Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) Shares Acquired by Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. lifted its position in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) by 28.1% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 1,062,580 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 233,285 shares during the period. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P.’s holdings in Valvoline were worth $47,359,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Park Place Capital Corp purchased a new position in Valvoline in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. GAMMA Investing LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Principal Securities Inc. purchased a new stake in Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at about $39,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at about $57,000. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp raised its holdings in Valvoline by 20.3% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 1,876 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 316 shares during the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valvoline Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE VVV traded up $0.15 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $42.23. 39,726 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,157,951. The company’s 50-day moving average is $41.81 and its 200-day moving average is $40.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 15.83, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.40 and a beta of 1.44. Valvoline Inc. has a 52-week low of $29.15 and a 52-week high of $45.37.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 8th. The basic materials company reported $0.37 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.36 by $0.01. Valvoline had a net margin of 11.78% and a return on equity of 136.59%. The company had revenue of $388.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $390.75 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.23 earnings per share. Valvoline’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VVV has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Mizuho assumed coverage on Valvoline in a research report on Tuesday, March 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $50.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $48.00 target price on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, June 7th. Citigroup raised their target price on Valvoline from $36.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, Piper Sandler initiated coverage on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $49.00 price target on the stock. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $43.88.

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.