Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Wells Fargo & Company Analyst Says

Key Points

• Wells Fargo & Company has increased Valvoline's price target from $42.00 to $44.00, indicating a potential upside of 14.36% from the previous close.
• Valvoline's recent quarterly earnings showed an EPS of $0.47, exceeding expectations of $0.46, while revenue increased by 4.2% year-over-year.
• Analysts maintain a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" for Valvoline, with 9 out of 15 analysts rating the stock as a buy.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Free Report) had its price objective lifted by Wells Fargo & Company from $42.00 to $44.00 in a research report released on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the basic materials company's stock.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Valvoline from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $40.00 to $45.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 3rd. Morgan Stanley dropped 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 report on Friday, May 9th. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $44.00 target price (down from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, May 9th. Citigroup dropped 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. Finally, Stephens boosted their target price on shares of Valvoline from $40.00 to $44.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 29th. Five 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $42.31.

Valvoline Price Performance

NYSE:VVV traded down $0.07 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $38.33. The company's stock had a trading volume of 454,173 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,756,449. The company has a current ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.37. The company has a market capitalization of $4.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.81 and a beta of 1.17. Valvoline has a fifty-two week low of $31.01 and a fifty-two week high of $43.74. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $37.03 and a 200-day moving average of $36.00.

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

Insider Buying and Selling at Valvoline

In other news, CEO Lori Ann Flees acquired 3,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 27th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $33.78 per share, for a total transaction of $101,340.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 46,614 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,574,620.92. The trade was a 6.88% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.66% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valvoline

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Maseco LLP bought a new position in shares of Valvoline in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Valvoline during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. American National Bank & Trust bought a new stake in Valvoline during the first quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its position in Valvoline by 221.8% during the first quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,181 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $41,000 after purchasing an additional 814 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Valvoline by 67.5% in the second quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 1,164 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 469 shares during the period. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.