Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) Short Interest Update

18 Apr 2026, 21:07 by Mitch Edgeman · The Markets Daily

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 6,803,010 shares, a decrease of 15.4% from the March 15th total of 8,038,630 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 3,094,852 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.2 days. Approximately 2.3% of the company’s stock are sold short.

Marathon Petroleum Stock Down 5.7%

Shares of NYSE MPC traded down $12.87 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $213.37. The company had a trading volume of 3,798,961 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,445,885. The stock has a market capitalization of $62.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a quick ratio of 0.74, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.27. Marathon Petroleum has a 1-year low of $124.00 and a 1-year high of $255.77. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $221.31 and its 200-day moving average is $197.00.

Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The oil and gas company reported $4.07 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.73 by $0.34. The company had revenue of $32.57 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $30.89 billion. Marathon Petroleum had a return on equity of 13.90% and a net margin of 2.99%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.77 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Marathon Petroleum will post 8.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Marathon Petroleum Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 18th were issued a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 18th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.9%. Marathon Petroleum’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.96%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Marathon Petroleum news, insider Ricky D. Hessling sold 1,810 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.78, for a total transaction of $406,851.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 10,188 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,290,058.64. This represents a 15.09% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Over the last three months, insiders sold 4,473 shares of company stock worth $1,015,428. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Marathon Petroleum

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Navalign LLC acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum during the 3rd quarter valued at $39,000. IAG Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Marathon Petroleum during the 3rd quarter valued at $39,000. Finally, Berbice Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Marathon Petroleum by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. Berbice Capital Management LLC now owns 200 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.77% of the company’s stock.

More Marathon Petroleum News

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

Positive Sentiment: Marathon and its MLP MPLX arranged new multi‑billion dollar unsecured revolving credit facilities that extend committed liquidity to 2031, reducing near‑term refinancing risk and supporting cash flow flexibility. Marathon Petroleum Extends Liquidity To 2031 With New Credit Lines
Positive Sentiment: An analyst price‑target raise to $279 and a cluster of bullish targets/overweight ratings in recent months signal continued analyst confidence in MPC’s cash generation and long‑term outlook. Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC) Price Target Raised to $279.00
Neutral Sentiment: Investors are reassessing MPC’s valuation after strong recent returns (roughly +29% over 3 months); that momentum has pushed attention on whether current price already reflects near‑term margin risk. Assessing Marathon Petroleum (MPC) Valuation After Recent Share Price Momentum
Neutral Sentiment: Coverage highlighting MPC as a long‑term value/income idea underscores the company’s dividend and cashflow narrative, but these thematic pieces are less likely to move the stock near term versus operational and macro inputs. Why Marathon Petroleum (MPC) is a Top Value Stock for the Long-Term
Negative Sentiment: Sector‑wide pullback in refining stocks is pressuring MPC as gasoline futures have softened and investors trim exposure to narrowing product cracks; this is a primary contributor to today’s decline. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) slides 4.9% as refining stocks pull back amid shifting fuel-price and operations outlook
Negative Sentiment: Operational volatility: scheduled maintenance at the Robinson, IL refinery (mid‑March start; some units offline into mid‑May) plus a recent FCCU upset at the Galveston Bay refinery can dent near‑term throughput and margin capture. The same QuiverQuant piece also flags insider selling and large institutional position reductions, which can heighten downward pressure. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) slides 4.9% as refining stocks pull back amid shifting fuel-price and operations outlook

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MPC has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded Marathon Petroleum from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 11th. Mizuho upped their price target on Marathon Petroleum from $205.00 to $224.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. TD Cowen upped their price target on Marathon Petroleum from $198.00 to $299.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Marathon Petroleum from $239.00 to $264.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on Marathon Petroleum from $210.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have given a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $237.50.

View Our Latest Analysis on MPC

Marathon Petroleum Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.