Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Receives $42.77 Consensus Target Price from Analysts

Key Points

• Valvoline has received a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from analysts, with six assigning a hold rating and nine issuing buy ratings.
• The average 12-month price target for Valvoline is currently $42.77, reflecting recent upgrades from several equity research analysts.
• Insider trading shows CFO J Kevin Willis purchasing 12,725 shares of Valvoline at an average price of $39.41, increasing his ownership significantly.

Shares of Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) have received a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the fifteen analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and nine have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $42.7692.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on VVV shares. Stephens lifted their price target on Valvoline from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, July 29th. Cfra Research upgraded Valvoline to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Valvoline from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, August 7th. Zacks Research upgraded Valvoline to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Valvoline from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday.

Valvoline Price Performance

Shares of VVV traded down $0.59 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $39.95. The stock had a trading volume of 1,344,009 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,406,083. Valvoline has a 52 week low of $31.01 and a 52 week high of $43.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.37, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.60. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $38.22 and its 200-day moving average price is $36.33. The company has a market capitalization of $5.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.58 and a beta of 1.21.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.47 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $439.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $436.35 million. Valvoline had a return on equity of 84.85% and a net margin of 16.43%.Valvoline's revenue for the quarter was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.45 earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that Valvoline will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO J Kevin Willis bought 12,725 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 14th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $39.41 per share, for a total transaction of $501,492.25. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer directly owned 12,725 shares of the company's stock, valued at $501,492.25. This trade represents a ∞ increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.66% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Valvoline

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in VVV. Maseco LLP acquired a new position in shares of Valvoline during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. American National Bank & Trust acquired a new position in Valvoline in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 221.8% in the 1st 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in Valvoline during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $43,000. Institutional investors own 96.13% of the company's stock.

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.