Sunbelt Securities Inc. Boosts Stock Holdings in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Sunbelt Securities Inc. boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 10.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 31,720 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,908 shares during the period. Valero Energy accounts for about 0.7% of Sunbelt Securities Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Sunbelt Securities Inc.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $4,346,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of VLO. Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Stone House Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Sageworth Trust Co lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 716.7% in the 1st quarter. Sageworth Trust Co now owns 196 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 172 shares during the last quarter. Prostatis Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 217.6% in the 1st quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 216 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 148 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.07% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Price Performance

VLO opened at $146.26 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.59. The stock has a market capitalization of $51.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 5.04, a P/E/G ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.66. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $127.79 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $123.40. Valero Energy Co. has a 52-week low of $97.73 and a 52-week high of $150.39.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The oil and gas company reported $5.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.08 by $0.32. The business had revenue of $34.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $34.37 billion. Valero Energy had a net margin of 6.96% and a return on equity of 42.31%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 33.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $11.36 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Valero Energy Co. will post 24.16 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 5th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 3rd were paid a $1.02 dividend. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 2nd. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 14.05%.

Insider Transactions at Valero Energy

In other news, Director Joseph W. Gorder sold 75,580 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.99, for a total value of $10,278,124.20. Following the transaction, the director now owns 621,872 shares in the company, valued at approximately $84,568,373.28. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $113.00 to $128.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, September 1st. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $160.00 price target on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Mizuho upped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $152.00 to $162.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 16th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $135.00 to $144.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 8th. Finally, Tudor Pickering raised shares of Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $152.69.

Valero Energy Profile

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol. The company produces California Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending and Conventional Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending gasolines, CARB diesel, diesel, jet fuel, and asphalt; aromatics; and sulfur crude oils.