Bessemer Group Inc. Trims Stake in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV)

Bessemer Group Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) by 50.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 44,840 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 46,487 shares during the period. Bessemer Group Inc.'s holdings in Valvoline were worth $1,561,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Huntington National Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 1,004.9% during the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 814 shares during the last quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in Valvoline during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. American National Bank & Trust bought a new position in Valvoline during the first quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in Valvoline by 221.8% during the 1st quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,181 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 814 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new stake in Valvoline in the 4th quarter worth approximately $49,000. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on VVV shares. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Valvoline from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their target price for the company from $40.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 3rd. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 29th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $41.00 to $39.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 9th. TD Cowen started coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, April 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 target price on the stock. Finally, TD Securities initiated coverage on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, April 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price target for the company. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Valvoline currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $42.54.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Lori Ann Flees purchased 3,000 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of $33.78 per share, with a total value of $101,340.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 46,614 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,574,620.92. This represents a 6.88% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Valvoline Trading Down 1.0%

Shares of VVV traded down $0.38 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $38.90. 1,192,224 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,508,562. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.23, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.60. The stock's 50-day moving average is $35.42 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.79. Valvoline has a 12 month low of $31.02 and a 12 month high of $48.27. The stock has a market cap of $4.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.92 and a beta of 1.18.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 8th. The basic materials company reported $0.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.02). Valvoline had a net margin of 15.97% and a return on equity of 106.36%. The business had revenue of $403.20 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $405.38 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.37 EPS. Valvoline's revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts forecast that Valvoline will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal 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.