Barclays Cuts Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Price Target to $171.00

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price target lowered by Barclays from $173.00 to $171.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on VLO. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $167.00 to $197.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, March 26th. StockNews.com raised Valero Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $130.00 to $171.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Friday, March 22nd. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Valero Energy from $138.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 11th. Finally, Argus lowered shares of Valero Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, May 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $171.47.

Valero Energy Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE VLO opened at $158.55 on Monday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $157.00 and a 200 day simple moving average of $150.88. Valero Energy has a 52 week low of $112.16 and a 52 week high of $184.79. The stock has a market cap of $51.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.85, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.59.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.18 by $0.64. Valero Energy had a net margin of 5.01% and a return on equity of 24.82%. The business had revenue of $31.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $32.02 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $8.27 EPS. Valero Energy’s quarterly revenue was down 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Valero Energy will post 16.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 30th were paid a dividend of $1.07 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, May 30th. This represents a $4.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.70%. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is 21.20%.

Insider Transactions at Valero Energy

In other Valero Energy news, Director Kimberly S. Greene sold 720 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $158.12, for a total value of $113,846.40. Following the sale, the director now owns 13,314 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,105,209.68. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.47% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Valero Energy

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. BKM Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new position in Valero Energy during the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC bought a new position in Valero Energy during the 1st quarter worth approximately $33,000. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $36,000. Finally, First Foundation Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the first quarter worth $37,000. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

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.