Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Trims Stock Position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA lowered its position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO - Free Report) by 3.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 190,496 shares of the oil and gas company's stock after selling 7,348 shares during the quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA owned about 0.06% of Valero Energy worth $23,353,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in VLO. New Wave Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valero Energy during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Tobam bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. True Wealth Design LLC boosted its holdings in 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 valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 183 shares during the period. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy during the 4th quarter valued at $38,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new position in Valero Energy in the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Institutional investors own 78.69% of the company's stock.

Valero Energy Stock Down 14.4 %

NYSE VLO traded down $19.21 during trading on Thursday, hitting $114.41. The company's stock had a trading volume of 9,512,126 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,907,883. Valero Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $114.04 and a fifty-two week high of $184.79. The company has a market cap of $36.04 billion, a PE ratio of 13.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.36. 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 business's 50 day simple moving average is $133.17 and its 200-day simple moving average is $133.30.

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Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.50. Valero Energy had a net margin of 2.13% and a return on equity of 9.58%. On average, equities analysts anticipate 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 3.95%. 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%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on VLO. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of 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 raised shares of Valero Energy from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered their price target on Valero Energy from $149.00 to $144.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $152.67.

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.