Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Stock Price Up 4.2% After Insider Buying Activity

Shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) traded up 4.2% during trading on Wednesday following insider buying activity. The stock traded as high as $35.38 and last traded at $35.34. 169,909 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 88% from the average session volume of 1,419,593 shares. The stock had previously closed at $33.91.

Specifically, CEO Lori Ann Flees purchased 3,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 27th. The shares were bought at an average price of $33.78 per share, for a total transaction of $101,340.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer now owns 46,614 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,574,620.92. This trade represents a 6.88% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $44.00 price target (down from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, May 9th. TD Securities began coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, April 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $40.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target 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. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $42.33.

Valvoline Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $4.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.56 and a beta of 1.20. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $34.15 and a 200 day moving average price of $36.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 0.70.

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). Valvoline had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 143.64%. The firm had revenue of $403.20 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $405.38 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.37 EPS. The company's revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valvoline

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VVV. Barclays PLC lifted its position in shares of Valvoline by 52.4% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 53,580 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $2,242,000 after buying an additional 18,414 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Valvoline by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,642,754 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $59,435,000 after acquiring an additional 16,912 shares during the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC bought a new stake in Valvoline during the fourth quarter worth $223,000. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. lifted its holdings in Valvoline by 33.7% during the fourth quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 15,909 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $576,000 after acquiring an additional 4,013 shares during the period. Finally, VELA Investment Management LLC boosted its position in Valvoline by 39.8% in the fourth quarter. VELA Investment Management LLC now owns 84,273 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $3,049,000 after purchasing an additional 24,001 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.