XTX Topco Ltd Invests $841,000 in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV)

Key Points

• XTX Topco Ltd acquired 24,169 shares of Valvoline, worth approximately $841,000, during the first quarter, reflecting growing institutional interest in the company.
• Valvoline's CEO, Lori Ann Flees, purchased 3,000 shares of the company at an average price of $33.78, indicating insider confidence in the company's stock.
• Research analysts have mixed views on Valvoline's stock, with ratings ranging from "hold" to "overweight," and a consensus price target of $42.15.

XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new stake in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 24,169 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $841,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of VVV. Fiduciary Management Inc. WI lifted its holdings in Valvoline by 35.1% in the fourth quarter. Fiduciary Management Inc. WI now owns 4,221,275 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $152,726,000 after purchasing an additional 1,096,486 shares during the period. Wasatch Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 11.1% in the 4th quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 10,818,256 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $391,405,000 after purchasing an additional 1,080,114 shares during the period. Squarepoint Ops LLC increased its holdings in Valvoline by 653.5% in the fourth quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 1,147,254 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $41,508,000 after buying an additional 994,988 shares during the last quarter. Champlain Investment Partners LLC bought a new stake in Valvoline during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,051,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP boosted its position in shares of Valvoline by 697.1% in the fourth quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 1,058,267 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $38,288,000 after acquiring an additional 925,504 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.13% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Lori Ann Flees purchased 3,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 27th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $33.78 per share, for a total transaction of $101,340.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 46,614 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,574,620.92. The trade was a 6.88% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Valvoline Stock Performance

Shares of VVV stock traded up $0.71 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $38.62. The stock had a trading volume of 1,162,453 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,755,494. Valvoline has a 1-year low of $31.01 and a 1-year high of $43.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.23. The firm has a market cap of $4.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.74 and a beta of 1.17. The business's fifty day moving average is $36.79 and its 200-day moving average is $35.95.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $439.00 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $436.35 million. Valvoline had a return on equity of 106.36% and a net margin of 15.97%. Valvoline's revenue for the quarter was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.45 earnings per share. On average, research analysts forecast that Valvoline will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on VVV shares. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Valvoline from $41.00 to $39.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Valvoline from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Citigroup lowered their target price on Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Cfra Research raised Valvoline to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 7th. Finally, Stephens increased their price objective on Valvoline from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 29th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $42.31.

About Valvoline

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.