Community Financial Services Group LLC Cuts Position in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO)

Community Financial Services Group LLC cut its stake in Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) by 5.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 23,657 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 1,424 shares during the period. Community Financial Services Group LLC’s holdings in Valero Energy were worth $3,194,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VLO. EdgeRock Capital LLC purchased a new position in Valero Energy in the second quarter worth $27,000. Lynx Investment Advisory bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the second quarter worth $29,000. Summit Securities Group LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the second quarter worth $31,000. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the first quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA bought a new stake in Valero Energy in the third quarter worth $34,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valero Energy Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:VLO opened at $135.51 on Tuesday. Valero Energy Co. has a 52 week low of $119.88 and a 52 week high of $184.79. The stock has a market capitalization of $43.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.74, a PEG ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 1.39. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $139.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $151.06. 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 (NYSE:VLO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The oil and gas company reported $2.71 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.60 by $0.11. Valero Energy had a net margin of 4.25% and a return on equity of 21.01%. The firm had revenue of $34.49 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $32.97 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $5.40 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Valero Energy Co. will post 9.6 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on the stock. Bank of America assumed coverage on shares of Valero Energy in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $150.00 price target for the company. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Valero Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. Mizuho lowered their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $175.00 to $171.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, September 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $172.00 to $151.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. Finally, Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $165.00 to $146.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $158.60.

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.