Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) Shares Acquired by Nilsine Partners LLC

Nilsine Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 7.6% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 2,065 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after acquiring an additional 145 shares during the period. Nilsine Partners LLC’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $253,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Creative Planning boosted its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 10.7% in the 2nd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 81,476 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $12,772,000 after buying an additional 7,849 shares during the period. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 9.5% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 26,606 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $4,171,000 after acquiring an additional 2,317 shares in the last quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in Valero Energy by 16.4% in the second quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 13,344 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $2,092,000 after acquiring an additional 1,880 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers grew its holdings in Valero Energy by 4.8% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 116,120 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $18,203,000 after acquiring an additional 5,295 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New Century Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $255,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE VLO opened at $139.44 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The company has a market cap of $44.14 billion, a PE ratio of 12.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $131.15 and a 200-day simple moving average of $137.71. Valero Energy Co. has a 12 month low of $116.84 and a 12 month high of $184.79.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 30th will be given a $1.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 30th. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.24%. This is an increase from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is currently 38.39%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. TD Cowen lowered their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Barclays cut their target price on Valero Energy from $146.00 to $140.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Piper Sandler raised Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $192.00 to $176.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. One research 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’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $154.54.

About Valero Energy

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.