
Valero is the flagship fuel retail brand of Valero Energy Corporation, a publicly traded American petroleum refining company founded in 1980 and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, trading on NYSE under ticker VLO. Approximately 4,500 Valero-branded stations operate across 35 US states, concentrated in Texas, with additional sites in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Valero is the largest independent petroleum refiner in the United States with 15 refineries and approximately 3.2 million barrels per day of capacity.
Parent Company
Founded
1980
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Valero | Valero Energy Corporation | Wholly owned |
Valero Energy Corporation was formed in 1980 from the spinoff of Coastal States Gas Corporation's natural gas operations, taking its name from Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as the Alamo. The company bought its first refinery in Corpus Christi in 1981 and spent the next two decades building a refinery network.
The retail brand grew through acquisitions: Ultramar Diamond Shamrock in 2001 brought Diamond Shamrock stations, Premcor in 2005 added a large Midwest footprint, and Shamrock brand history extended back to the 1930s through predecessor companies. Valero converted most acquired stations to the flagship Valero brand through the 2000s while keeping Diamond Shamrock, Shamrock, and Beacon as secondary banners.
Valero launched the Corner Store convenience concept in 2007 in San Antonio, building a branded c-store presence attached to its fuel sites. The retail network spans approximately 4,500 US stations as of 2026, with Texas accounting for roughly half, plus several hundred sites in the UK and Ireland.
What does Valero Energy own?
Valero Energy owns 15 petroleum refineries across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, 14 ethanol plants in the United States, and a 50 percent stake in the Diamond Green Diesel renewable diesel joint venture. The company also operates approximately 7,000 retail and wholesale fuel outlets under the Valero, Diamond Shamrock, and Beacon brands.
Is Valero Energy publicly traded?
Yes. Valero Energy trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol VLO. The company is a component of the S&P 500 and is widely held by institutional investors, index funds, and individual shareholders. No parent company or controlling shareholder exists.
Who founded Valero Energy?
Valero was formed in 1980 as a subsidiary of Coastal States Gas Corporation to hold refining and marketing assets. The company was spun off as an independent entity in 1984. It was not founded by an individual but was created as a corporate entity through asset transfers and an IPO.
Where is Valero Energy headquartered?
Valero Energy is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The company has maintained its headquarters in San Antonio since its founding and operates its corporate, finance, and strategic planning functions from that location.
How many brands does Valero Energy own?
Valero owns four primary fuel and retail brands: Valero, Diamond Shamrock, Beacon, and Valero Renewables. The company's brand portfolio is focused on fuel marketing rather than consumer goods.
Who owns Valero Energy?
Valero Energy is a publicly traded corporation with no controlling shareholder. The company is owned by institutional investors, mutual funds, index funds, and individual shareholders who purchase shares on the New York Stock Exchange. As an S&P 500 component, a significant portion of Valero's shares are held by passive index funds.
What is Valero Energy's revenue?
For fiscal year 2025, Valero reported total revenue of approximately $128 billion and adjusted net income of $3.3 billion. In Q2 2026, the company reported revenue of $44.5 billion and net income of $3.7 billion, a record for any second quarter.
Has Valero made major acquisitions recently?
Valero's most recent major acquisitions were the Ultramar Diamond Shamrock deal in 2001 ($4 billion) and the Premcor acquisition in 2005 ($8.7 billion). In recent years, the company has focused on operational improvements and organic growth rather than large-scale M&A. The company is completing a $230 million FCC Unit optimization project at its St. Charles refinery in 2026.
Valero operates under the parent company's environmental framework, which includes renewable diesel and ethanol production through Valero Renewables. The refining business faces ongoing criticism over emissions, refinery-community air quality, and climate litigation exposure common to major fuel companies.
Valero has been named among Fortune's Most Admired companies in the petroleum refining category and its station network ranks among the largest fuel brands in US market studies.
Valero's retail brand carries the reputational profile of a major refiner: EPA settlements on refinery emissions, community air-quality scrutiny near Gulf Coast plants, and periodic consumer complaints on station-level pricing practices. No major brand-level scandal distinct from the parent applies.
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valero Energy | USA | 1967 | Mass market | United states | Unisex | |
| Chevron | USA | 1930 | Mass market | United states | Unisex | |
| Valero Energy | USA | 1947 | Value | United states | Unisex | |
| Phillips 66 | USA | 1932 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Phillips 66 | USA | 1875 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Costco | USA | 1995 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Valero Energy Corporation
Heritage American fuel brand dating to 1967, retained by Valero Energy as a secondary station banner primarily in Texas and the West.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Chevron Corporation
American fuel retail brand operating more than 7,000 gas stations across the United States, known for gasoline with Techron additive and ExtraMile convenience stores.
Owned by Valero Energy Corporation
Value-priced gasoline brand owned by Valero Energy, used by independent retailers primarily in California and the western United States as a low-cost fuel option.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Phillips 66
76 is a classic American fuel brand owned by Phillips 66, famous for its orange ball logo, fronting branded gas stations primarily in the western United States.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Phillips 66
Conoco is a historic American fuel brand owned by Phillips 66, fronting branded gas stations primarily in the western and midwestern United States.
AutomotiveOwned by Costco Wholesale Corporation
Costco Gasoline is Costco Wholesale's member fuel business, operating 747 stations worldwide and generating roughly $27 billion in annual fuel sales.
Market Positioning: Valero competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Valero Energy Corporation, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Chevron Corporation
American fuel retail brand operating more than 7,000 gas stations across the United States, known for gasoline with Techron additive and ExtraMile convenience stores.
Chevron operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Phillips 66
Phillips 66 is the flagship fuel marketing brand of the downstream energy company of the same name, fronting about 7,620 branded US outlets alongside Conoco and 76.
Phillips 66 operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by CMS Energy
American energy company providing electricity and natural gas utility services to Michigan residents through Consumers Energy subsidiary.
CMS Energy operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Adani Group
Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is India's largest renewable energy company by installed capacity, listed on the National Stock Exchange and BSE. It develops, builds, and operates solar and wind power plants across India.
Adani Green Energy is privately owned, unlike Valero which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by Adani Group
India's largest private thermal power producer, operating approximately 17,550 megawatts of installed capacity across eight states, listed on NSE and BSE.
Adani Power is privately owned, unlike Valero which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Energy UtilitiesOwned by CHS Inc.
American fuel, lubricant, and convenience store brand owned by CHS Inc., the nation's largest farmer-owned cooperative, operating roughly 1,400 locations across 19 states.
Cenex is privately owned, unlike Valero which is under a publicly traded parent company.
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