Ethic Inc. Has $7.33 Million Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• Ethic Inc. increased its Valero Energy stake by 10.2% in the fourth quarter, ending with 45,008 shares valued at about $7.33 million.
• Valero has been receiving a wave of bullish analyst attention, with multiple firms raising price targets and the consensus rating sitting at Moderate Buy with a target of $237.94.
• The company posted a strong quarter, reporting $4.22 EPS versus $3.16 expected and revenue of $32.38 billion, while also declaring a quarterly dividend of $1.20 per share.

Ethic Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 10.2% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 45,008 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after purchasing an additional 4,153 shares during the period. Ethic Inc.'s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $7,327,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in VLO. Woodline Partners LP lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 40.7% during the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 26,747 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $3,532,000 after acquiring an additional 7,735 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 13.0% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,929 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $259,000 after acquiring an additional 222 shares during the period. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $528,000. Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 11.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 269,043 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $36,165,000 after acquiring an additional 27,291 shares during the period. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 145,810 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $19,600,000 after acquiring an additional 1,338 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company's stock.

Valero Energy News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Valero Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Valero was highlighted on “best low-beta” stock screens, suggesting investors may be rotating into steadier, less volatile names during market turbulence. Best Low-Beta Stocks to Own Right Away: LQDA, CBOE, VLO & FANG
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts at Erste Group raised FY2027 EPS estimates for Valero, signaling improving earnings expectations. Valero Energy estimate update
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley lifted its price target on Valero to $232 from $222, pointing to stronger-than-expected first-quarter results and reinforcing a constructive view on the stock. Morgan Stanley Raises its Price Target on Valero Energy (VLO) to $232
• Positive Sentiment: Valero was added to a Zacks Rank #1 “Strong Buy” growth list, which can draw momentum and growth-oriented investors. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for May 7th
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.20 per share, confirming shareholder returns and supporting income-investor demand. Valero Energy Corporation Declares Regular Cash Dividend on Common Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Valero also appeared in PEG-driven “GARP” stock roundups, highlighting its mix of value and growth but offering no new company-specific catalyst. Zacks.com featured highlights include Dow, Valero Energy, Ultrapar Participacoes and Nexa Resources

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on VLO shares. Argus raised shares of Valero Energy to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, February 2nd. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $215.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Piper Sandler upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $236.00 to $263.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $203.00 to $237.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $230.00 to $270.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $237.94.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 400 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.36% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of Valero Energy stock opened at $240.81 on Friday. Valero Energy Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $121.41 and a fifty-two week high of $258.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.50, a P/E/G ratio of 0.34 and a beta of 0.58. The company's 50 day moving average price is $234.82 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $198.52.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.16 by $1.06. Valero Energy had a net margin of 3.37% and a return on equity of 15.94%. The firm had revenue of $32.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.38 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.89 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts forecast that Valero Energy Corporation will post 28.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be given a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.0%. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 34.88%.

Valero Energy Company 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VLO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report).

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.