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Valero Energy Corp.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Net income swung to a profit: Net income attributable to Valero stockholders was $1.3 billion, or $4.22 per diluted share, compared with a loss of $595 million a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income rose to $1.7 billion: Consolidated operating income was $1.7 billion, compared with an operating loss of $900 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Refining operating income turned positive: Refining segment operating income was $1.8 billion, compared with a $530 million operating loss a year earlier. Source
  • Operating cash flow reached $1.4 billion: Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.4 billion for the quarter, before the adjustments management applies. Source
  • Stockholder returns reached $938 million: Stockholder cash returns were $938 million, a payout of 59 percent of adjusted net cash provided by operating activities. Source
  • Benicia refining wind-down plan: A plan approved in March 2025 calls for idling the Benicia processing units and ceasing refining operations by the end of April 2026. Source
  • St. Charles FCC project progressing: The $230 million FCC Unit optimization at St. Charles is intended to raise output of high-value products; management said progress continues. Source

“I am pleased to report that Valero had an excellent first quarter, demonstrating our team’s ability to optimize our refining system and deliver strong financial returns,”

Lane Riggs, Valero’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
St. Charles FCC Unit optimization project start-up Sourcethird quarter of 2026third quarter of 2026Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: Benicia processing units began idling in a phased approach during the quarter, and the fuel production units ceased operation. Source
  • Ended: Refinery count is now stated as 14, with about 3.0 million barrels per day of throughput capacity, against 15 refineries and 3.2 million barrels per day in the prior release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Net income swung to a profit: Net income attributable to Valero stockholders was $1.3 billion, or $4.22 per diluted share, compared with a loss of $595 million a year earlier. Source
  • Prior-year adjusted earnings reference: Adjusted prior-year net income excluded an asset impairment of $877 million net of tax, leaving $282 million, or $0.89 per share. Source
  • Operating income rose to $1.7 billion: Consolidated operating income was $1.7 billion, compared with an operating loss of $900 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source

Refining segment and regions

  • Refining operating income turned positive: Refining segment operating income was $1.8 billion, compared with a $530 million operating loss a year earlier. Source
  • Gulf Coast margin per barrel rose: Gulf Coast refining margin was $16.06 per barrel of throughput, against $9.56 a year earlier. Source
  • Gulf Coast adjusted income higher: Gulf Coast adjusted refining operating income was $1,374 million, against $341 million a year earlier. Source
  • West Coast adjusted loss widened: U.S. West Coast adjusted refining operating loss was $118 million, against a $2 million loss a year earlier, on 201 thousand barrels per day of throughput. Source
  • North Atlantic income per barrel: North Atlantic refining operating income was $8.42 per barrel of throughput, compared with $4.87 a year earlier. Source

“Our strong performance in a volatile first quarter underscores Valero’s operational, commercial, and financial strength.”

Lane Riggs, Valero’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President

Renewable Diesel and Ethanol

  • Renewable Diesel returned to income: Renewable Diesel, the Diamond Green Diesel joint venture, had operating income of $139 million, against a $141 million loss a year earlier. Source
  • Renewable Diesel margin per gallon: Renewable Diesel margin was $1.11 per gallon of sales, against $0.02 a year earlier. Source
  • Renewable Diesel sales volumes rose: Renewable Diesel sales averaged 3.0 million gallons per day, up from 2.4 million a year earlier. Source
  • Ethanol operating income higher: Ethanol operating income was $90 million, against $20 million a year earlier. Source
  • Ethanol margin per gallon higher: Ethanol margin was $0.66 per gallon of production, against $0.48 a year earlier. Source

Market prices and margin references

  • Brent crude averaged higher: Brent averaged $77.92 per barrel, against $74.89; the Brent less WTI differential was $5.94, against $3.43. Source
  • Gulf Coast diesel margin rose: Gulf Coast ULS diesel margin over Brent was $27.60 per barrel, against $16.69 a year earlier. Source
  • North Atlantic diesel margin rose: North Atlantic ULS diesel margin over Brent was $36.54 per barrel, against $20.88 a year earlier. Source
  • Corn and ethanol prices eased: Chicago Board of Trade corn averaged $4.37 per bushel, against $4.73; New York Harbor ethanol was $1.81 per gallon, against $1.82. Source
  • Renewable volume obligation cost climbed: The RVO cost was $9.41 per barrel, against $4.76 a year earlier; it is the average market cost to comply with the Renewable Fuel Standard. Source

Costs, taxes and charges

  • Corporate overhead increased: General and administrative expenses were $285 million, compared with $261 million in the first quarter of 2025. Source
  • Refining operating cost per barrel: Refining operating expenses were $5.13 per barrel of throughput, against $5.07 a year earlier. Source
  • Refining depreciation per barrel higher: Refining depreciation and amortization was $2.79 per barrel of throughput, against $2.33 a year earlier. Source
  • Effective tax rate was 23 percent: The effective income tax rate for the quarter was 23 percent. Source

Operating cash flow

  • Operating cash flow reached $1.4 billion: Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.4 billion for the quarter, before the adjustments management applies. Source
  • Adjusted operating cash flow higher: Adjusted operating cash flow, excluding changes in current assets and liabilities and the Diamond Green Diesel partner share, was $1.6 billion. Source
  • Diamond Green Diesel partner share: The adjusted figure removes $102 million of Diamond Green Diesel operating cash flow attributable to the other joint venture member. Source

Shareholder returns and debt

  • Stockholder returns reached $938 million: Stockholder cash returns were $938 million, a payout of 59 percent of adjusted net cash provided by operating activities. Source
  • Senior notes issued for 2026 maturities: Valero issued $850 million of 5.150% Senior Notes due 2036 to repay debt maturing in 2026 and for general corporate purposes. Source
  • Debt and cash at quarter end: Total debt was $9.2 billion, total finance lease obligations $2.3 billion, and cash and equivalents $5.7 billion at March 31, 2026. Source
  • Debt to capitalization ratio: The debt to capitalization ratio, net of cash and cash equivalents, was 18 percent at March 31, 2026. Source

Benicia and St. Charles projects

  • Benicia refining wind-down plan: A plan approved in March 2025 calls for idling the Benicia processing units and ceasing refining operations by the end of April 2026. Source
  • St. Charles FCC project progressing: The $230 million FCC Unit optimization at St. Charles is intended to raise output of high-value products; management said progress continues. Source
  • Benicia depreciation added: Depreciation included about $100 million of incremental expense for Benicia, because its useful life was shortened and its carrying value is depreciated to salvage value. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Throughput Source2,914 thousand barrels per day
Refining margin per barrel Source$14.90 per barrel of throughput
Capital expenditure Source$430 million attributable to Valero; $448 million total capital investments

Risks management discussed

  • External: Management described the quarter as having considerable disruption in commodity markets. Source
  • Financial: Working capital reduced net cash provided by operating activities by $303 million in the quarter. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management referred to a commitment to a growing dividend, following the January increase of the quarterly dividend to $1.20 per share. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.