- Tesoro (TSO +1.9%) is upgraded to Buy from Neutral with a $100 price target, lifted from $96, at Goldman Sachs, citing a more constructive outlook for the California refining market, underappreciated value in non-refining assets, and limited risk from higher RINs and a lower Brent-WTI spread.
- Goldman thinks the California refining market will remain well-balanced, despite Torrance returning to service, driven by growing regional demand and the currently low inventories, and that investors have not been giving TSO fair value for its non-refining businesses.
- At the same time, the firm downgrades PBF Energy (PBF +1.2%) to Neutral from Buy with a $26 price target, cut from $37, expecting the company to be “disproportionately negatively impacted” by expectations of higher RINs prices.
- Along with TSO, Goldman rates Valero (VLO +0.1%) and Marathon Petroleum (MPC +4%) as Buys among refiners, while maintaining Sell ratings on Phillips 66 (PSX +1.2%), HollyFrontier (HFC +0.1%), CVR Energy (CVI -0.4%) and CVR Refining (CVRR -1%).