Horizon Investments LLC Purchases 179 Shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Horizon Investments LLC raised its position in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 3.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 5,362 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after acquiring an additional 179 shares during the period. Horizon Investments LLC’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $652,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. New Wave Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Tobam bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. True Wealth Design LLC grew its position in Valero Energy by 196.8% in the third quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 276 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 183 shares in the last quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new stake in Valero Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $37,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Valero Energy Price Performance

Shares of VLO stock opened at $133.89 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.11. The company has a market capitalization of $42.17 billion, a PE ratio of 15.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.36. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $133.68 and its two-hundred day moving average is $133.58. Valero Energy Co. has a 12 month low of $116.84 and a 12 month high of $184.79.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.50. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 9.58% and a net margin of 2.13%. Analysts predict that Valero Energy Co. will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 30th were given a dividend of $1.13 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 30th. This is a boost from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. This represents a $4.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.38%. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 53.30%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently issued reports on VLO shares. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price target on Valero Energy from $160.00 to $159.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Tudor Pickering upgraded shares of Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Piper Sandler reduced their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $149.00 to $144.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 7th. Finally, Mizuho dropped their target price on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $156.08.

Valero Energy Company Profile

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.