Kwmg LLC Decreases Stock Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Kwmg LLC trimmed its position in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 14.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 72,717 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 12,246 shares during the period. Kwmg LLC’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $11,838,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of VLO. Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in Valero Energy by 70.2% during the 3rd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 160 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 66 shares during the last quarter. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the third quarter worth $27,000. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Cypress Capital Management LLC WY purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management acquired a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the third quarter valued at about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Trading Down 2.2%

Shares of VLO stock opened at $241.57 on Thursday. Valero Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $99.00 and a fifty-two week high of $258.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.64. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $212.90 and its two-hundred day moving average is $185.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.24 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.62, a PEG ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 0.62.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The oil and gas company reported $3.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.27 by $0.55. The business had revenue of $30.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $28.20 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 1.91% and a return on equity of 12.35%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.64 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that Valero Energy Corporation will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 5th were paid a dividend of $1.20 per share. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. This is an increase from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.13. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 5th. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 62.83%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VLO has been the subject of several recent research reports. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Argus upgraded shares of Valero Energy to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $220.00 to $292.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $197.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Valero Energy from $217.00 to $220.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $204.33.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 400 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.60, for a total transaction of $95,440.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy 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.