Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) Stock Rating Upgraded by Benchmark

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Benchmark to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Valvoline in a report on Thursday, May 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $47.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. Piper Sandler reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $44.00 target price on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, New Street Research set a $47.00 target price on shares of Valvoline in a research note on Monday, July 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $42.88.

Valvoline Stock Performance

Shares of VVV opened at $33.92 on Wednesday. Valvoline has a 12 month low of $28.50 and a 12 month high of $41.33. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $37.68 and a 200-day moving average price of $35.87. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.77. The firm has a market cap of $4.33 billion, a PE ratio of 42.40 and a beta of 1.00.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 5th. The basic materials company reported $0.57 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.50 by $0.07. Valvoline had a return on equity of 65.12% and a net margin of 5.17%.The firm had revenue of $544.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $543.21 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.47 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 24.1% on a year-over-year basis. Valvoline has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.700-1.750 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Valvoline will post 1.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CAO Jordan M. Denny purchased 1,506 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was bought at an average price of $33.20 per share, with a total value of $49,999.20. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,121 shares in the company, valued at $136,817.20. The trade was a 57.59% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jonathan L. Caldwell sold 2,851 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total value of $114,040.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 20,918 shares in the company, valued at approximately $836,720. The trade was a 11.99% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Company insiders own 0.66% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Valvoline

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of VVV. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline in the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its position in Valvoline by 1,621.3% during the 3rd quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 1,050 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 989 shares during the last quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Valvoline during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $42,000. Vestor Capital LLC lifted its stake in Valvoline by 169.4% during the 1st quarter. Vestor Capital LLC now owns 1,646 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 1,035 shares during the period. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 20.3% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 1,906 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 321 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.13% of the company’s stock.

Valvoline Company Profile

Valvoline (NYSE: VVV) is a leading global producer and distributor of automotive and industrial lubricants. The company’s portfolio spans engine oils, gear oils, transmission fluids, greases, coolants and driveline products, all designed to help improve vehicle performance and longevity. Valvoline’s products are marketed under the Valvoline®, Valvoline NextGen® and Valvoline™ SynPower® brand names and are formulated to meet the stringent requirements of passenger cars, light trucks, heavy‐duty vehicles and off‐road applications.

In addition to its core lubricant business, Valvoline operates one of North America’s largest quick‐lubricant service networks through Valvoline Instant Oil Change℠ (VIOC).