VCI Wealth Management LLC Acquires New Shares in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO)

VCI Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 5,168 shares of the oil and gas company's stock, valued at approximately $683,000.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. World Investment Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 4,323 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $530,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the period. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in Valero Energy by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Providence Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 8,878 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,086,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the period. Field & Main Bank grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 7,982 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $1,054,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the period. Heritage Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. Heritage Wealth Management Inc. now owns 19,349 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $2,555,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. Finally, KCM Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. KCM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,497 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $674,000 after buying an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valero Energy Trading Down 0.7%

Shares of Valero Energy stock traded down $1.07 on Tuesday, reaching $145.21. The company had a trading volume of 2,817,790 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,094,233. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.56 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $136.65 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $130.18. The firm has a market cap of $45.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.31, a P/E/G ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.00. Valero Energy Corporation has a 1 year low of $99.00 and a 1 year high of $167.78.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The oil and gas company reported $0.89 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $1.16 by ($0.27). The company had revenue of $28.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $28.54 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 6.30% and a net margin of 0.72%. The firm's quarterly revenue was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $3.82 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Valero Energy Corporation will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, July 31st will be given a $1.13 dividend. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.11%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 31st. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 159.72%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have issued reports on the company. Citigroup lowered Valero Energy from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and boosted their target price for the company from $134.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $152.00 to $147.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, April 28th. Wolfe Research cut shares of Valero Energy from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a report on Monday, July 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Valero Energy from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price target for the stock from $127.00 to $154.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 13th. Finally, Raymond James Financial lifted their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $155.00 to $172.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 15th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Valero Energy currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $153.80.

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.