12:35 PM EDT, 08/07/2025 (MT Newswires) -- CFRA, an independent research provider, has provided MT Newswires with the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

Our 12-month target of $175, up $20, reflects a 7.5x multiple of EV/EBITDA, in line with MPC's historical forward average. We lift our '25 EPS estimate by $0.74 to $7.93, but keep '26's flat at $11.44. Product inventories range from about typical for this time of year (gasoline) to quite short (diesel). We note that MPC's refining margin per barrel in Q2 (in the $17.50/b range) compares favorably with those of its independent refining peers, which averaged $13.37 per barrel, or about 30% higher. We think much of this has to do with MPC's stronger positioning in the U.S. Mid-continent, as more refiners in this region are running a sweeter blend of crude oil (i.e., lower in sulfur), which lends itself to gasoline production, and draws away from diesel and jet production. That, in turns, leads to stronger margins on diesel and jet fuel. We see stronger margins in '26, but we also note that MPC has relatively high debt levels, which are a risk factor.