Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO) Reaches New 1-Year Low - Time to Sell?

Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO - Get Free Report)'s share price hit a new 52-week low on Thursday . The company traded as low as $115.41 and last traded at $116.14, with a volume of 5231803 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $133.62.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on VLO. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $149.00 to $144.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, March 7th. Tudor Pickering upgraded shares of Valero Energy from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 4th. Mizuho decreased their target price on shares of 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 decreased their target price 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 research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Valero Energy currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $152.67.

Valero Energy Price Performance

The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $131.94 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $132.92. The company has a market capitalization of $33.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.38, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57.

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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, beating 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, research analysts anticipate that Valero Energy Co. will post 7.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 30th were issued a dividend of $1.13 per share. This is an increase from Valero Energy's previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.28%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 30th. Valero Energy's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 53.30%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Farmers Trust Co. lifted its position in shares of Valero Energy by 1,019.2% in the 1st quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 31,148 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $4,114,000 after buying an additional 28,365 shares during the last quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division increased its position in Valero Energy by 5.9% in the first quarter. Moody National Bank Trust Division now owns 10,417 shares of the oil and gas company's stock worth $1,376,000 after buying an additional 581 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in Valero Energy by 17.4% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,786 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $236,000 after buying an additional 265 shares during the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division boosted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 315.0% during the first quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 2,897 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $383,000 after acquiring an additional 2,199 shares during the period. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 1.0% during the first quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 38,945 shares of the oil and gas company's stock valued at $5,143,000 after buying an additional 383 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.69% of the company's stock.

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.