Leavell Investment Management Inc. Lowers Stake in Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC)

Leavell Investment Management Inc. lowered its holdings in Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC - Free Report) by 4.1% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 50,190 shares of the construction company's stock after selling 2,155 shares during the period. Leavell Investment Management Inc.'s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $11,709,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in VMC. Golden State Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 21.0% during the 1st quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 951 shares of the construction company's stock worth $222,000 after buying an additional 165 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in Vulcan Materials by 42.1% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 15,798 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $3,686,000 after purchasing an additional 4,678 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 24.3% during the first quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 921 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $215,000 after acquiring an additional 180 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 27.2% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,706 shares of the construction company's stock worth $398,000 after buying an additional 365 shares during the period. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 5.6% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 969 shares of the construction company's stock worth $249,000 after buying an additional 51 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company's stock.

Vulcan Materials Stock Up 0.1%

Vulcan Materials stock traded up $0.36 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $270.31. The stock had a trading volume of 974,802 shares, compared to its average volume of 983,758. The company has a quick ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 2.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $35.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.82. Vulcan Materials Company has a 12-month low of $215.08 and a 12-month high of $298.31. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $265.54 and its 200-day moving average price is $256.35.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 30th. The construction company reported $1.00 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.80 by $0.20. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.50% and a return on equity of 12.91%. The business had revenue of $1.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.80 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials Company will post 8.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 6th. Investors of record on Friday, May 23rd were given a dividend of $0.49 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 23rd. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.73%. Vulcan Materials's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 27.80%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Argus raised shares of Vulcan Materials to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. Raymond James Financial cut their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $295.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Finally, Loop Capital cut their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $302.91.

Insider Transactions at Vulcan Materials

In related news, SVP David P. Clement sold 1,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $270.00, for a total transaction of $405,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 2,832 shares in the company, valued at approximately $764,640. The trade was a 34.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.62% of the company's stock.

Vulcan Materials Company Profile

Vulcan Materials Company, together with its subsidiaries, produces and supplies construction aggregates primarily in the United States. It operates through four segments: Aggregates, Asphalt, Concrete, and Calcium. The company provides crushed stones, sand and gravel, sand, and other aggregates; and related products and services that are applied in construction and maintenance of highways, streets, and other public works, as well as in the construction of housing and commercial, industrial, and other nonresidential facilities.