<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001035002-17-000052.txt : 20171115
<SEC-HEADER>0001035002-17-000052.hdr.sgml : 20171115
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20171012171733
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001035002-17-000052
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20171012

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			VALERO ENERGY CORP/TX
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001035002
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PETROLEUM REFINING [2911]
		IRS NUMBER:				741828067
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P.O. BOX 696000
		CITY:			SAN ANTONIO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			78269-6000
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2103452000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P.O. BOX 696000
		CITY:			SAN ANTONIO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			78269-6000
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>
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<div><a name="sEAA0E19ACFA05668AA943F804366A8A0"></a></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:16pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:16pt;font-weight:bold;">VALERO ENERGY CORPORATION</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;font-weight:bold;">Michael S. Ciskowski</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:4px;text-align:right;font-size:8pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:8pt;">Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">October&#160;12, 2017</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">VIA EDGAR TRANSMISSION</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">100 F Street, N.E.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Attention: Karl </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Hiller</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:48px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Re:</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Valero Energy Corporation</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:96px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Form&#160;10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December&#160;31, 2016</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:96px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Filed February&#160;23, 2017</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:96px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Response Letter dated September 22, 2017</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:96px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">File No.&#160;1-13175</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Dear Mr. </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Hiller</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Set forth below is the response of Valero Energy Corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) to the comments from the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the &#8220;Staff&#8221;) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;Commission&#8221;) that appeared in the Staff&#8217;s letter dated October&#160;5, 2017 regarding the above-referenced Annual Report on Form&#160;10-K filed by the Company on February&#160;23, 2017 (the &#8220;Form&#160;10-K&#8221;) and the response letter dated as of and filed by the Company on September&#160;22, 2017. As used in this letter, the terms &#8220;we&#8221; or &#8220;our&#8221; also refer to the Company.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">For ease of reference, the comments are reproduced below in bold and are followed by the Company&#8217;s response to such comments.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249-1616</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Telephone (210) 345-2146 - Fax (210) 345-2497</font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div><a name="sC12BFA426423566385FE20D4A386A38E"></a></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Mr. Karl Hiller</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">October&#160;12, 2017</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page&#160;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">2</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div></div><div><br></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Form&#160;10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December&#160;31, 2016</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Financial Statements</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Consolidated Statements of Income, page 71</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:0px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">1.</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">We have read your response to prior comments two and three in which you propose to relabel the line item Cost of sales as &#8220;cost of materials and other&#8221;, and clarify that amounts reported separately in your Operating expenses line item also include inventoriable costs. However, the extent to which all of these costs are inventoriable and appropriately characterized as Cost of sales under generally accepted accounting principles remains unclear. We note that although you propose to make various changes to your Statements of Income and related disclosures, the proposed changes do not include a complete Cost of sales measure and do not separately quantify the amounts of depreciation and amortization expense excluded from individual line items. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Given your rationale for presenting the various cost categories, we will not object if you wish to include a subtotal of amounts that are appropriately attributed to the Cost of sales measure that is required by Rule 5-03.2(a) of Regulation S-X. However, if you exclude depreciation and amortization expense from this measure, or other cost categories that follow this measure, the excluded amounts should be quantified on separate lines or parenthetically. Please ensure that your computation is consistent with that utilized in computing the gross profit measure that is required for your quarterly periods.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">In order to present a cost of sales measure in our statements of income as required by Rule&#160;5-03.2(a) of Regulation&#160;S-X, we will include in our future filings with the Commission a subtotal in our statements of income labeled &#8220;cost of sales.&#8221; The cost of sales subtotal will be comprised of the cost components attributed to that measure, including depreciation and amortization expense. In addition, we will reflect that amount of depreciation and amortization expense as a separate component of cost of sales and will, therefore, parenthetically note that the operating expense component excludes the depreciation and amortization expense component in accordance with the accommodation provided by SAB Topic&#160;11.B. Furthermore, we will separately present in our statements of income the amount of depreciation and amortization expense not attributed to cost of sales and will parenthetically note that general and administrative expenses excludes that depreciation and amortization expense amount.