Schroder Investment Management Group Has $8.49 Million Stake in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Schroder Investment Management Group cut its position in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 59.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 70,968 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 101,919 shares during the quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $8,487,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of VLO. New Wave Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Tobam acquired a new position in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. Finally, Creative Capital Management Investments LLC lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 122.0% during the 4th quarter. Creative Capital Management Investments LLC now owns 333 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 183 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Trading Down 8.4 %

Shares of VLO stock opened at $104.64 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57. The company has a market capitalization of $32.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.34, a PEG ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.36. Valero Energy Co. has a 52-week low of $102.60 and a 52-week high of $184.79. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $131.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $132.97.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.50. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 9.58% and a net margin of 2.13%. Research analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Co. will post 7.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 30th were issued a $1.13 dividend. This is an increase from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 30th. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is 53.30%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have weighed in on VLO. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $149.00 to $144.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, March 7th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Valero Energy from $160.00 to $159.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Tudor Pickering raised Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Mizuho lowered their target price on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $152.67.

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.