Insider Selling: Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) SVP Sells 425 Shares

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) SVP Shawn Lyon sold 425 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $368.51, for a total transaction of $156,616.75. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 12,194 shares in the company, valued at $4,493,610.94. This trade represents a 3.37% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

Marathon Petroleum Trading Up 2.3%

Shares of MPC stock traded up $8.76 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $382.08. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,366,872 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,451,009. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $311.41 and its 200-day simple moving average is $261.80. Marathon Petroleum Corporation has a 52 week low of $161.93 and a 52 week high of $383.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.25. The company has a market cap of $111.54 billion, a PE ratio of 13.13, a P/E/G ratio of 0.24 and a beta of 0.52.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The oil and gas company reported $17.73 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $14.27 by $3.46. Marathon Petroleum had a return on equity of 31.96% and a net margin of 5.48%.The company had revenue of $51.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $40.87 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $3.96 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 53.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Marathon Petroleum Corporation will post 46.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marathon Petroleum Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 19th will be issued a dividend of $1.00 per share. This represents a $4.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 19th. Marathon Petroleum’s dividend payout ratio is presently 13.75%.

Marathon Petroleum News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Higher oil prices may support refining margins. Energy stocks rallied after escalating U.S.-Iran tensions disrupted the outlook for crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Goldman Sachs also expects a global fuel squeeze to create another refining windfall, a favorable backdrop for MPC’s downstream operations. Energy stocks rally as fresh U.S.-Iran attacks drive oil prices higher
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings substantially exceeded expectations. Marathon Petroleum reported quarterly EPS of $17.73 versus the $14.27 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 53.5% year over year to $51.99 billion. Analysts expect approximately $46.66 in full-year EPS, reinforcing the company’s earnings momentum. Marathon Petroleum stock information
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend and institutional support add to investor appeal. MPC recently declared a quarterly dividend of $1.00 per share, while several institutional investors increased or initiated positions. Institutional ownership stands at approximately 76.8%, indicating continued participation from large investors.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains favorable but valuation expectations are mixed. The consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” with 12 Buy ratings and six Holds. However, the average price target of $312.50 is below the current trading level, suggesting that some analysts view the recent rally as having outpaced near-term targets.
• Negative Sentiment: An MPC executive sold shares. Vice President and Controller Erin Brzezinski sold 570 shares for approximately $206,790, reducing her direct stake by 26.56%. The sale is a modest negative signal, although it represents a relatively small position and does not necessarily indicate a change in the company’s fundamentals. Erin Brzezinski sells Marathon Petroleum shares

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently issued reports on MPC. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Marathon Petroleum from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Sunday, May 10th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Marathon Petroleum from $303.00 to $318.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $321.00 price target on shares of Marathon Petroleum in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Evercore set a $330.00 price objective on shares of Marathon Petroleum in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a $335.00 target price on Marathon Petroleum and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, July 12th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $315.06.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Marathon Petroleum

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of MPC. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB increased its stake in Marathon Petroleum by 3.2% during the 2nd quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 1,288 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $329,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Equitable Trust Co. lifted its stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 1.6% in the first quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 2,637 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $644,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 0.4% in the first quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,548 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $2,411,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. High Net Worth Advisory Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 2.6% during the second quarter. High Net Worth Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,636 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $418,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Grp LLC grew its holdings in shares of Marathon Petroleum by 9.6% during the first quarter. Wellington Grp LLC now owns 516 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $126,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 76.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Marathon Petroleum

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: MPC) is a U.S.-based downstream energy company engaged principally in the refining, marketing, supply and transportation of petroleum products. The company was formed through a spin-off from Marathon Oil in 2011 and operates an integrated system of refining and logistics assets that support the production and distribution of transportation fuels and other refined petroleum products.

Marathon Petroleum’s operations include refining crude oil into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt and other specialty products, as well as managing the distribution and storage infrastructure needed to move those products to market.