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249-1616</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Telephone (210) 345-2146 - Fax (210) 345-2497</font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Mr. Karl Hiller</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">October&#160;12, 2017</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page&#160;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">3</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div></div><div><br></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Based on the foregoing, an example of our proposed statement of income using 2016 financial information is shown below (in millions):</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:11pt;"><div style="padding-left:0px;text-indent:0px;line-height:normal;padding-top:10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;width:75.64102564102564%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"><tr><td colspan="5"></td></tr><tr><td style="width:85%;"></td><td style="width:1%;"></td><td style="width:1%;"></td><td style="width:12%;"></td><td style="width:1%;"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Operating revenues</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;background-color:#cceeff;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">$</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;background-color:#cceeff;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">75,659</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;background-color:#cceeff;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Cost of sales:</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:12px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Cost of materials and other</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">65,962</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:12px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">4,207</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:12px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Depreciation and amortization expense</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">1,846</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:12px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">(747</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;padding-right:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">)</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:28px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Total cost of sales</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">71,268</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">General and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization expense reflected below)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">715</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Depreciation and amortization expense</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">48</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;"><div 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style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;text-indent:-12px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Operating income</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:3px double #000000;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1px solid #000000;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">$</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:3px double #000000;background-color:#cceeff;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;border-top:1px solid #000000;"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">3,572</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:3px double #000000;background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1px solid #000000;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></td></tr></table></div></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">We believe that the inclusion of a cost of sales measure in our statements of income will clarify that its component parts are inventoriable costs.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">As noted in our response to comment&#160;2 below, the gross profit measure that will be included in our disclosure of quarterly financial data will be computed as the difference between operating revenues and the cost of sales subtotal.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">In addition, as noted in our response dated September&#160;22, 2017, we will include additional disclosures in our future filings to more clearly describe our cost classifications, which consist of &#8220;cost of materials and other&#8221; and &#8220;operating expenses,&#8221; presented in our statements of income.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div><a name="s11356AA60F2A5F3EBB4E0C05399D8336"></a></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Note 20 &#8211; Quarterly Financial Data, page 134</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:0px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">2.</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">We note that you have not disclosed all of the information required by Item 302 of Regulation S-K. Please expand your disclosure to include &#8220;gross profit (net sales less costs and expenses associated directly with or allocated to products sold or services rendered),&#8221; for each quarterly period within the two most recent fiscal years.</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:232%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">In response to the Staff&#8217;s comment, we will expand in future filings with the Commission our tabular disclosure of quarterly financial data required by Item&#160;302 of Regulation&#160;S-K to include gross profit, and we will include a footnote to that disclosure to describe that gross profit is computed as the difference between operating revenues and cost of sales. In addition, we will ensure that the sum </font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249-1616</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Telephone (210) 345-2146 - Fax (210) 345-2497</font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Mr. Karl Hiller</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">October&#160;12, 2017</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page&#160;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">4</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div></div><div><br></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">of the quarterly gross profit amounts equals the gross profit for the applicable annual period as computed from the face of our statements of income. We will also note the reason(s) for any material changes in quarterly gross profit.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div><a name="s1926B09490755694A91CAD85BBA9DB16"></a></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Should you have any questions or comments regarding the foregoing, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned at (210)&#160;345-2146.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><div style="padding-left:0px;text-indent:0px;line-height:normal;padding-top:10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;width:82.47863247863248%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"><tr><td colspan="3"></td></tr><tr><td style="width:26%;"></td><td style="width:22%;"></td><td style="width:52%;"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Very truly yours,</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:20px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:20px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:20px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:20px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:20px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;height:20px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">/s/ Michael S. Ciskowski</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;border-top:1px solid #000000;"><div style="text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Michael S. Ciskowski</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="overflow:hidden;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Executive Vice President and</font></div><div style="text-align:left;padding-left:12px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Chief Financial Officer</font></div></td></tr></table></div></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:0px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">cc:</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Jay D. Browning</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Lawrence M. Schmeltekopf</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div><br></div><div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249-1616</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">Telephone (210) 345-2146 - Fax (210) 345-2497</font></div></div>	</body>
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