Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Downgraded by StockNews.com

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) was downgraded by StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued on Monday.

Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on VVV. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on Valvoline from $39.00 to $36.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 10th. Seaport Res Ptn cut shares of Valvoline from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, June 12th. Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, June 23rd. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $43.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Thursday, September 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $42.00 target price for the company. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of Valvoline from a “b” rating to a “c” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $39.57.

Valvoline Price Performance

Shares of VVV stock traded up $0.45 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $32.52. 1,294,936 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,878,102. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.49, a current ratio of 2.68 and a quick ratio of 2.59. Valvoline has a 1-year low of $24.40 and a 1-year high of $39.67. The firm has a market cap of $4.51 billion, a PE ratio of 3.68 and a beta of 1.35. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $35.42 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $35.76.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 9th. The basic materials company reported $0.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.06. Valvoline had a return on equity of 42.99% and a net margin of 110.05%. The firm had revenue of $376.20 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $367.53 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.58 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 18.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Valvoline will post 1.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Robert Travis Dobbins sold 1,700 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.53, for a total transaction of $57,001.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 10,383 shares in the company, valued at approximately $348,141.99. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Valvoline news, insider Julie Marie O’daniel sold 3,087 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $34.67, for a total value of $107,026.29. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 16,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $562,694.10. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Robert Travis Dobbins sold 1,700 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.53, for a total transaction of $57,001.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 10,383 shares in the company, valued at approximately $348,141.99. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders purchased 17,839 shares of company stock valued at $601,606 and sold 15,438 shares valued at $522,502. Corporate insiders own 0.99% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Valvoline

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Belpointe Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Valvoline by 54.9% in the 1st quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 931 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 330 shares in the last quarter. First Manhattan CO. LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the 1st quarter valued at about $35,000. CoreCap Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the 4th quarter valued at about $37,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Valvoline by 52.2% in the 4th quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,230 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $40,000 after purchasing an additional 422 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.03% of the company’s stock.

Valvoline Company Profile

Valvoline Inc provides automotive services through retail stores in the United States and Canada. It offers cabin air filter, battery replacement, and tire rotation services for various vehicles. As of September 30, 2022, it operated 1,700 system-wide service center stores. The company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky.