Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) Price Target Raised to $472.00

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) had its target price boosted by The Goldman Sachs Group from $376.00 to $472.00 in a report issued on Monday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have a buy rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on MPC. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Marathon Petroleum from $359.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Barclays boosted their price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $289.00 to $321.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 6th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Marathon Petroleum from $265.00 to $453.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $321.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price target on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $344.00 to $462.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $360.00.

Marathon Petroleum Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MPC opened at $388.64 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $113.46 billion, a PE ratio of 13.36, a PEG ratio of 0.12 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $354.91 and its 200-day moving average price is $285.19. Marathon Petroleum has a 52-week low of $161.93 and a 52-week high of $431.08.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The oil and gas company reported $17.73 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $14.27 by $3.46. The firm had revenue of $51.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $40.87 billion. Marathon Petroleum had a net margin of 5.48% and a return on equity of 31.96%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 53.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $3.96 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Marathon Petroleum will post 59.15 EPS for the current year.

Marathon Petroleum Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 19th were given a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, August 19th. Marathon Petroleum’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 13.75%.

Insider Activity at Marathon Petroleum

In other Marathon Petroleum news, SVP Shawn M. Lyon sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $375.75, for a total value of $375,750.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 11,194 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,206,145.50. This trade represents a 8.20% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Molly R. Benson sold 17,196 shares of Marathon Petroleum stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $358.57, for a total transaction of $6,165,969.72. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 30,334 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,876,862.38. This trade represents a 36.18% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 21,691 shares of company stock valued at $7,780,127. 0.17% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Solstein Capital LLC purchased a new position in Marathon Petroleum during the second quarter worth approximately $26,000. Caitlin John LLC purchased a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Bell Investment Advisors Inc acquired a new position in shares of Marathon Petroleum during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Cetera Trust Company N.A purchased a new stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum in the second quarter valued at about $35,000. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum in the second quarter valued at about $36,000. 76.77% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Marathon Petroleum

Here are the key news stories impacting Marathon Petroleum this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Robust refining margins remain the primary bullish factor for MPC. High diesel prices have supported refinery profitability, although investors are weighing whether those conditions can persist. Bloom Energy vs. Marathon Petroleum: Which Popular Energy Stock Is the Better Buy?
• Positive Sentiment: An analyst upgrade recently helped Marathon Petroleum reach a new 12-month high, reinforcing the market’s favorable view of its earnings and refining outlook. Marathon Petroleum Reaches New 12-Month High Following Analyst Upgrade
• Neutral Sentiment: Marathon’s corporate headquarters received an ENERGY STAR certification, highlighting improved energy efficiency. The recognition may support the company’s sustainability profile but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Energy Star Certification Highlights Energy Efficiency of Marathon Petroleum’s Corporate Headquarters
• Neutral Sentiment: Heightened investor searches and comparisons with Bloom Energy indicate strong market interest in MPC, but these reports provide limited new fundamental information. Investors Heavily Search Marathon Petroleum Corporation
• Negative Sentiment: Jefferies downgraded Marathon Petroleum from Buy to Hold, suggesting the recent rally may have reduced additional upside and making the stock more vulnerable to profit-taking. Jefferies Downgrades Marathon Petroleum to Hold
• Negative Sentiment: The White House is considering a diesel-export ban. Such a policy could leave refiners with excess domestic supply, weaken margins, and reduce the benefit of record diesel prices. Concerns about demand destruction are already weighing on refining stocks. Why Marathon Petroleum Stock Slipped Today

About Marathon Petroleum

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) is an integrated downstream energy company engaged primarily in refining, marketing and transporting petroleum products. The company converts crude oil and other feedstocks into gasoline, diesel and other transportation fuels, as well as asphalt, propane, petrochemical feedstocks and related products.

Marathon Petroleum operates a network of refineries in the United States and markets refined products through wholesale channels, branded retail locations and commercial customers.