M Holdings Securities Inc. Purchases New Stake in Valero Energy Corporation $VLO

M Holdings Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund acquired 2,205 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock, valued at approximately $841,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of VLO. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 7.5% during the 3rd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 8,594 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $3,331,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the last quarter. Point Nemo Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 1.8% during the 3rd quarter. Point Nemo Capital LLC now owns 5,224 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $2,025,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,317 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,061,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the last quarter. AlphaCentric Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at about $197,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Valero Energy by 9.0% during the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 3,489 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $1,352,000 after acquiring an additional 288 shares in the last quarter. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently weighed in on VLO. Bank of America boosted their target price on Valero Energy from $395.00 to $414.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, October 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $485.00 to $489.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, October 23rd. Zacks Research upgraded Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Valero Energy from $455.00 to $505.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 19th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $441.00 to $443.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 23rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have assigned a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $406.32.

Valero Energy Trading Down 1.8%

NYSE:VLO opened at $350.17 on Wednesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $399.49 and a 200-day simple moving average of $291.27. The company has a market capitalization of $97.66 billion, a PE ratio of 7.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.18 and a beta of 0.58. Valero Energy Corporation has a 52-week low of $159.90 and a 52-week high of $461.52. The company has a quick ratio of 1.33, a current ratio of 1.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

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

Valero Energy Dividend Announcement

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

More Valero Energy News

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.