Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Stock Price Up 5.3% - Still a Buy?

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) traded up 5.3% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $36.26 and last traded at $36.18. 699,238 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 51% from the average session volume of 1,427,747 shares. The stock had previously closed at $34.36.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on VVV shares. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and set a $44.00 target price (down previously from $45.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, May 9th. TD Securities initiated coverage on Valvoline in a research note on Friday, April 4th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $40.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup dropped their price target on Valvoline from $41.00 to $38.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $42.54.

Valvoline Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39, a current ratio of 0.70 and a quick ratio of 0.58. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $34.19 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $36.11. The company has a market capitalization of $4.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.54 and a beta of 1.20.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 8th. The basic materials company reported $0.34 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.36 by ($0.02). Valvoline had a return on equity of 143.64% and a net margin of 16.34%. 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 earned $0.37 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Valvoline

In other Valvoline news, CEO Lori Ann Flees bought 3,000 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 27th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $33.78 per share, for a total transaction of $101,340.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 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 transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 0.66% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valvoline

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Jane Street Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 15.7% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 124,071 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $4,319,000 after acquiring an additional 16,865 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC boosted its position in Valvoline by 4.5% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 487,609 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $16,974,000 after purchasing an additional 20,947 shares during the period. United Services Automobile Association acquired a new position in Valvoline during the first quarter valued at approximately $299,000. Caxton Associates LLP bought a new position in shares of Valvoline in the first quarter valued at approximately $1,656,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 4.6% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 858,584 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $29,887,000 after buying an additional 37,657 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.13% of the company's stock.

Valvoline Company 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.