Royce & Associates LP Has $42.04 Million Holdings in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV)

Royce & Associates LP trimmed its holdings in Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) by 4.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,207,730 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 54,563 shares during the period. Royce & Associates LP owned 0.95% of Valvoline worth $42,041,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of VVV. Huntington National Bank lifted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 1,004.9% in the fourth quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 814 shares during the last quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the first quarter worth $35,000. American National Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the first quarter worth $40,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 221.8% in the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,181 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 814 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the fourth quarter worth $49,000. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Valvoline Price Performance

Shares of VVV stock traded down $0.08 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $35.80. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,218,252 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,736,857. Valvoline has a 1-year low of $31.01 and a 1-year high of $47.08. The company has a market cap of $4.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.38 and a beta of 1.18. 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 firm's 50-day moving average is $36.62 and its two-hundred day moving average is $35.97.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last announced 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $405.38 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.37 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Valvoline will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Valvoline

In other news, CEO Lori Ann Flees bought 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were 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 owned 46,614 shares in the company, valued at $1,574,620.92. This trade represents a 6.88% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on VVV. Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Valvoline from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, April 28th. Morgan Stanley cut their target price 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. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $44.00 target price (down from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, May 9th. Finally, TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, April 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 target price for the company. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Valvoline presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $42.54.

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.