Legal & General Group Plc Has $417.28 Million Stake in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Legal & General Group Plc lowered its stake in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 8.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,602,197 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 153,469 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc owned approximately 0.56% of Valero Energy worth $417,276,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 3,400.0% in the 1st quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 105 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares during the period. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Financial Life Planners acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Valero Energy by 134.0% in the first quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 117 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Torren Management LLC acquired a new stake in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter worth $30,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on VLO shares. Jefferies Financial Group set a $350.00 price target on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Zacks Research raised Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Valero Energy from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Barclays boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $279.00 to $323.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, July 31st. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Valero Energy from $280.00 to $355.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $288.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Valero Energy

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.17, for a total transaction of $2,011,275.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 19,742 shares in the company, 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.36% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Trending Headlines about Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street analysts collectively rate VLO a Buy. While the article cautions that brokerage recommendations can be overly optimistic, the favorable consensus may continue to support investor demand. Wall Street Analysts See Valero Energy as a Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Valero was included in Zacks’ list of Rank #1, or Strong Buy, growth stocks. Its growth, value and momentum characteristics are being highlighted as reasons for long-term investor interest. Best Growth Stocks to Buy
• Positive Sentiment: In a comparison with Marathon Petroleum, Valero receives the edge because of its stronger balance sheet and share-price momentum, despite Marathon offering a cheaper valuation. This reinforces VLO’s positioning among large refiners. Marathon Versus Valero
• Positive Sentiment: Valero is also identified as a relatively low-beta stock, potentially appealing to investors seeking refining exposure with less market volatility. Low-Beta Stocks
• Neutral Sentiment: An article discusses whether Valero, along with other refiners, could afford to acquire Delek US Holdings. No transaction was announced, so the potential deal is not an immediate catalyst. Could Valero Afford Delek US Holdings
• Negative Sentiment: Valero shares have risen sharply—about 14% over the past month, 43% over three months and more than 100% year to date—while recently easing slightly. Analysts examining fair value suggest the stock may be fully valued or trading above intrinsic value, increasing the risk of profit-taking. Is Valero Fully Valued

Valero Energy Trading Down 1.6%

VLO opened at $340.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $98.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.13, a P/E/G ratio of 0.23 and a beta of 0.55. Valero Energy Corporation has a 12 month low of $145.14 and a 12 month high of $353.00. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $296.84 and its 200 day simple moving average is $256.30. The company has a current ratio of 1.64, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37.

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

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 31st will be given a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 31st. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 19.92%.

Valero Energy Company Profile

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.