Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen analysts that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, eleven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $156.08.

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $160.00 to $159.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $146.00 to $140.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $149.00 to $144.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Tudor Pickering raised shares of Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of VLO opened at $127.00 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $132.76 and a 200-day moving average of $134.34. Valero Energy has a one year low of $116.84 and a one year high of $184.79. The company has a market cap of $40.21 billion, a PE ratio of 14.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.11.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.50. Valero Energy had a net margin of 2.13% and a return on equity of 9.58%. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Valero Energy will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 30th were given a $1.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 30th. This is a boost from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.56%. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is presently 53.30%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in VLO. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $669,400,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 16.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 34,725,700 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $4,257,024,000 after buying an additional 4,805,133 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 4,908.0% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 2,850,526 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $384,907,000 after buying an additional 2,793,607 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $132,469,000. Finally, Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $98,376,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy Company Profile

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.