Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) Lowered to “Hold” Rating by Zacks Research

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on MPC. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Marathon Petroleum in a report on Friday, June 12th. Mizuho boosted their target price on Marathon Petroleum from $224.00 to $284.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. UBS Group set a $285.00 target price on shares of Marathon Petroleum in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $264.00 to $291.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $279.00 to $296.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 26th. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $272.94.

Marathon Petroleum Stock Performance

NYSE MPC opened at $243.11 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $244.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $214.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $70.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.87, a P/E/G ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. Marathon Petroleum has a 1 year low of $158.00 and a 1 year high of $272.46.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 5th. The oil and gas company reported $1.65 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.91. The business had revenue of $34.20 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $33.42 billion. Marathon Petroleum had a net margin of 3.36% and a return on equity of 16.22%. The company’s revenue was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($0.24) earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Marathon Petroleum will post 31.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Marathon Petroleum news, VP Michael A. Henschen II sold 6,336 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.82, for a total value of $1,703,243.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president directly owned 16,900 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,543,058. This represents a 27.27% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Marathon Petroleum

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its position in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 30.9% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 4,988 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $696,000 after buying an additional 1,178 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 38.3% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 26,697 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $3,889,000 after acquiring an additional 7,396 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Marathon Petroleum by 26.6% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 2,221 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $369,000 after acquiring an additional 466 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP bought a new stake in Marathon Petroleum in the second quarter valued at approximately $8,505,000. Finally, AXA S.A. increased its position in Marathon Petroleum by 46.7% during the 2nd quarter. AXA S.A. now owns 39,675 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $6,590,000 after purchasing an additional 12,639 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.77% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Marathon Petroleum

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street’s broadly bullish analyst views suggest investors still see upside potential in Marathon Petroleum, even after its strong recent performance. Is It Worth Investing in Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Based on Wall Street’s Bullish Views?
• Positive Sentiment: One market analysis said MPC could be about 5.5% undervalued, which may attract value-focused buyers if investors believe the refining business remains resilient. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Stock Could Be 5.5% Undervalued Despite Its Strong Run
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent coverage comparing MPC with Delek and other refiners is keeping attention on valuation and earnings revisions, but it does not point to a clear near-term catalyst on its own. Delek vs. Marathon Petroleum: Which Stock Offers Better Refining Bet?
• Negative Sentiment: A trading-day recap noted that MPC declined more than the broader market, signaling some profit-taking or weaker sentiment in the near term. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Sees a More Significant Dip Than Broader Market: Some Facts to Know
• Negative Sentiment: Oil-market headlines about the Strait of Hormuz reopening could weigh on refining and energy sentiment if traders expect less geopolitical support for crude prices. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Faces A New Oil Reality As The Strait Of Hormuz Reopens

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.