Empyrean Capital Partners LP Sells 126,000 Shares of Marathon Petroleum Corporation $MPC

Key Points

• Empyrean Capital Partners LP cut its Marathon Petroleum stake by 22.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 126,000 shares and leaving it with 436,500 shares valued at about $70.99 million.
• Wall Street sentiment remains generally positive: Marathon Petroleum has a Moderate Buy consensus rating, with an average price target of $272.94 after several analysts raised targets and some reiterated bullish calls.
• The company also showed strong operating results, recently reporting Q1 EPS of $1.65 versus the $0.74 estimate, while continuing to return cash to shareholders with a quarterly $1.00 dividend.

Empyrean Capital Partners LP trimmed its stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC - Free Report) by 22.4% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 436,500 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after selling 126,000 shares during the quarter. Marathon Petroleum comprises about 2.5% of Empyrean Capital Partners LP's portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Empyrean Capital Partners LP owned approximately 0.15% of Marathon Petroleum worth $70,988,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of MPC. Navalign LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the 4th quarter worth $31,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. Berbice Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of 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 worth $33,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC acquired a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the 4th quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.77% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MPC has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup boosted their price target on Marathon Petroleum from $243.00 to $257.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Marathon Petroleum from $224.00 to $284.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Zacks Research raised Marathon Petroleum from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. Bank of America increased their target price on Marathon Petroleum from $224.00 to $260.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Marathon Petroleum from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $272.94.

Trending Headlines about Marathon Petroleum

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

• Positive Sentiment: Marathon Petroleum was added to Zacks’ Rank #1 (Strong Buy) growth stocks list, reinforcing a bullish growth outlook for the refining company. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for June 16th
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo reaffirmed its Buy rating on Marathon Petroleum, which can help support investor confidence in the stock. Wells Fargo Reaffirms Their Buy Rating on Marathon Petroleum (MPC)
• Positive Sentiment: One recent analysis said MPC may still be undervalued despite its strong multi-month performance, suggesting upside remains if fundamentals hold up. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Stock Could Be 5.5% Undervalued Despite Its Strong Run
• Neutral Sentiment: Marathon Petroleum announced it will report second-quarter 2026 financial results on August 4, giving investors a future catalyst but no immediate operational surprise. Marathon Petroleum Corp. to Report Second-Quarter Financial Results on August 4, 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent coverage comparing MPC with Delek and reviewing its move alongside the energy sector did not include a company-specific catalyst, but it reflects ongoing investor focus on refining peers and sector trends. Delek vs. Marathon Petroleum: Which Stock Offers Better Refining Bet?
• Negative Sentiment: The stock has recently pulled back more than the broader market, which appears to be weighing on near-term trading despite the longer-term bullish backdrop. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage noted that MPC is facing a new oil-market backdrop as the Strait of Hormuz reopens, which could reduce the urgency of the geopolitical supply concerns that had supported energy names. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Faces A New Oil Reality As The Strait Of Hormuz Reopens

Marathon Petroleum Price Performance

Marathon Petroleum stock opened at $244.63 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. The company has a market capitalization of $71.42 billion, a PE ratio of 15.97, a P/E/G ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 0.52. Marathon Petroleum Corporation has a 12 month low of $158.00 and a 12 month high of $272.46. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $244.99 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $213.77.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The oil and gas company reported $1.65 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.91. The firm had revenue of $34.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $33.42 billion. Marathon Petroleum had a return on equity of 16.22% and a net margin of 3.36%.The business's quarterly revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.24) earnings per share. Analysts expect that Marathon Petroleum Corporation will post 31.95 EPS for the current year.

Marathon Petroleum Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, May 20th were paid a $1.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 20th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.6%. Marathon Petroleum's dividend payout ratio is presently 26.11%.

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 dated Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.82, for a total value of $1,703,243.52. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president owned 16,900 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,543,058. This represents a 27.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Marathon Petroleum Company Profile

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.

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