Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA) - What Are Investment Firms Thinking About This Stock?

Key Points

• Analysts have a consensus “Hold” rating on Murphy USA, with six holds and five buys. The average 12-month price target is $606.89, above the stock’s reported $522.99 price.
• Murphy USA delivered a strong quarter, reporting $11.27 in EPS versus the $9.95 consensus estimate and $6.81 billion in revenue, up 36% year over year.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.65 per share, while insiders recently sold shares; institutional investors continue to hold a large 80.81% ownership stake.

Shares of Murphy USA Inc. (NYSE:MUSA - Get Free Report) have earned a consensus rating of "Hold" from the eleven ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $606.89.

MUSA has been the topic of several research reports. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Murphy USA from $600.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Murphy USA from $655.00 to $633.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 7th. Zacks Research cut Murphy USA from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded Murphy USA from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $550.00 to $625.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Murphy USA from $520.00 to $570.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th.

Murphy USA Trading Down 0.5%

NYSE:MUSA opened at $522.99 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $9.66 billion, a PE ratio of 15.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.29. Murphy USA has a fifty-two week low of $349.83 and a fifty-two week high of $636.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.77, a current ratio of 0.92 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The stock's 50-day moving average is $529.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $545.92.

Murphy USA (NYSE:MUSA - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The specialty retailer reported $11.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $9.95 by $1.32. The company had revenue of $6.81 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.03 billion. Murphy USA had a return on equity of 96.01% and a net margin of 2.87%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 36.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $7.36 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Murphy USA will post 34.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Murphy USA Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 24th were issued a dividend of $0.65 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 24th. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. This is a positive change from Murphy USA's previous quarterly dividend of $0.64. Murphy USA's dividend payout ratio is presently 7.92%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Rosemary Turner sold 966 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $571.88, for a total transaction of $552,436.08. Following the transaction, the director owned 449 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $256,774.12. This trade represents a 68.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, SVP Eric Bartko sold 100 shares of Murphy USA stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $523.60, for a total transaction of $52,360.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 252 shares of the company's stock, valued at $131,947.20. This trade represents a 28.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 9.02% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Murphy USA

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of MUSA. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its holdings in shares of Murphy USA by 1.2% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,625 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $876,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. Kenora Financial LLC raised its position in shares of Murphy USA by 3.3% in the first quarter. Kenora Financial LLC now owns 654 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $323,000 after buying an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Murphy USA by 2.6% in the third quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 826 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $416,000 after buying an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Murphy USA by 3.0% in the first quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 864 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $427,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. Finally, HB Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Murphy USA by 3.2% in the second quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC now owns 802 shares of the specialty retailer's stock valued at $433,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the period. 80.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Murphy USA Company Profile

Murphy USA Inc operates a nationwide network of retail gasoline stations and convenience stores in the United States. Its stores sell branded and unbranded motor fuel, tobacco products, nicotine products, beverages, snacks, packaged food, and other convenience items. Some locations also offer additional services such as lottery products and car washes.

The company operates stores under the Murphy USA and Murphy Express brands, primarily in proximity to Walmart stores and along major roads.

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