Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the fourteen analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, nine have issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $42.54.

VVV has been the subject of a number of research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Valvoline from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their target price for the stock from $40.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 3rd. Citigroup dropped 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. 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective 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.

Insider Activity

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. Corporate insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valvoline

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in VVV. Boston Partners bought a new stake in shares of Valvoline during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $82,748,000. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Valvoline during the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,114,000. Millennium Management LLC grew its holdings in Valvoline by 315.4% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,510,338 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $52,575,000 after acquiring an additional 1,146,728 shares during the last quarter. Fiduciary Management Inc. WI grew its holdings in Valvoline by 35.1% during the 4th quarter. Fiduciary Management Inc. WI now owns 4,221,275 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $152,726,000 after acquiring an additional 1,096,486 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wasatch Advisors LP grew its holdings in Valvoline by 11.1% during the 4th quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 10,818,256 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $391,405,000 after acquiring an additional 1,080,114 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Valvoline Stock Performance

Shares of VVV traded up $0.12 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $36.76. The stock had a trading volume of 2,996,216 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,449,214. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $34.27 and a 200-day simple moving average of $36.01. Valvoline has a one year low of $31.02 and a one year high of $48.27. The firm has a market cap of $4.67 billion, a PE ratio of 17.59 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last announced 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). The firm had revenue of $403.20 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $405.38 million. Valvoline had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 143.64%. The business's revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.37 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Valvoline will post 1.63 EPS for the current 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.