Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Trading Down 5.1% – Should You Sell?

Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)’s stock price dropped 5.1% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $37.60 and last traded at $37.68. Approximately 877,561 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 47% from the average daily volume of 1,665,098 shares. The stock had previously closed at $39.68.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on VVV shares. Mizuho lowered their price objective on Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Friday, December 20th. They set a “hold” rating and a $42.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $38.00 price target (down previously from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on Valvoline from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $44.40.

Valvoline Stock Down 0.2 %

The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39. The company has a market capitalization of $4.82 billion, a PE ratio of 18.14 and a beta of 1.45. The business has a fifty day moving average of $37.09 and a 200 day moving average of $39.53.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.32 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 research analysts anticipate that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Lori Ann Flees bought 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $39.64 per share, with a total value of $99,100.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 38,428 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,523,285.92. This represents a 6.96 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Charles M. Sonsteby acquired 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $39.50 per share, for a total transaction of $395,000.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 26,437 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,044,261.50. The trade was a 60.84 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.66% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio boosted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 161,962 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $5,860,000 after acquiring an additional 2,979 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in Valvoline by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 466,662 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $16,884,000 after purchasing an additional 24,245 shares during the period. Voloridge Investment Management LLC grew its position in Valvoline by 89.5% during the 4th quarter. Voloridge Investment Management LLC now owns 511,271 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $18,498,000 after purchasing an additional 241,520 shares during the last quarter. Vident Advisory LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline in the fourth quarter valued at $240,000. Finally, Squarepoint Ops LLC raised its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 653.5% in the fourth quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 1,147,254 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $41,508,000 after buying an additional 994,988 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.