Upstart Holdings Inc vs Valero Energy Corporation — how do they compare? Upstart Holdings Inc trades at $29.13 (market cap $2.91B), while Valero Energy Corporation trades at $330.2 (market cap $93.27B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 32.1× Upstart Holdings Inc's market cap, and Valero Energy Corporation pays a 1.48% dividend while Upstart Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| UPST | VLO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $2.91B | $93.27B |
Sector | Financials | Energy |
52-Week High | $73.76 | $330.21 |
52-Week Low | $24.22 | $135.82 |
Enterprise Value | — | $96.74B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.48% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Upstart trades at $29.23, down 3.24% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent Q2 2026 earnings beat showing 42% revenue growth and return to GAAP profitability. The stock faces valuation compression concerns with a P/E of 57.48, while analyst consensus remains divided with a $47.20 price target suggesting significant upside potential from current levels.
The outlook balances strong AI-driven loan origination growth against persistent earnings misses and negative cash flow from operations. Key risks include high short interest at 27% and sensitivity to interest rate environment, though institutional sentiment appears cautiously optimistic given the 45% buy rating distribution.
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $329.99, up 4.78% on the day, reflecting strong momentum after recent earnings beats. The stock shows bullish technical signals with moving averages supporting upward trends, while fundamentals indicate robust profitability with a 29.31% ROE and a P/E of 13.51. Recent news highlights refining strength and geopolitical factors benefiting the sector.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus favoring a Buy rating and a $324.27 price target. Key risks include volatile oil prices and refining margin pressures, but disciplined capital allocation and renewable diesel growth offer upside potential for investors seeking energy exposure.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Upstart Holdings Inc provides credit services. The company provides a proprietary, cloud-based, artificial intelligence lending platform. The platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to the network of Upstart AI-enabled bank partners. The revenue of the company is primarily comprised of fees paid by banks.
Read more on UPST →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 →