Bessemer Group Inc. Cuts Stock Position in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV)

Bessemer Group Inc. cut its stake in shares of Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) by 50.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 44,840 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 46,487 shares during the quarter. Bessemer Group Inc.'s holdings in Valvoline were worth $1,561,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Huntington National Bank raised its position in 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 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. American National Bank & Trust bought a new position in Valvoline during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its position 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 position in Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $49,000. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valvoline Trading Up 3.3%

VVV opened at $38.27 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $4.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.58 and a beta of 1.17. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $35.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $35.79. Valvoline has a one year low of $31.02 and a one year high of $48.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.23, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.73.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results 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). The firm had revenue of $403.20 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $405.38 million. Valvoline had a net margin of 15.97% and a return on equity of 106.36%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.37 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Valvoline will post 1.63 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Valvoline news, CEO Lori Ann Flees bought 3,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $33.78 per share, with a total value of $101,340.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 46,614 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,574,620.92. This trade represents a 6.88% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have commented on VVV. TD Cowen began coverage on Valvoline in a research note on Friday, April 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price target on Valvoline from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, April 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Valvoline from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the stock from $40.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 3rd. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Valvoline from $41.00 to $39.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 9th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Four investment 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 MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $42.54.

Valvoline Company 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.

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