Marathon Petroleum stock falls 5.41 percent as analysts split

Published on 09/22/2026 at 10:02 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Marathon Petroleum stock fell 5.41 percent on September 21, 2026, after Jefferies cut its rating to Hold. Second-quarter EPS reached $17.73.

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Marathon Petroleum stock (ISIN US56585A1025) fell 5.41 percent to USD 402.38 on September 21, 2026, as refining shares weakened. The move followed a split analyst picture: Investing.com reported on September 22, 2026, that Jefferies downgraded the shares from Buy to Hold and set a USD 413 price target.

Analysts disagree on valuation

The Jefferies target is below the stock's 52-week high of USD 431.08 and above the September 21 closing price. The same report said the current share price implies 2030 midcycle refining margins near 2025 levels, even with elevated strip pricing expected from the second half of 2026 through 2029.

Goldman Sachs took the opposite view. According to TipRanks on September 21, 2026, Goldman raised its price target from USD 376 to USD 472 while maintaining a Buy rating. That USD 96 increase contrasts with the more cautious Jefferies stance.

Second-quarter earnings set a high bar

Marathon Petroleum reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of USD 17.73 per share, compared with USD 3.96 per share in the same quarter of the prior year. Revenue reached USD 51.99 billion, up 53.5 percent year over year, according to MarketBeat on September 21, 2026.

The earnings comparison is unusually wide: quarterly EPS exceeded the USD 14.27 consensus estimate by USD 3.46, while revenue surpassed the USD 40.87 billion estimate by USD 11.12 billion. A separate September 22, 2026 report from Investing.com placed adjusted EBITDA at USD 8.5 billion for the quarter.

Stock remains near its yearly high

At USD 402.38 on the NYSE on September 21, 2026, Marathon Petroleum remained USD 28.70 below its 52-week high of USD 431.08 and USD 240.45 above its 52-week low of USD 161.93. The decline therefore reduced the recent peak but left the stock close to the upper end of its annual range.

MarketBeat data showed a market capitalization of USD 117.36 billion and volume of 4.42 million shares in its September 21, 2026 snapshot. The next reported earnings date cited by Tickeron is November 3, 2026, giving investors a scheduled checkpoint for whether refining margins can support the elevated earnings base.

Marathon Petroleum stock closes at USD 402.38

Marathon Petroleum stock closed at USD 402.38 on the NYSE on September 21, 2026, down 5.41 percent from the prior close. The valuation debate now turns on whether the USD 17.73 second-quarter EPS result reflects durable refining economics or an unusually favorable margin period.