Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Given New $159.00 Price Target at Wells Fargo & Company

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its price objective lowered by Wells Fargo & Company from $160.00 to $159.00 in a research note published on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

VLO has been the subject of a number of other reports. Piper Sandler upgraded Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Mizuho decreased their target price on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $192.00 to $176.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $175.00 to $165.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 4th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $146.00 to $140.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $154.46.

Valero Energy Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of VLO stock opened at $132.85 on Friday. Valero Energy has a 1 year low of $116.84 and a 1 year high of $184.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $42.06 billion, a PE ratio of 11.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 1.42. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $130.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of $137.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.50. Valero Energy had a net margin of 2.74% and a return on equity of 13.07%. As a group, research analysts expect that Valero Energy will post 7.92 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 30th will be given a dividend of $1.13 per share. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.40%. This is a positive change from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 30th. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is presently 38.39%.

Institutional Trading of Valero Energy

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in VLO. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 4,908.0% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 2,850,526 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $384,907,000 after acquiring an additional 2,793,607 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in Valero Energy by 11,318.9% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,076,349 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $145,339,000 after purchasing an additional 1,066,923 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 900.2% during the 3rd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 631,095 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $85,217,000 after purchasing an additional 568,000 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 18.8% during the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 3,585,166 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $484,105,000 after buying an additional 567,059 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $70,352,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.