Valero Energy Corporation vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Valero Energy Corporation trades at $442.87 (market cap $127.78B), while Wendys Co trades at $6.22 (market cap $1.19B). The key difference: Valero Energy Corporation is far larger — about 107.4× Wendys Co's market cap, and Wendys Co pays the higher dividend (4.49%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Valero Energy Corporation for 56 Days and Wendys Co for 77 Days on average.
| VLO | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $127.78B | $1.19B |
Volume | 2,570,225 | 5,622,905 |
Sector | Energy | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $443.80 | $9.33 |
52-Week Low | $156.39 | $6.10 |
Typical Hold Time | 56 Days | 77 Days |
Enterprise Value | $131.26B | $4.92B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 4.49% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Valero Energy (VLO) trades at $441.93, up 4.2% today, near its 52-week high with strong bullish momentum from moving averages. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q3 2026 expected at $20.17 EPS. Revenue declined to $122.69B in 2025, but net income margin improved to 5.17%, supported by a robust ROE of 29.31%. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $408.10 price target, though RSI levels indicate overbought conditions.
VLO's outlook is positive due to refining margin strength and earnings beats, but risks include volatile energy prices and potential policy impacts like diesel export bans. The stock offers growth potential with a reasonable P/E of 18.51, yet high valuation multiples and technical overbought signals warrant caution for near-term entries.
Wendy's (WEN) trades at $6.16, down 71% over five years, with a bearish technical signal and recent price near multi-year lows. The company faces declining same-store sales, a major franchisee bankruptcy (Meritage Hospitality, September 2026), and net income margin compression from 7.58% in 2025 to 5.72% in 2026. Valuation appears low with a P/E of 9.45 and P/S of 0.54, but high debt and operational challenges weigh on sentiment. Recent earnings beats provide some positive momentum, but competitive pressures persist.
The outlook remains cautious due to franchisee instability and sales declines. Investment opportunity lies in potential turnaround under new CEO Bob Wright and cheap valuation, but risks include further store closures, debt burden, and intense burger chain competition. Analyst consensus is mixed with a $7.58 price target, but 65% hold ratings reflect uncertainty.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →The Wendy's Company is the second-largest burger quick-service restaurant, or QSR, chain in the United States by systemwide sales, with $11.1 billion in 2021, narrowly edging Burger King ($10.3 billion) and clocking in well behind wide-moat McDonald's ($45.7 billion). After divestitures of Tim Hortons (2006) and Arby's (2011), the firm manages just the burger banner, generating sales across a footprint that spans almost 7,000 total units in 30 countries. Wendy's generates revenue from the sale of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries throughout its company-owned footprint, through franchise royalty and marketing fund payments remitted by its franchisees, which account for 94% of stores, and through franchise flipping and advisory fees.
Read more on WEN →