Quantbot Technologies LP Grows Position in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)

Quantbot Technologies LP increased its holdings in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) by 6.5% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 77,454 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,704 shares during the quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP owned approximately 0.06% of Valvoline worth $2,802,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Sciencast Management LP purchased a new stake in Valvoline in the fourth quarter worth about $238,000. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Valvoline by 560.5% in the fourth quarter. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 2,556 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $92,000 after purchasing an additional 2,169 shares in the last quarter. Xponance Inc. raised its holdings in Valvoline by 6.0% in the fourth quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 27,867 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,008,000 after purchasing an additional 1,577 shares in the last quarter. Royce & Associates LP raised its holdings in Valvoline by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 1,262,293 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $45,670,000 after purchasing an additional 11,111 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Natixis Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Valvoline by 11.3% in the fourth quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 470,651 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $17,029,000 after purchasing an additional 47,662 shares in the last quarter. 96.13% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valvoline Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:VVV opened at $35.28 on Friday. Valvoline Inc. has a twelve month low of $33.90 and a twelve month high of $48.27. The company’s 50 day moving average is $36.86 and its 200 day moving average is $38.73. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.39. The company has a market cap of $4.48 billion, a PE ratio of 16.88 and a beta of 1.48.

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.32 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.01. Valvoline had a net margin of 16.34% and a return on equity of 143.64%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Valvoline Inc. will post 1.63 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Valvoline news, insider Julie Marie O’daniel sold 6,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.41, for a total value of $224,460.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 15,305 shares in the company, valued at approximately $572,560.05. This represents a 28.16 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.66% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have commented 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 for the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $38.00 target price (down from $42.00) on shares of Valvoline in a report on Tuesday, January 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $37.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Mizuho cut their price objective on shares of Valvoline from $46.00 to $42.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Valvoline currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $44.40.

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.