Confluence Investment Management LLC Buys New Position in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)

Confluence Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 251,391 shares of the basic materials company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,095,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. UMB Bank n.a. increased its position in shares of Valvoline by 92.1% in the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 630 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC bought a new position in Valvoline in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Valvoline during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in shares of Valvoline by 83.0% during the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,332 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $58,000 after purchasing an additional 604 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 46.5% in the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,465 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $61,000 after buying an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on VVV. Stephens assumed coverage on shares of Valvoline in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $49.00 target price on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, December 20th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $42.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price target on Valvoline from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on Valvoline from $52.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $45.78.

Insider Transactions at Valvoline

In other Valvoline news, CEO Lori Ann Flees acquired 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $39.64 per share, with a total value of $99,100.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer now directly owns 38,428 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,523,285.92. This trade represents a 6.96 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Charles M. Sonsteby bought 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $39.50 per share, for a total transaction of $395,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 26,437 shares in the company, 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 owned by corporate insiders.

Valvoline Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of VVV stock opened at $35.84 on Friday. Valvoline Inc. has a 12-month low of $33.86 and a 12-month high of $48.26. The company has a market capitalization of $4.60 billion, a PE ratio of 22.12 and a beta of 1.43. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $39.35 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $41.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.77.

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.