575,000 Shares in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) Acquired by Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C.

Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. bought a new stake in shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 575,000 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $20,804,000. Adage Capital Partners GP L.L.C. owned approximately 0.45% of Valvoline as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Huntington National Bank raised its stake in shares of Valvoline by 1,004.9% in the fourth quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 814 shares during the last quarter. Centricity Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Valvoline in the 4th quarter worth about $36,000. ORG Partners LLC lifted its stake in Valvoline by 466.7% during the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 1,275 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,050 shares during the period. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at about $49,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the fourth quarter worth approximately $73,000. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VVV has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Mizuho cut their price objective on Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. TD Securities began coverage on Valvoline in a research note on Friday, April 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price target for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $42.67.

Insider Transactions at Valvoline

In related news, insider Julie Marie O'daniel sold 6,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.41, for a total value of $224,460.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 15,305 shares in the company, valued at $572,560.05. This trade represents a 28.16 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Valvoline Price Performance

Shares of VVV traded up $0.16 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $34.25. 1,212,775 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,376,532. The company has a market cap of $4.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.39 and a beta of 1.32. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39. The company's 50-day moving average price is $34.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $37.40. Valvoline Inc. has a 52-week low of $31.02 and a 52-week high of $48.27.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.01. Valvoline had a return on equity of 143.64% and a net margin of 16.34%. On average, analysts anticipate that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Valvoline Profile

Valvoline Inc engages in the operation and franchising of vehicle service centers and retail stores in the United States and Canada. The company, through its service centers, provides fluid exchange for motor oil, transmission and differential fluid, and coolant; parts replacement for batteries, filters, wiper blades, and belts; and safety services, such as tire inflation and rotation, bulbs, and safety checks.