Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) Given Average Recommendation of "Buy" by Brokerages

Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of "Buy" from the seventeen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, thirteen have assigned a buy recommendation and two have issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $150.88.

Several brokerages have recently commented on VLO. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on Valero Energy from $144.00 to $140.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 9th. Mizuho lifted their target price on Valero Energy from $158.00 to $166.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Valero Energy from $160.00 to $145.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Valero Energy from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $127.00 to $154.00 in a research note on Tuesday, May 13th. Finally, TD Cowen reduced their target price on Valero Energy from $121.00 to $118.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 25th.

Valero Energy Stock Down 0.5%

VLO stock opened at $143.88 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $131.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $128.40. The company has a market cap of $45.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.84, a P/E/G ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 1.00. Valero Energy has a twelve month low of $99.00 and a twelve month 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 the consensus estimate of $1.16 by ($0.27). Valero Energy had a return on equity of 6.30% and a net margin of 0.72%. The business had revenue of $28.76 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $28.54 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $3.82 earnings per share. The business's revenue was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Valero Energy will post 7.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 18th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 20th were issued a $1.13 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 20th. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.14%. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio is presently 159.72%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wayfinding Financial LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 156.6% in the 1st quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 213 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Ameriflex Group Inc. acquired a new position in Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, Ransom Advisory Ltd acquired a new position in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $43,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Valero Energy

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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