Community Trust & Investment Co. Boosts Stock Position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Community Trust & Investment Co. raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 20.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 25,458 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,286 shares during the period. Community Trust & Investment Co.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $2,986,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of VLO. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. raised its stake in Valero Energy by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. now owns 6,301 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $799,000 after purchasing an additional 73 shares during the last quarter. Grimes & Company Inc. grew its position in Valero Energy by 4.4% during the first quarter. Grimes & Company Inc. now owns 1,978 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $276,000 after buying an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Covenant Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Valero Energy by 0.6% during the first quarter. Covenant Asset Management LLC now owns 14,962 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,089,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares during the period. Roundview Capital LLC raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 18,888 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,396,000 after acquiring an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Greenfield Savings Bank raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 1.0% in the first quarter. Greenfield Savings Bank now owns 9,390 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $1,311,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. 77.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

VLO stock traded down $2.01 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $144.27. 1,309,420 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,112,592. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 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. Valero Energy Co. has a one year low of $97.73 and a one year high of $150.39. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $129.60 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $123.61.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 27th. The oil and gas company reported $5.40 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.08 by $0.32. The firm had revenue of $34.51 billion during 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 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Valero Energy Co. will post 24.41 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 5th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 3rd were paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.83%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 2nd. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 14.05%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Valero Energy 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 sale, the director now directly owns 621,872 shares in the company, valued at approximately $84,568,373.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.47% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Valero Energy from $172.00 to $171.00 in a report on Friday, July 7th. Mizuho increased their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $162.00 to $174.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $160.00 price objective on shares of Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. raised Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $145.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, July 31st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Valero Energy from $113.00 to $128.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, September 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $154.00.

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.