Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Shares Sold by Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc.

Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) by 49.9% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 175,500 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 175,000 shares during the period. Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. owned 0.14% of Valvoline worth $6,109,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Private Advisor Group LLC bought a new position in Valvoline in the fourth quarter worth about $223,000. Proficio Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valvoline in the 4th quarter worth approximately $632,000. VELA Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Valvoline by 39.8% during the 4th quarter. VELA Investment Management LLC now owns 84,273 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $3,049,000 after acquiring an additional 24,001 shares in the last quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Valvoline by 5.7% during the 4th quarter. Meridian Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,615 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $276,000 after acquiring an additional 408 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Valvoline by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,642,754 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $59,435,000 after acquiring an additional 16,912 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Valvoline

In related news, CEO Lori Ann Flees acquired 3,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 27th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $33.78 per share, with a total value of $101,340.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer directly owned 46,614 shares in the company, valued at $1,574,620.92. This represents a 6.88% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have issued reports on VVV shares. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $44.00 price target (down from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, May 9th. TD Securities began coverage on Valvoline in a research report on Friday, April 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group raised Valvoline from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their target price for the company from $40.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 3rd. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Valvoline from $41.00 to $39.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company 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 analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $42.54.

Valvoline Stock Performance

NYSE:VVV traded up $1.38 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $39.25. The company's stock had a trading volume of 2,862,568 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,507,707. Valvoline has a fifty-two week low of $31.02 and a fifty-two week high of $48.27. 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 firm has a market cap of $4.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.05 and a beta of 1.17. The firm's 50 day moving average is $35.31 and its 200-day moving average is $35.77.

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

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.