Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. Grows Stock Position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co. lifted its stake in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 32.1% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 3,786 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after buying an additional 920 shares during the period. Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Co.’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $464,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large 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 fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the third quarter worth about $28,000. Tobam purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its holdings in shares of 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 buying an additional 183 shares during the period. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the third quarter worth about $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Valero Energy Stock Up 3.4 %

VLO stock opened at $135.49 on Monday. Valero Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $116.84 and a fifty-two week high of $184.79. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $130.55 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $136.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57. The company has a market capitalization of $42.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.85 and a beta of 1.42.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 EPS 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%. As a group, analysts forecast that Valero Energy Co. will post 7.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 30th will be given a $1.13 dividend. 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 3.34%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 30th. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is currently 53.30%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently commented on VLO shares. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Valero Energy from $192.00 to $176.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. Mizuho reduced their price target on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Valero Energy from $160.00 to $159.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 31st. Barclays reduced their price target on Valero Energy from $146.00 to $140.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, TD Cowen reduced their price target on Valero Energy from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $154.46.

Valero Energy 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.