Lecap Asset Management Ltd. Sells 11,569 Shares of Valvoline (NYSE:VVV)

Lecap Asset Management Ltd. decreased its position in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) by 32.6% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 23,898 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 11,569 shares during the quarter. Lecap Asset Management Ltd.'s holdings in Valvoline were worth $832,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of VVV. Riverwater Partners LLC raised its position in Valvoline by 8.0% in the 1st quarter. Riverwater Partners LLC now owns 9,419 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $328,000 after buying an additional 696 shares during the last quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. boosted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 29.7% during the first quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 2,045,198 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $71,193,000 after acquiring an additional 467,885 shares during the period. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Valvoline in the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new position in shares of Valvoline during the first quarter worth approximately $496,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in Valvoline by 101.5% during the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,170 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 1,093 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Lori Ann Flees purchased 3,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $33.78 per share, with a total value of $101,340.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now 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 transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.66% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Valvoline Price Performance

Shares of NYSE VVV traded up $0.06 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $37.04. 1,353,873 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,498,585. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.23, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.73. The company has a market cap of $4.71 billion, a PE ratio of 17.98 and a beta of 1.17. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $35.05 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $35.84. Valvoline has a 1-year low of $31.02 and a 1-year high of $48.27.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 8th. The basic materials company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.36 by ($0.02). The business had revenue of $403.20 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $405.38 million. Valvoline had a return on equity of 106.36% and a net margin of 15.97%. 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 company earned $0.37 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Valvoline will post 1.63 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on VVV. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on Valvoline from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 28th. TD Securities initiated coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, April 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $44.00 price objective (down previously from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, May 9th. TD Cowen started coverage on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, April 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 29th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus 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.