Hutchinson Capital Management CA Trims Holdings in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Hutchinson Capital Management CA decreased its holdings in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 0.6% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 58,274 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 364 shares during the period. Valero Energy comprises approximately 1.3% of Hutchinson Capital Management CA’s holdings, making the stock its 26th largest holding. Hutchinson Capital Management CA’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $7,144,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. New Wave Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Tobam bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. True Wealth Design LLC grew its position in shares of Valero Energy by 196.8% during the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Golden State Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.69% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

VLO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Tudor Pickering raised Valero Energy from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on Valero Energy from $149.00 to $144.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 7th. Mizuho dropped their price objective on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Valero Energy from $160.00 to $159.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 31st. One 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $156.08.

Valero Energy Price Performance

Shares of NYSE VLO opened at $129.20 on Friday. 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 cap of $40.70 billion, a PE ratio of 15.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.36. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $133.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $133.79. Valero Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $116.84 and a fifty-two week high of $184.79.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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, equities analysts expect that Valero Energy Co. will post 7.92 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, January 30th were paid a $1.13 dividend. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.50%. This is a boost from Valero Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 30th. Valero Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 53.30%.

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.