O Brien Greene & Co. Inc Sells 1,642 Shares of Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

O Brien Greene & Co. Inc cut its stake in shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 46,984 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 1,642 shares during the quarter. Valero Energy accounts for about 5.3% of O Brien Greene & Co. Inc’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 3rd largest holding. O Brien Greene & Co. Inc’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $18,212,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in VLO. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 35.1% in the 3rd quarter. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. now owns 12,923 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $5,009,000 after buying an additional 3,359 shares during the last quarter. Moneco Advisors LLC increased its position in Valero Energy by 10.4% during the 3rd quarter. Moneco Advisors LLC now owns 1,100 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $426,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the period. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 114.8% in the 3rd quarter. Mesirow Financial Investment Management Inc. now owns 2,614 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,013,000 after purchasing an additional 1,397 shares in the last quarter. Keybank National Association OH raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 19,757 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $7,658,000 after purchasing an additional 957 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Valero Energy by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,413 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,710,000 after purchasing an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Trading Down 1.8%

NYSE:VLO opened at $350.17 on Wednesday. Valero Energy Corporation has a one year low of $159.90 and a one year high of $461.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.72 and a quick ratio of 1.33. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $399.49 and its 200 day simple moving average is $291.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $97.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.88, a PEG ratio of 0.18 and a beta of 0.58.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 22nd. The oil and gas company reported $23.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $21.17 by $2.73. Valero Energy had a net margin of 8.44% and a return on equity of 45.90%. The business had revenue of $46.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $42.71 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.66 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 43.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Valero Energy Corporation will post 57.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 21st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, November 24th will be given a $1.20 dividend. This represents a $4.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, November 24th. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is currently 10.80%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VLO has been the topic of a number of research reports. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $485.00 to $490.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, October 23rd. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $455.00 to $505.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, October 19th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $375.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 22nd. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Valero Energy from a “buy (b+)” rating to a “buy (a-)” rating in a report on Thursday, October 29th. Finally, Dbs Bank cut Valero Energy to a “hold” rating and set a $436.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Valero Energy currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $406.32.

Key Headlines Impacting Valero Energy

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

• Positive Sentiment: A recent analysis cited Valero’s access to lower-cost heavy crude, strong refining margins, balance sheet and valuation as reasons it may remain attractive. Valero Energy Surges 113% YTD: Should Investors Bet on the Momentum?
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks included VLO in its Strong Buy growth-stock selections, adding to the bullish analyst coverage from the prior day. Best Growth Stocks to Buy for November 9th
• Positive Sentiment: Another Zacks article named Valero among five growth stocks to consider, supporting the view that its refining performance could continue to benefit investors. Buy 5 Growth Stocks to Enhance Your Portfolio Returns in November
• Negative Sentiment: Cramer said Valero’s two-year refining-cycle rally may have run its course and advised shareholders to take profits before margins normalize further. This is an opinion-based sell call, not a change in the company’s reported fundamentals, but it may add near-term pressure to the stock. Cramer Recommends Selling Valero Energy Stock

Valero Energy Company Profile

Valero Energy Corporation is an international refiner and producer of transportation fuels and other petroleum products, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Its refining business processes crude oil and other feedstocks into products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and petrochemical feedstocks. The company markets and distributes fuels to wholesale customers and through branded distribution networks. Its refining operations span the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with products serving customers in North America and other markets.