Why Valero Energy (VLO) is a Top Growth Stock for the Long-Term

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools to help investors make informed decisions and enhance their confidence in the stock market [1] Zacks Style Scores - Zacks Style Scores are indicators designed to assist investors in selecting stocks likely to outperform the market within 30 days, rated from A to F based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics [2] - The Value Score focuses on identifying undervalued stocks using financial ratios like P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales [3] - The Growth Score emphasizes a company's financial health and future outlook, analyzing projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow [4] - The Momentum Score identifies optimal times to invest based on price trends and earnings estimate changes [5] - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to highlight stocks with attractive value, strong growth forecasts, and promising momentum [6] Zacks Rank - The Zacks Rank is a proprietary model that utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios [7] - Stocks rated 1 (Strong Buy) have historically produced an average annual return of +23.86% since 1988, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [8] - Investors are encouraged to focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for the highest probability of success [10] Stock Highlight: Valero Energy - Valero Energy Corporation is the largest independent refiner and marketer of petroleum products in the U.S., with a refining capacity of 3.1 million barrels per day across 15 refineries [12] - Valero has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of A, making it a potential candidate for growth investors [12] - The company is forecasted to achieve year-over-year earnings growth of 19.2% for the current fiscal year, with a Zacks Consensus Estimate of $12.65 per share [13]