Aberdeen Group plc Boosts Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• Aberdeen Group plc increased its holdings in Valero Energy Corporation by 8.4%, owning 155,785 shares valued at approximately $21.09 million after purchasing 12,071 additional shares during the second quarter.
• Valero Energy reported an EPS of $2.28 for the last quarter, surpassing analysts' expectations of $1.66, despite a 13.3% decline in quarterly revenue year-over-year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $1.13 per share, resulting in a 2.8% yield, although it currently has a payout ratio of 188.33%.

Aberdeen Group plc increased its holdings in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 8.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 155,785 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after buying an additional 12,071 shares during the quarter. Aberdeen Group plc's holdings in Valero Energy were worth $21,088,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Hoey Investments Inc. purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Wayfinding Financial LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $26,000. GFG Capital LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 156.6% during the first quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 213 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ransom Advisory Ltd purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the first quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company's stock.

Valero Energy Stock Up 2.0%

NYSE VLO opened at $161.18 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The company has a fifty day moving average of $153.97 and a two-hundred day moving average of $138.19. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 67.16, a PEG ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 1.05. Valero Energy Corporation has a 52 week low of $99.00 and a 52 week high of $178.43.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 24th. The oil and gas company reported $2.28 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.66 by $0.62. The company had revenue of $29.89 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $27 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 0.62% and a return on equity of 5.76%. Valero Energy's quarterly revenue was down 13.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. On average, analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, July 31st were paid a dividend of $1.13 per share. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 31st. Valero Energy's payout ratio is presently 188.33%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wolfe Research cut shares of Valero Energy from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $151.00 to $168.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 9th. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $135.00 to $185.00 and gave the company an "in-line" rating in a research report on Friday, September 19th. Morgan Stanley cut shares of Valero Energy from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $160.00 to $175.00 in a research report on Friday, October 3rd. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $171.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 11th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $169.80.

Valero Energy Profile

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.

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