Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) Upgraded by Wall Street Zen to Buy Rating

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) from a "hold" to a "buy", while the broker consensus remains a Moderate Buy (11 Buy, 8 Hold) with a consensus price target of $202.19.
• Marathon posted an EPS beat this quarter ($4.07 vs. $3.73 est.) and revenue of $32.57 billion (vs. $30.89B est.), with shares trading near $221 and a 52‑week range of $115.10–$228.55 (market cap ~$65.2B).
• Institutional investors own about 76.77% of the stock (notable increases from Vanguard and a new Norges Bank stake), but risks include valuation pressure after the rally, sensitivity to refining‑margin swings, and leverage (debt/equity ≈1.27, net margin ~3%).

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. UBS Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $221.00 price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum in a report on Friday, February 6th. Citigroup raised their target price on Marathon Petroleum from $182.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $213.00 to $217.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $216.00 to $205.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Piper Sandler dropped their target price on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $231.00 to $184.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given 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 $202.19.

Marathon Petroleum Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MPC opened at $221.21 on Friday. Marathon Petroleum has a 52 week low of $115.10 and a 52 week high of $228.55. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $187.19 and a 200 day moving average price of $186.22. The company has a market cap of $65.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.57, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The oil and gas company reported $4.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.73 by $0.34. The company had revenue of $32.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $30.89 billion. Marathon Petroleum had a return on equity of 13.90% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm's quarterly revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.77 EPS. Research analysts predict that Marathon Petroleum will post 8.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 11.2% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 38,866,104 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $6,456,049,000 after purchasing an additional 3,924,713 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum during the 2nd quarter valued at $527,197,000. Capital Wealth Planning LLC increased its position in Marathon Petroleum by 49,392.0% during the fourth quarter. Capital Wealth Planning LLC now owns 1,498,124 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $245,157,000 after buying an additional 1,495,097 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 3,816.8% in the fourth quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,306,749 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $212,517,000 after acquiring an additional 1,273,386 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 14.8% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 8,013,213 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,325,598,000 after acquiring an additional 1,033,645 shares during the last quarter. 76.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Marathon Petroleum

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

• Positive Sentiment: Refiner tailwind as crude rallies — multiple pieces note that surging oil (Brent near mid-$80s) and Middle East tensions are lifting expectations for higher refining margins, which benefits large refiners like Marathon. Oil Is Surging and These 3 Energy Stocks Could Double Your Money Before 2027
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst/market recognition — Broker consensus remains constructive (consensus "Moderate Buy") and analysts/public commentators highlight Marathon's scale, cash flows and recent earnings beat that support the bullish case. Marathon Petroleum Corporation NYSE: MPC Receives Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" from Brokerages
• Positive Sentiment: Company fundamentals and momentum — Recent earnings topped estimates (quarterly EPS beat and robust revenue), strong cash generation, and technical momentum are cited as reasons the stock is in a sustained uptrend. Why One Energy Expert Is Betting on These 3 Oil Stocks Now
• Neutral Sentiment: Trending stock attention — Zacks and Yahoo stories note heightened retail/investor interest and search activity, which can amplify moves but does not itself change fundamentals. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector positioning — Articles highlighting refiners/midstream as places to hide or earn yield emphasize diversification across upstream, refining and pipelines; Marathon is featured as a major downstream play but is sensitive to cycle swings. Energy sector coverage referencing Marathon
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and profit‑cycle risk — Several pieces question whether the multi‑year share gains are fully justified and flag that the stock is near its 1‑year high; after a strong rally, upside could be limited if refining margins normalize. Is Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Price Justified After Strong Multi‑Year Share Gains?
• Negative Sentiment: Exposure to volatility and leverage — Marathon benefits from higher crude but remains exposed to swings in oil and refining margins; its debt/equity (~1.27) and modest net margin (~3%) make it sensitive to margin compression and macro shocks. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Valuation Check After Energy Sector Rally And Strong Investor Optimism

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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