Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Price Target Cut to $281.00 by Analysts at BNP Paribas Exane

Key Points

• BNP Paribas Exane cut Vulcan Materials’ price target from $290 to $281 and maintained a “neutral” rating, implying roughly 0.2% downside from the prior close.
• Analyst sentiment remains mixed, although the broader consensus is “Moderate Buy,” with 12 Buy, 9 Hold and 1 Sell rating and a consensus price target of $309.65.
• Vulcan’s latest quarterly results narrowly beat EPS estimates at $2.83 versus $2.81, but revenue declined 4.7% year over year to $2.18 billion and missed expectations.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) had its price target cut by research analysts at BNP Paribas Exane from $290.00 to $281.00 in a report released on Friday. The firm currently has a "neutral" rating on the construction company's stock. BNP Paribas Exane's price target would suggest a potential downside of 0.21% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on VMC. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Monday, September 21st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Vulcan Materials from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Saturday, September 12th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Vulcan Materials from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. UBS Group lowered their target price on Vulcan Materials from $349.00 to $326.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Vulcan Materials from $256.00 to $257.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Friday. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $309.65.

Vulcan Materials Stock Up 0.5%

VMC stock traded up $1.28 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $281.59. 1,509,004 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,179,119. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The firm's fifty day moving average price is $255.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $280.54. Vulcan Materials has a 52 week low of $237.03 and a 52 week high of $331.09. The company has a market cap of $36.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.25, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 1.05.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The construction company reported $2.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.81 by $0.02. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 13.05% and a net margin of 13.75%. The business had revenue of $2.18 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.24 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.84 earnings per share. Vulcan Materials's revenue was down 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Vulcan Materials will post 8.96 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Vulcan Materials news, SVP David Clement sold 2,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $285.10, for a total value of $570,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president owned 6,716 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,914,731.60. This represents a 22.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director J. Hill sold 14,000 shares of Vulcan Materials stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $276.17, for a total transaction of $3,866,380.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 58,209 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,075,579.53. The trade was a 19.39% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.65% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $2,868,444,000. Bank of America Corp DE bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $688,580,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $451,119,000. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in Vulcan Materials by 1.8% during the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,346,422 shares of the construction company's stock worth $366,592,000 after acquiring an additional 24,187 shares during the period. Finally, Stockbridge Partners LLC purchased a new position in Vulcan Materials during the second quarter valued at approximately $314,470,000. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Vulcan Materials

Here are the key news stories impacting Vulcan Materials this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings beat estimates: Vulcan reported adjusted EPS of $2.83, narrowly above the $2.81 consensus. Management also highlighted pricing strength, operational efficiencies and an approximately $2.4 billion 2026 adjusted EBITDA target. Vulcan Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Forward outlook and capital returns supported sentiment: Vulcan said it is targeting earnings growth again in 2027, expanded through acquisitions in Tennessee and southern Ohio, and returned $417 million to shareholders through buybacks and dividends. Vulcan outlook analysis
• Positive Sentiment: D.A. Davidson became more bullish: The firm raised its price target from $315 to $330 and assigned a “buy” rating, implying meaningful upside from recent trading levels.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views remain divided: RBC raised its target slightly to $257 while maintaining “sector perform,” and BNP Paribas reduced its target to $281. The mixed recommendations may limit the impact of the bullish target increase.
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue and volumes weakened: Third-quarter revenue fell about 4.7% year over year to roughly $2.19 billion, below the $2.24 billion consensus, while aggregates shipments declined 3%. Lower 2026 EBITDA guidance and cautious forecasts from Wells Fargo and Stifel remain overhangs. Vulcan Q3 earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo maintained a cautious stance: Although it raised its target from $249 to $253, it kept an “underweight” rating, indicating its view that the stock is priced above fundamental value.

About Vulcan Materials

Vulcan Materials Company NYSE: VMC is a producer and distributor of construction materials used in infrastructure, commercial, residential and industrial projects. The company is the largest producer of construction aggregates in the United States, including crushed stone, sand and gravel.

In addition to aggregates, Vulcan Materials produces asphalt mix, ready-mixed concrete and cement. Its materials are used in roads, bridges, airports, commercial buildings, homes and other construction applications.

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