Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) Receives $44.40 Consensus Target Price from Analysts

Shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the eleven brokerages that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, six have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $44.40.

Several research firms recently weighed in on VVV. Mizuho reduced their target price on Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Morgan Stanley restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $38.00 price objective (down from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, December 20th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $42.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 7th.

Valvoline Stock Performance

Shares of VVV opened at $35.25 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39. Valvoline has a 12 month low of $33.90 and a 12 month high of $48.27. The company’s fifty day moving average is $36.80 and its 200-day moving average is $38.61. The firm has a market cap of $4.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.87 and a beta of 1.48.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.01. Valvoline had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 143.64%. Equities analysts expect that Valvoline will post 1.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Julie Marie O’daniel sold 6,000 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.41, for a total transaction of $224,460.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 15,305 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $572,560.05. This trade represents a 28.16 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.66% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Huntington National Bank lifted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 1,004.9% during the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 814 shares during the period. Prospera Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Valvoline during the third quarter worth about $41,000. Centricity Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Valvoline during the fourth quarter worth about $36,000. ORG Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Valvoline by 466.7% in the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 1,275 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $46,000 after purchasing an additional 1,050 shares during the period. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Valvoline in the 4th quarter worth approximately $49,000. 96.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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.