UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC Grows Stake in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Free Report) by 24.6% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 917,176 shares of the construction company's stock after purchasing an additional 181,030 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC owned about 0.69% of Vulcan Materials worth $235,925,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp purchased a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth approximately $32,000. Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth approximately $35,000. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 138.5% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 186 shares of the construction company's stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vulcan Materials Stock Up 0.4%

Shares of NYSE:VMC opened at $271.65 on Friday. Vulcan Materials has a 52-week low of $215.08 and a 52-week high of $298.31. The stock has a market cap of $35.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.84. The business's 50 day moving average is $249.15 and its 200 day moving average is $260.62. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data 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 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 quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.80 earnings per share. Vulcan Materials's revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Announces Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Wolfe Research upgraded Vulcan Materials from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $290.00 to $285.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 19th. UBS Group upgraded Vulcan Materials from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price target for the stock from $280.00 to $318.00 in a report on Friday, May 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Vulcan Materials from $287.00 to $309.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 2nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vulcan Materials presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $302.91.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vulcan Materials

In other Vulcan Materials news, SVP David P. Clement sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 sale, the senior vice president now 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 can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.62% of the company's stock.

Vulcan Materials 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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VMC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.