Ashton Thomas Securities LLC Takes Position in Marathon Petroleum Corporation $MPC

Key Points

• Ashton Thomas Securities LLC initiated a $1.15 million position in Marathon Petroleum during the first quarter, while institutional investors collectively own 76.77% of the company.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $298.69; Raymond James and Jefferies both set targets of $335.
• Marathon Petroleum beat quarterly earnings expectations with $1.65 EPS and $34.20 billion in revenue, and declared a $1.00-per-share quarterly dividend, equal to a 1.3% annualized yield.

Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC - Free Report) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 4,718 shares of the oil and gas company's stock, valued at approximately $1,152,000.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Main Street Group LTD acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum in the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the first quarter worth approximately $40,000. Navalign LLC bought a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Berbice Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Marathon Petroleum by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Berbice Capital Management LLC now owns 200 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. 76.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have weighed in on MPC. Raymond James Financial raised their price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $300.00 to $335.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Marathon Petroleum from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Jefferies Financial Group set a $335.00 target price on shares of Marathon Petroleum and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Sunday, July 12th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Marathon Petroleum from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Sunday, May 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Marathon Petroleum from $235.00 to $257.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Marathon Petroleum has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $298.69.

Insider Buying and Selling at Marathon Petroleum

In other news, VP Michael A. Henschen II sold 6,336 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.82, for a total transaction of $1,703,243.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 16,900 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,543,058. This represents a 27.27% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Marathon Petroleum Stock Performance

NYSE MPC opened at $314.18 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $91.72 billion, a PE ratio of 20.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.18. Marathon Petroleum Corporation has a 52-week low of $158.00 and a 52-week high of $326.92. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $272.91 and a 200 day simple moving average of $236.86.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The oil and gas company reported $1.65 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.91. Marathon Petroleum had a net margin of 3.36% and a return on equity of 16.22%. The firm had revenue of $34.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $33.42 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($0.24) earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that Marathon Petroleum Corporation will post 43.19 EPS for the current year.

Marathon Petroleum Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be given a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a $4.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 19th. Marathon Petroleum's dividend payout ratio is currently 26.11%.

Key Stories Impacting Marathon Petroleum

Here are the key news stories impacting Marathon Petroleum this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong refining margins support earnings outlook: Record crack spreads and tight fuel markets—partly linked to Iran-related supply disruptions—are improving profitability expectations for large refiners such as MPC. Record Crack Spreads and Tight Fuel Markets Might Change The Case For Investing In Marathon Petroleum
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend maintained: MPC declared a $1.00-per-share dividend payable September 10 to shareholders of record on August 19. The annualized payout is $4.00 per share and represents a yield of approximately 1.3%, reinforcing the company’s capital-return appeal. Marathon Petroleum Corp. Announces Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Peer results provide a favorable read-through: PBF Energy reported second-quarter earnings and revenue well above analysts’ expectations, suggesting that strong refining conditions may also benefit MPC’s upcoming results. PBF Energy Q2 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on key Q2 metrics: Analysts are examining expected refining throughput, segment results and other operating measures ahead of MPC’s August 4 report. The estimates could increase volatility because the stock has already posted substantial gains. Ahead of Marathon Petroleum Q2 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Environmental recognition: Wildlife Habitat Council certifications highlighting conservation efforts at MPLX facilities strengthen MPC’s corporate-responsibility profile, but are unlikely to materially affect near-term valuation. WHC Certifications Reflect Marathon Petroleum’s Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

About Marathon Petroleum

Marathon Petroleum Corporation NYSE: MPC is a U.S.-based downstream energy company engaged principally in the refining, marketing, supply and transportation of petroleum products. The company was formed through a spin-off from Marathon Oil in 2011 and operates an integrated system of refining and logistics assets that support the production and distribution of transportation fuels and other refined petroleum products.

Marathon Petroleum's operations include refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and other specialty products, as well as managing the distribution and storage infrastructure needed to move those products to market.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.