Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Has $4.76 Million Position in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lowered its holdings in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 37.9% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 29,095 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 17,785 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Valero Energy were worth $4,759,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter worth $278,000. Simmons Bank boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. Simmons Bank now owns 5,886 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $958,000 after acquiring an additional 502 shares during the last quarter. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new position in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter valued at about $441,000. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft bought a new position in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter valued at about $655,000. Finally, Western Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Valero Energy by 17.6% in the fourth quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,143 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $674,000 after acquiring an additional 619 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently issued reports on VLO. Wall Street Zen upgraded Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. Scotiabank raised their price target on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $226.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Valero Energy from $203.00 to $237.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. Barclays raised their price target on Valero Energy from $184.00 to $261.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Valero Energy from $220.00 to $292.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $237.94.

Valero Energy Trading Down 5.1%

NYSE:VLO opened at $240.91 on Friday. Valero Energy Corporation has a 1-year low of $125.10 and a 1-year high of $263.75. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $241.58 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $204.24. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The firm has a market capitalization of $71.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.51, a PEG ratio of 0.37 and a beta of 0.58.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The oil and gas company reported $4.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.16 by $1.06. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 15.94% and a net margin of 3.37%.The firm had revenue of $32.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.38 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.89 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that Valero Energy Corporation will post 26.51 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 23rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a $1.20 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $4.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.0%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 34.88%.

More Valero Energy News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Valero was added to Zacks’ Rank #1 (Strong Buy) growth-stock list, which can lift investor interest and signal improving momentum. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for May 22nd
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent analyst updates have nudged fair value and price targets higher, including a revised fair value estimate above the prior level, suggesting some Wall Street models still see upside in VLO. Why The Valero Energy (VLO) Story Is Shifting As Analysts Rework Targets And Assumptions
• Positive Sentiment: Valero’s Q1 results were strong, with EPS and revenue both beating estimates and revenue rising year over year, reinforcing the company’s earnings momentum.
• Neutral Sentiment: VLO is being highlighted in low-beta/steadier-portfolio screens as Middle East tensions increase energy-market volatility, which may attract defensive buyers but does not directly change fundamentals. 4 Low-Beta Stocks for a Steadier Portfolio: LQDA, XOM, VLO & FANG
• Neutral Sentiment: Valero continues to draw attention as a trending stock on Zacks, indicating elevated trading interest rather than a clear new catalyst. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) is a Trending Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent analysis points to pressure on refiners from weaker crude prices and softer distillate inventory signals, which can weigh on near-term refining margin expectations. Valero Energy (VLO) slides as crude sells off and traders reassess near-term margin signals
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank reportedly lowered earnings estimates for Valero, which can dampen sentiment if investors think profit expectations are being reset lower.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Valero Energy news, SVP Eric A. Fisher sold 8,311 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $227.69, for a total value of $1,892,331.59. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 42,242 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,618,080.98. This represents a 16.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.36% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Company Profile

Valero Energy Corporation is a San Antonio, Texas–based integrated downstream energy company that manufactures and markets transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks and other industrial products. The company’s operations focus on refining crude oil into finished fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, as well as producing asphalt and other refined product streams for commercial and industrial customers.

In addition to refining, Valero has significant operations in renewable fuels, including the production of ethanol and other biofuels, and it manages an extensive logistics network of pipelines, terminals, rail and marine assets to move feedstocks and finished products.