Loomis Sayles & Co. L P Has $28.17 Million Stake in Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV)

Loomis Sayles & Co. L P trimmed its position in shares of Valvoline Inc. (NYSE:VVV) by 0.2% in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 673,115 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 1,156 shares during the period. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P’s holdings in Valvoline were worth $28,170,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its stake in Valvoline by 92.1% during the 3rd 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 during the period. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its position in shares of Valvoline by 57.9% in the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 728 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 267 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Valvoline in the second quarter worth $34,000. Mather Group LLC. increased its position in Valvoline by 1,617.0% during the second quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 807 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $36,000 after acquiring an additional 760 shares during the period. Finally, Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Valvoline during the 3rd quarter valued at $41,000. 96.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have issued reports on VVV shares. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Valvoline from $52.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. Baird R W upgraded Valvoline to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. 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 report on Wednesday, November 20th. Stephens initiated coverage on Valvoline in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $49.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Mizuho cut their target price on Valvoline from $50.00 to $46.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Valvoline presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $46.25.

Valvoline Trading Up 2.4 %

VVV stock opened at $39.50 on Tuesday. Valvoline Inc. has a 1-year low of $33.86 and a 1-year high of $48.26. The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.77. The business’s 50 day moving average is $41.31 and its 200-day moving average is $41.87. The firm has a market cap of $5.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.38 and a beta of 1.46.

Valvoline declared that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, July 30th that authorizes the company to buyback $400.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the basic materials company to repurchase up to 7.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

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.