Eric Bartko, Senior Vice President of Murphy USA Inc., sold 345 shares of the company’s stock on February 13, 2024. The shares were sold at an average price of $404.84, culminating in a total transaction valued at $139,669.80. Following this sale, Bartko holds 352 shares of Murphy USA, which are now valued at approximately $142,503.68. This transaction reflects a significant 49.50% reduction in his stake in the company.
The details of the sale were disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, making the information publicly accessible. The sale comes during a period of active trading for Murphy USA’s stock, which saw a rise of $22.94 on the same day, closing at $407.77.
Current Stock Performance and Financial Metrics
On February 13, Murphy USA recorded a trading volume of 540,455 shares, surpassing its average volume of 347,425. Over the past year, the company’s stock has fluctuated between a low of $345.23 and a high of $523.09. Presently, Murphy USA holds a market capitalization of $7.57 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.79 and a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.66.
The company also reports a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.47, a quick ratio of 0.36, and a current ratio of 0.80. Its fifty-day moving average price stands at $413.22, while the two-hundred-day moving average is $391.91.
Recent Earnings and Institutional Activity
Murphy USA announced its latest earnings results on February 4, 2024. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $7.53, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $6.67 by $0.86. Revenue for the quarter was reported at $4.74 billion, slightly below forecasts of $4.88 billion. Year-over-year, the company’s revenue increased by 0.7%.
During the same quarter the previous year, the company had posted an EPS of $6.96. Analysts project that Murphy USA will achieve an EPS of 26.45 for the current fiscal year.
Institutional investors have shown increased interest in Murphy USA, with notable changes in positions. For instance, Barclays PLC raised its holdings in the company by 318.6% in the third quarter, now owning 424,818 shares valued at about $164.94 million. Similarly, Norges Bank acquired a new stake during the second quarter, valued at approximately $93.97 million.
Other institutional trades include Neuberger Berman Group LLC increasing its stake by 3,650.7% and AllianceBernstein L.P., which boosted its stake by 676.7%. Currently, around 80.81% of Murphy USA’s stock is owned by institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings and Future Outlook
Recent analyst reports have varied in their outlook for Murphy USA. Royal Bank of Canada revised its price target from $467.00 to $445.00, maintaining a “sector perform” rating. Stephens set a new price objective at $450.00 while KeyCorp has a target of $500.00. Additionally, Zacks Research upgraded the stock from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating.
Overall, the stock has garnered an average rating of “Hold” from analysts, with a consensus target price of $457.50. One analyst rated the stock as a Strong Buy, while two issued Buy ratings, six assigned a Hold rating, and one rated it as Sell.
Founded in El Dorado, Arkansas, Murphy USA is a prominent downstream marketer of gasoline, diesel, and convenience store products in the United States. Originally part of Murphy Oil Corporation, it became an independent public entity in 2013. The company continues to focus on enhancing retail fueling services and convenience offerings to better serve consumers.
