Marathon Petroleum Corporation $MPC Stock Holdings Trimmed by Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund

Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lessened its holdings in shares of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) by 33.8% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 18,530 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 9,453 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund’s holdings in Marathon Petroleum were worth $4,525,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the fourth quarter valued at about $472,312,000. Capital Wealth Planning LLC lifted its holdings in Marathon Petroleum by 49,392.0% in the fourth quarter. Capital Wealth Planning LLC now owns 1,498,124 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $245,157,000 after purchasing an additional 1,495,097 shares during the period. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its position in Marathon Petroleum by 3,816.8% in the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 1,306,749 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $212,517,000 after buying an additional 1,273,386 shares in the last quarter. GHE LLC grew its position in Marathon Petroleum by 1,939.8% in the 1st quarter. GHE LLC now owns 649,542 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $158,605,000 after buying an additional 617,699 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Man Group plc increased its stake in Marathon Petroleum by 2,175.0% during the 4th quarter. Man Group plc now owns 568,790 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $92,502,000 after buying an additional 543,788 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.77% of the company’s stock.

Marathon Petroleum Stock Performance

NYSE:MPC opened at $314.18 on Friday. Marathon Petroleum Corporation has a twelve month low of $158.00 and a twelve month high of $326.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. The company has a 50-day moving average of $272.91 and a 200-day moving average of $236.86. The firm has a market cap of $91.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.20 and a beta of 0.52.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 5th. The oil and gas company reported $1.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.91. Marathon Petroleum had a net margin of 3.36% and a return on equity of 16.22%. The company had revenue of $34.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $33.42 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($0.24) EPS. The business’s revenue was up 8.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Marathon Petroleum Corporation will post 43.19 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marathon Petroleum Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be given a $1.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 19th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.3%. Marathon Petroleum’s payout ratio is 26.11%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on MPC shares. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $257.00 to $303.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 14th. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $224.00 to $284.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Marathon Petroleum from $235.00 to $257.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Marathon Petroleum from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Sunday, May 10th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $335.00 price target on Marathon Petroleum and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, July 12th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $298.69.

More Marathon Petroleum News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong refining margins support earnings outlook: Record crack spreads and tight fuel markets—partly linked to Iran-related supply disruptions—are improving profitability expectations for large refiners such as MPC. Record Crack Spreads and Tight Fuel Markets Might Change The Case For Investing In Marathon Petroleum
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly dividend maintained: MPC declared a $1.00-per-share dividend payable September 10 to shareholders of record on August 19. The annualized payout is $4.00 per share and represents a yield of approximately 1.3%, reinforcing the company’s capital-return appeal. Marathon Petroleum Corp. Announces Quarterly Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Peer results provide a favorable read-through: PBF Energy reported second-quarter earnings and revenue well above analysts’ expectations, suggesting that strong refining conditions may also benefit MPC’s upcoming results. PBF Energy Q2 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on key Q2 metrics: Analysts are examining expected refining throughput, segment results and other operating measures ahead of MPC’s August 4 report. The estimates could increase volatility because the stock has already posted substantial gains. Ahead of Marathon Petroleum Q2 Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Environmental recognition: Wildlife Habitat Council certifications highlighting conservation efforts at MPLX facilities strengthen MPC’s corporate-responsibility profile, but are unlikely to materially affect near-term valuation. WHC Certifications Reflect Marathon Petroleum’s Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

Insider Activity

In other Marathon Petroleum news, VP Michael A. Henschen II sold 6,336 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.82, for a total value of $1,703,243.52. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 16,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,543,058. This represents a 27.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.

About Marathon Petroleum

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.