Everett Harris & Co. CA Increases Stake in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)

Everett Harris & Co. CA increased its holdings in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) by 2.1% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 116,132 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,383 shares during the quarter. Everett Harris & Co. CA owned approximately 0.09% of Valvoline worth $4,202,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VVV. R Squared Ltd purchased a new position in Valvoline during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $136,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 2.0% during the 4th quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 19,215 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $695,000 after purchasing an additional 373 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV boosted its position in Valvoline by 61.1% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 4,647 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $168,000 after purchasing an additional 1,763 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 90.5% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,538 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $92,000 after buying an additional 1,206 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Inspire Investing LLC grew its position in shares of Valvoline by 11.5% in the 4th quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 12,234 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $443,000 after buying an additional 1,265 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Valvoline Stock Performance

NYSE VVV opened at $37.07 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.77, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.61. Valvoline Inc. has a 1 year low of $33.86 and a 1 year high of $48.26. The company has a fifty day moving average of $37.23 and a two-hundred day moving average of $40.28. The company has a market capitalization of $4.76 billion, a PE ratio of 22.88 and a beta of 1.45.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently issued reports on VVV shares. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on Valvoline from $52.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating and issued a $38.00 price objective (down from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on Valvoline in a research note on Friday, December 20th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $42.00 target price for the company. Three equities research 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.89.

Insider Activity at Valvoline

In related news, CTO Robert Travis Dobbins sold 1,914 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total value of $76,560.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer now owns 14,956 shares in the company, valued at $598,240. This trade represents a 11.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Charles M. Sonsteby purchased 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $39.50 per share, with a total value of $395,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 26,437 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,044,261.50. This represents a 60.84 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.66% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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.