Energy Income Partners LLC Increases Stock Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Energy Income Partners LLC increased its position in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 172.8% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 18,888 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after acquiring an additional 11,963 shares during the quarter. Energy Income Partners LLC’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $4,919,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. V Square Quantitative Management LLC lifted its stake in Valero Energy by 0.6% in the 1st quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC now owns 6,670 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,648,000 after purchasing an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. now owns 916 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $239,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. Ridgecrest Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,054 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $275,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 975 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $159,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC increased its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 32.9% in the fourth quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 206 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VLO has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Barclays increased their price objective on Valero Energy from $279.00 to $323.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Weiss Ratings upgraded Valero Energy from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Citigroup raised their price target on Valero Energy from $259.00 to $302.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $350.00 price target on Valero Energy in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on Valero Energy from $338.00 to $350.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $288.00.

More Valero Energy News

Here are the key news stories impacting Valero Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Record diesel prices are creating an attractive margin environment for refiners. Valero is identified among the companies positioned to benefit as fuel prices diverge from crude oil prices, potentially supporting near-term profits. Diesel Prices Are Breaking Records: 3 Refiners Turning the Crisis Into Record Profits
• Positive Sentiment: Gasoline prices above $4 per gallon are supporting the outlook for refiners capable of capturing strong fuel margins. Valero was included among refining stocks viewed favorably in this environment. 4 Refining Stocks to Buy as Gas Prices Top $4 a Gallon
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are raising earnings estimates for Valero, a trend that could provide additional support for the stock after its recent gains. Earnings Estimates Moving Higher for Valero Energy
• Positive Sentiment: VLO was added to multiple Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) lists, including value, growth and overall Strong Buy screens. These rankings may attract additional buying from quantitative and momentum-focused investors. New Strong Buy Stocks for August 17th
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusually heavy put-option activity suggests some traders are positioning for downside or hedging existing holdings. Investors purchased 23,642 puts, about 179% above typical volume, but options activity alone does not establish a fundamental change in Valero’s outlook. Investors Purchase Large Volume of Put Options on Valero Energy

Insider Activity at Valero Energy

In other Valero Energy news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of Valero Energy stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.17, for a total transaction of $2,011,275.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 19,742 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,294,212.14. This trade represents a 27.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.36% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Price Performance

VLO opened at $350.14 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $287.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $250.74. Valero Energy Corporation has a 12-month low of $136.87 and a 12-month high of $351.00. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $100.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.53, a PEG ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.55.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The oil and gas company reported $12.54 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $10.11 by $2.43. The firm had revenue of $44.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.47 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 26.74% and a net margin of 5.17%.The company’s revenue was up 48.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.28 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 40.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 31st will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 31st. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 19.92%.

About Valero Energy

Valero Energy Corporation is a San Antonio, Texas–based integrated downstream energy company that manufactures and markets transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks and other industrial products. The company’s operations focus on refining crude oil into finished fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as producing asphalt and other refined product streams for commercial and industrial customers.

In addition to refining, Valero has significant operations in renewable fuels, including the production of ethanol and other biofuels, and it manages an extensive logistics network of pipelines, terminals, rail and marine assets to move feedstocks and finished products.