Murphy USA (NYSE:MUSA) Reaches New 1-Year High – Here’s What Happened

Shares of Murphy USA Inc. (NYSE:MUSA) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $614.24 and last traded at $612.2960, with a volume of 542247 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $556.33.

Key Murphy USA News

Here are the key news stories impacting Murphy USA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Murphy USA was upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), signaling improved earnings outlook and potentially attracting more buyers. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: The company reaffirmed plans to open 45–55 new stores in 2026, while strong fuel margins, better merchandise contribution, and rising earnings estimates continue to support growth expectations. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Murphy USA was added to a Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buy growth list, reinforcing the bullish view on the stock. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles highlighted that MUSA has recently hit a 52-week high, which reflects strong momentum but also raises the question of whether gains can continue from current levels. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage sentiment remains constructive overall, with consensus around Moderate Buy, suggesting continued support but not universal enthusiasm. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: A director reportedly sold $1.64 million worth of stock, which may temper sentiment slightly despite the broader bullish backdrop. Article Title

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price target on Murphy USA from $510.00 to $517.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on Murphy USA in a report on Thursday, March 26th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $539.00 price target on the stock. KeyCorp lifted their price target on Murphy USA from $600.00 to $680.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Murphy USA from $450.00 to $520.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Murphy USA from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $350.00 to $550.00 in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Murphy USA presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $515.14.

Murphy USA Stock Up 0.0%

The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $539.95 and a 200 day simple moving average of $461.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.24, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.48. The stock has a market cap of $11.49 billion, a PE ratio of 21.51, a P/E/G ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 0.30.

Murphy USA (NYSE:MUSA) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The specialty retailer reported $7.28 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.37 by $1.91. Murphy USA had a return on equity of 91.05% and a net margin of 2.81%.The firm had revenue of $4.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.70 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.63 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Murphy USA Inc. will post 32.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Murphy USA Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 18th were paid a $0.64 dividend. This represents a $2.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.4%. This is an increase from Murphy USA’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.63. The ex-dividend date was Monday, May 18th. Murphy USA’s dividend payout ratio is presently 8.85%.

Insider Transactions at Murphy USA

In other Murphy USA news, SVP Renee M. Bacon sold 1,050 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $529.44, for a total value of $555,912.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 3,083 shares in the company, valued at $1,632,263.52. The trade was a 25.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, SVP Keith A. Emery sold 517 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $574.49, for a total value of $297,011.33. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 500 shares in the company, valued at $287,245. This trade represents a 50.84% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 46,225 shares of company stock valued at $27,363,392. Corporate insiders own 9.02% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Kenora Financial LLC grew its stake in Murphy USA by 3.3% in the first quarter. Kenora Financial LLC now owns 654 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $323,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares in the last quarter. Enhancing Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Murphy USA by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Enhancing Capital LLC now owns 1,132 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $457,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares in the last quarter. NBC Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Murphy USA by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 1,752 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $707,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares in the last quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Murphy USA by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 864 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $427,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its stake in shares of Murphy USA by 82.4% during the 4th quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 62 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.81% of the company’s stock.

Murphy USA Company Profile

Murphy USA is a leading downstream marketer of gasoline, diesel and convenience store products in the United States. Headquartered in El Dorado, Arkansas, the company was originally established as part of Murphy Oil Corporation and was spun off as an independent public entity in 2013. Since its separation, Murphy USA has focused on retail fueling services and convenience offerings designed to deliver value and convenience to consumers.

The company’s primary operations center on two retail formats.