |
Enterprise Value | — | $99.23B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Prospect Capital Corporation (PSEC) trades at $2.15, down 4.44% on the day, reflecting persistent bearish technical signals. The company's fundamentals are challenged, with negative revenue of -$407M and a net income margin of -495.94% for 2025, though it has beaten EPS estimates for the last three consecutive quarters. Recent corporate actions include regular dividend payments, while news highlights portfolio activity and deep discounts to net asset value.
The outlook remains cautious due to weak profitability and a bearish analyst consensus. The primary opportunity lies in the stock's high yield and significant discount to book value, but risks include ongoing revenue volatility, declining net asset value, and skepticism about portfolio quality. Investors should weigh income potential against fundamental deterioration.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $314.80, up 1.66% today and near its 52-week high, with a bullish technical outlook supported by strong moving averages. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 expected at $10.13 EPS. Revenue declined to $122.69B in 2025, but net income margin improved to 3.37%, while valuation ratios like P/E of 22.89 and P/S of 0.77 reflect moderate pricing relative to peers. Recent news highlights robust refining margins and dividend declarations of $1.20 per share.
VLO's outlook is positive due to elevated crack spreads and strong fuel demand, though revenue declines pose a risk. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $285.38 price target, but high RSI levels suggest potential near-term pullbacks. Investment appeal lies in earnings momentum and shareholder returns, balanced against exposure to volatile energy markets and refining margins.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Prospect Capital Corp is a closed-end investment company based in the United States. Its investment objective is to generate both current income and long-term capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. The company invests primarily in senior and subordinated debt and equity of private companies for acquisitions, divestitures, growth, development, recapitalizations, and other purposes. It makes investments, including lending in private equity, sponsored transactions, directly to companies, investments in structured credit, real estate, and syndicated debt.
Read more on PSEC →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 →