Lazard Asset Management LLC Acquires Shares of 35,586 Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)

Lazard Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 35,586 shares of the basic materials company's stock, valued at approximately $1,287,000.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Huntington National Bank increased 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 worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 814 shares in the last quarter. Centricity Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline during the 4th quarter worth approximately $36,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in Valvoline during the 4th quarter worth approximately $49,000. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline during the 4th quarter worth approximately $73,000. Finally, Atala Financial Inc acquired a new position in Valvoline during the 4th quarter worth approximately $77,000. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VVV has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley lowered 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 report on Friday, May 9th. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $44.00 price target (down from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, May 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. TD Cowen assumed coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, April 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price target for the company. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target 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. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $42.33.

Insider Activity

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

Valvoline Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of NYSE:VVV traded down $0.17 during trading on Friday, reaching $34.03. The stock had a trading volume of 1,277,945 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,425,376. The firm's fifty day moving average is $34.29 and its 200 day moving average is $36.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.70. Valvoline Inc. has a 52 week low of $31.02 and a 52 week high of $48.27. The stock has a market cap of $4.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.28 and a beta of 1.20.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 8th. The basic materials company reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.02). Valvoline had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 143.64%. The firm had revenue of $403.20 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $405.38 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.37 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.