Stockbridge Partners LLC Has $449.25 Million Stock Position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Stockbridge Partners LLC increased its position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Free Report) by 11.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,746,482 shares of the construction company's stock after purchasing an additional 177,918 shares during the period. Vulcan Materials accounts for 9.5% of Stockbridge Partners LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 4th biggest position. Stockbridge Partners LLC owned approximately 1.32% of Vulcan Materials worth $449,248,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in VMC. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 16.5% in the 4th quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 254 shares of the construction company's stock worth $65,000 after buying an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 1,791 shares of the construction company's stock worth $461,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Howard Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 5.2% in the fourth quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc. now owns 906 shares of the construction company's stock worth $233,000 after acquiring an additional 45 shares during the period. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 30.0% during the fourth quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 208 shares of the construction company's stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC raised its stake in Vulcan Materials by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 1,169 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $301,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity at Vulcan Materials

In related news, SVP David P. Clement sold 1,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 15th. The stock was 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 now directly owns 2,832 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $764,640. This trade represents a 34.63% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.62% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on VMC shares. Wolfe Research upgraded Vulcan Materials from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Argus upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 24th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price target for the company from $280.00 to $318.00 in a report on Friday. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $273.00 to $303.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, May 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Wednesday, March 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $302.91.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

Shares of NYSE VMC traded down $2.63 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $273.38. 651,195 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 944,897. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 2.02. Vulcan Materials has a 1 year low of $215.08 and a 1 year high of $298.31. The company's 50-day moving average is $247.65 and its two-hundred day moving average is $260.53. The company has a market capitalization of $36.11 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.91, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.84.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The construction company reported $1.00 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.80 by $0.20. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 12.83% and a net margin of 12.30%. The company had revenue of $1.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.64 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.80 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.72%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 23rd. Vulcan Materials's dividend payout ratio is currently 27.80%.

About Vulcan Materials

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.