Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) Receives $46.25 Consensus Target Price from Brokerages

Shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) have been assigned an average recommendation of “Buy” from the nine brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seven have issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $46.25.

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on VVV. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $52.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Stephens assumed coverage on Valvoline in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $49.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Valvoline from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of Valvoline from $50.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th.

Valvoline Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of Valvoline stock opened at $37.78 on Friday. Valvoline has a 1 year low of $33.86 and a 1 year high of $48.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.77, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.61. The stock has a market cap of $4.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.32 and a beta of 1.43. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $40.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $41.62.

Insider Activity at Valvoline

In related news, CTO Robert Travis Dobbins sold 1,914 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total value of $76,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer now owns 14,956 shares in the company, valued at approximately $598,240. This represents a 11.35 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Charles M. Sonsteby purchased 10,000 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $39.50 per share, with a total value of $395,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,437 shares in the company, valued at $1,044,261.50. The trade was a 60.84 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 1.34% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valvoline

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 92.1% in the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 630 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 302 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in Valvoline by 57.9% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 728 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 267 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Valvoline in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in shares of Valvoline by 46.5% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,465 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 465 shares during the period. 96.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other 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.