JPMorgan Chase & Co. Issues Positive Forecast for Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Stock Price

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) had its price target raised by equities researchers at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $37.00 to $38.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a "neutral" rating on the basic materials company's stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price would suggest a potential downside of 4.25% from the stock's previous close.

VVV has been the subject of several other reports. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on Valvoline in a report on Friday, December 20th. They set a "hold" rating and a $42.00 price objective for the company. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Valvoline from $46.00 to $44.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "equal weight" rating and issued a $38.00 price objective (down from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Mizuho dropped their target price 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, Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Valvoline from $48.00 to $46.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Valvoline presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $44.40.

Valvoline Stock Performance

VVV traded down $0.41 during trading on Thursday, hitting $39.69. The stock had a trading volume of 2,027,706 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,550,947. Valvoline has a twelve month low of $33.90 and a twelve month high of $48.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.99 and a beta of 1.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a current ratio of 0.70. The company's 50-day moving average price is $37.13 and its 200 day moving average price is $39.64.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.32 EPS 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%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Valvoline will post 1.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Lori Ann Flees purchased 2,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $39.64 per share, for a total transaction of $99,100.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 38,428 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,523,285.92. The trade was a 6.96 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CTO Robert Travis Dobbins sold 1,914 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total transaction of $76,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer now directly owns 14,956 shares in the company, valued at approximately $598,240. This trade represents a 11.35 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.66% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valvoline

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Huntington National Bank grew its stake in Valvoline by 1,004.9% during the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 895 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 814 shares in the last quarter. Centricity Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline during the third quarter worth approximately $41,000. ORG Partners LLC raised its holdings in Valvoline by 466.7% in the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 1,275 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,050 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in Valvoline during the 4th quarter valued at $49,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.13% of the company's stock.

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.