Axa S.A. Sells 31,406 Shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Axa S.A. lowered its holdings in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 6.4% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 462,114 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 31,406 shares during the period. Axa S.A. owned 0.13% of Valero Energy worth $64,511,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Live Oak Investment Partners bought a new position in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Stone House Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Valero Energy during the first quarter worth about $27,000. Sageworth Trust Co grew its holdings in Valero Energy by 716.7% during the first quarter. Sageworth Trust Co now owns 196 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 172 shares during the period. Prostatis Group LLC bought a new position in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, McIlrath & Eck LLC grew its holdings in Valero Energy by 217.6% during the first quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 216 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 148 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 77.07% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Valero Energy

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on VLO shares. Barclays boosted their price objective on Valero Energy from $139.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, August 7th. Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on Valero Energy from $150.00 to $159.00 in a report on Friday, August 4th. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. upgraded Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, July 31st. Finally, Mizuho boosted their price objective on Valero Energy from $152.00 to $162.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $152.69.

Valero Energy Stock Up 4.3 %

Shares of VLO opened at $142.06 on Friday. Valero Energy Co. has a one year low of $97.73 and a one year high of $150.39. The company has a market cap of $50.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 4.89, a P/E/G ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.59 and a quick ratio of 1.12. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $126.69 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $123.28.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 27th. The oil and gas company reported $5.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.08 by $0.32. Valero Energy had a net margin of 6.96% and a return on equity of 42.31%. The business had revenue of $34.51 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $11.36 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was down 33.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that Valero Energy Co. will post 24.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 5th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 3rd were given a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, August 2nd. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.87%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 14.05%.

About Valero Energy

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.