Park Avenue Securities LLC Has $1.76 Million Holdings in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Key Points

• Park Avenue Securities LLC has reduced its stake in Valero Energy Corporation by 19.1%, now holding 13,120 shares valued at approximately $1.76 million.
• Several analysts have recently changed their ratings on Valero Energy, with Citigroup downgrading it to "neutral" but increasing the price target to $150, while UBS raised their target to $183 with a "buy" rating.
• Valero Energy reported a quarterly earnings of $2.28 per share, exceeding estimates, though its revenue was down 13.3% year-over-year at $29.89 billion.

Park Avenue Securities LLC decreased its stake in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 19.1% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 13,120 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after selling 3,100 shares during the quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC's holdings in Valero Energy were worth $1,764,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of VLO. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. grew its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 5,541 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $732,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the period. Summit Financial LLC grew its stake in Valero Energy by 4.6% in the first quarter. Summit Financial LLC now owns 1,812 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $239,000 after acquiring an additional 79 shares during the period. Keeley Teton Advisors LLC grew its stake in Valero Energy by 1.1% in the first quarter. Keeley Teton Advisors LLC now owns 7,764 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $1,025,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the period. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 2.2% during the first quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 3,798 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $502,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. Finally, Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 4.6% during the first quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,012 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $266,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Citigroup lowered shares of Valero Energy from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and boosted their price target for the company from $134.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 16th. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $165.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. Bank of America raised Valero Energy from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $152.00 to $179.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 3rd. Finally, TD Cowen lowered Valero Energy from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and raised their target price for the company from $118.00 to $140.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 22nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $165.00.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of VLO opened at $171.04 on Thursday. Valero Energy Corporation has a 1 year low of $99.00 and a 1 year high of $173.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 1.62 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $147.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $134.92. The firm has a market cap of $53.13 billion, a PE ratio of 71.27, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.10.

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

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 31st were given a $1.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, July 31st. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Valero Energy's payout ratio is 188.33%.

Valero Energy Company 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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