The Goldman Sachs Group Cuts Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Price Target to $131.00

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) had its target price trimmed by The Goldman Sachs Group from $149.00 to $131.00 in a report released on Monday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a sell rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on VLO. StockNews.com cut shares of Valero Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $172.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 3rd. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Valero Energy in a report on Thursday, July 18th. They issued an outperform rating and a $177.00 price objective for the company. Mizuho reduced their target price on Valero Energy from $175.00 to $171.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $171.36.

Valero Energy Trading Up 0.7 %

VLO stock opened at $136.76 on Monday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Valero Energy has a twelve month low of $119.88 and a twelve month high of $184.79. The company has a market cap of $43.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.77, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.40. The business has a fifty day moving average of $145.85 and a 200-day moving average of $155.24.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The oil and gas company reported $2.71 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $34.49 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $32.97 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 21.01% and a net margin of 4.25%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $5.40 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Valero Energy will post 12.3 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, August 1st were issued a dividend of $1.07 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, August 1st. This represents a $4.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.13%. Valero Energy’s payout ratio is 21.20%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valero Energy

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. EdgeRock Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Lynx Investment Advisory bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the second quarter worth about $29,000. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new position in Valero Energy during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Valero Energy

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.