COMPARE · Reviewed August 1, 2026
CVI vs VLO
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. CVI scored 56.0, VLO scored 52.8 — CVI leads.
Compare another set
CVI
CVR Energy, Inc.
56
$35.62 · $3.6B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
3.2
CVI leads
VLO
Valero Energy Corporation
52.8
$312.90 · $90.1B
fundamentals as of
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
CVI
stronger →← stronger
VLO
61
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
80
50
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
50
58
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
37
CVI and VLO split the three pillars evenly.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
CVI
VLO
$351mC
FCF
$8.9bB+
+17.9%B+
Rev
+12.6%B+
2.42D
D/E
0.40B+
51.6xC
P/E
13.1xB+
0.71A-
PEG
4.08D
Winner per row is the stronger grade in our model; a tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
CVI
VLO
63% below
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
46% below
~-9%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~-15%/yr
+104%
1-yr DCF upside
+108%
+169%
5-yr DCF upside
+86%
+307%
10-yr DCF upside
+58%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
CVI
Why this score
- Cut its dividend
- Cyclical growth
VLO
Why this score
- Buying back stock
- Raising its dividend
- Cyclical growth
The companies
CVICVR Energy, Inc.
Why now
Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing · market cap $3.6b. 15% off the 52-week high of $41.67. Revenue growing +18%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.71 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 5 sell-side analysts rate this an Underperform with a mean 1-yr target of $29.40 (implying -17% upside).
Moat
ROE 13% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere. Free cash flow runs well ahead of reported net income — non-cash charges (depreciation, intangible amortization) are holding down GAAP earnings while cash generation stays strong.
Risk
D/E 2.42 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Trailing P/E 51.6x prices in sustained high growth — any quarter that disappoints triggers sharp re-rating. Net margin 0.8% is thin — operating leverage cuts both ways; input-cost inflation or pricing pressure hits the bottom line first.
VLOValero Energy Corporation
Why now
Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing · market cap $90.1b. Trading near 52-week high of $320.24 — momentum setup, limited technical margin of safety. Revenue growing +13%, comfortably above the S&P median. 18 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $290.22 (implying -7% upside).
Moat
ROE 29% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 123% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined. $90.1b market cap gives the company enough scale to absorb fixed costs that subscale competitors can't, without yet being so large that growth has to come from acquisition.
Risk
Trading within 2% of the 52-week high — limited technical margin of safety; a momentum reversal would test conviction. Hedge-book exposure — many commodity producers hedge forward production; if the hedge book is concentrated at prices well below spot, the upside the market expects is already locked away.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.