22,125 Shares in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) Bought by AXQ Capital LP

AXQ Capital LP acquired a new stake in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 22,125 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $800,000.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of VVV. Centricity Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline in the fourth quarter worth about $36,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Valvoline in the third quarter worth approximately $41,000. ORG Partners LLC lifted its position in Valvoline by 466.7% in the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 1,275 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 1,050 shares during the period. Atala Financial Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at $77,000. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. lifted its position in shares of Valvoline by 90.5% during the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,538 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $92,000 after acquiring an additional 1,206 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have issued reports on VVV shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $38.00 price target (down from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. Mizuho decreased their price target on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Friday, December 20th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $42.00 target price for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Valvoline presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.40.

Insider Transactions at Valvoline

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

Valvoline Stock Performance

NYSE VVV opened at $35.28 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. The company has a market capitalization of $4.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.88 and a beta of 1.48. Valvoline Inc. has a 12-month low of $33.90 and a 12-month high of $48.27. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $36.86 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $38.75.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.01. Valvoline had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 143.64%. Analysts anticipate that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 earnings per share for the current year.

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.