Asset Dedication LLC Cuts Stock Position in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)

Asset Dedication LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) by 23.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,221 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 370 shares during the period. Asset Dedication LLC’s holdings in Valvoline were worth $44,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in Valvoline by 92.1% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 630 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Valvoline in the 3rd quarter worth about $41,000. ORG Partners LLC increased its stake in Valvoline by 466.7% during the 4th quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 1,275 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 1,050 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 83.0% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,332 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $58,000 after acquiring an additional 604 shares during the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC raised its holdings in shares of Valvoline by 46.5% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,465 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $61,000 after acquiring an additional 465 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.13% of the company’s stock.

Valvoline Stock Performance

Valvoline stock opened at $37.73 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $37.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $40.30. The stock has a market cap of $4.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.29 and a beta of 1.45. 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.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $38.00 price target (down from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on shares of Valvoline in a report on Friday, December 20th. They set a “hold” rating and a $42.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company decreased 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. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $52.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Finally, Mizuho decreased their target price on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $44.89.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Valvoline news, CEO Lori Ann Flees purchased 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $39.64 per share, with a total value of $99,100.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 38,428 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,523,285.92. This trade represents a 6.96 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CTO Robert Travis Dobbins sold 1,914 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total value of $76,560.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer now owns 14,956 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $598,240. This 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.

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.