Valero Energy Corporation $VLO Stock: Narwhal Capital Management Decreases Holdings

Narwhal Capital Management decreased its position in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 5.7% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 36,184 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 2,174 shares during the quarter. Valero Energy makes up approximately 0.9% of Narwhal Capital Management’s portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Narwhal Capital Management’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $14,025,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. D Orazio & Associates Inc. purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the third quarter valued at approximately $311,000. 71 West Capital Partners boosted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 1.4% in the third quarter. 71 West Capital Partners now owns 3,187 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,235,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the period. Texas Bank & Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the third quarter worth approximately $360,000. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 5.3% during the third quarter. Gryphon Financial Partners LLC now owns 2,854 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,106,000 after acquiring an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kestra Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 552.5% during the third quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC now owns 5,807 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $2,251,000 after acquiring an additional 4,917 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VLO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $467.00 target price (up from $355.00) on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $401.00 to $394.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $485.00 to $490.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 23rd. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $441.00 to $443.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 23rd. Finally, Freedom Broker cut shares of Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and set a $276.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday, October 23rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Valero Energy currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $406.32.

Valero Energy Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of VLO stock opened at $350.17 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $399.49 and its two-hundred day moving average is $291.27. Valero Energy Corporation has a twelve month low of $159.90 and a twelve month high of $461.52. The company has a market capitalization of $97.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.18 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.72, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 22nd. The oil and gas company reported $23.90 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $21.17 by $2.73. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 45.90% and a net margin of 8.44%. The business had revenue of $46.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $42.71 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.66 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 43.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Valero Energy Corporation will post 57.83 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 21st. Investors of record on Tuesday, November 24th will be given a $1.20 dividend. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, November 24th. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.80%.

More Valero Energy News

Here are the key news stories impacting Valero Energy this week:

• Positive Sentiment: A recent analysis cited Valero’s access to lower-cost heavy crude, strong refining margins, balance sheet and valuation as reasons it may remain attractive. Valero Energy Surges 113% YTD: Should Investors Bet on the Momentum?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks included VLO in its Strong Buy growth-stock selections, adding to the bullish analyst coverage from the prior day. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for November 9th
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks article named Valero among five growth stocks to consider, supporting the view that its refining performance could continue to benefit investors. Buy 5 Growth Stocks to Enhance Your Portfolio Returns in November
• Negative Sentiment: Cramer said Valero’s two-year refining-cycle rally may have run its course and advised shareholders to take profits before margins normalize further. This is an opinion-based sell call, not a change in the company’s reported fundamentals, but it may add near-term pressure to the stock. Cramer Recommends Selling Valero Energy Stock

Valero Energy Profile

Valero Energy Corporation is an international refiner and producer of transportation fuels and other petroleum products, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Its refining business processes crude oil and other feedstocks into products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and petrochemical feedstocks. The company markets and distributes fuels to wholesale customers and through branded distribution networks. Its refining operations span the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with products serving customers in North America and other markets.