Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Price Target Raised to $319.00 at Jefferies Financial Group

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Free Report) had its target price upped by Jefferies Financial Group from $298.00 to $319.00 in a report released on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a buy rating on the construction company's stock.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on Vulcan Materials in a research note on Monday, January 8th. They set an equal weight rating and a $208.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a neutral rating and set a $270.00 target price (up previously from $245.00) on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Friday, March 22nd. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $320.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 2nd. Wolfe Research downgraded Vulcan Materials from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research note on Friday, March 8th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $263.00 to $322.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, April 5th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $273.00.

Vulcan Materials Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE VMC traded down $3.19 during trading on Thursday, hitting $255.07. The company had a trading volume of 537,984 shares, compared to its average volume of 791,350. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $263.13 and a 200 day simple moving average of $232.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 2.39 and a current ratio of 3.17. Vulcan Materials has a 12 month low of $166.43 and a 12 month high of $276.58. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.83.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 16th. The construction company reported $1.46 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.40 by $0.06. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 12.80% and a net margin of 11.99%. The firm had revenue of $1.83 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.84 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.08 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th were given a dividend of $0.46 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 1st. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.72%. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials's previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. Vulcan Materials's payout ratio is currently 26.36%.

Insider Activity

In other Vulcan Materials news, SVP Denson N. Franklin III sold 3,200 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $269.48, for a total value of $862,336.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 5,395 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,453,844.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Randy L. Pigg sold 307 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.27, for a total transaction of $78,367.89. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 1,896 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $483,991.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Denson N. Franklin III sold 3,200 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $269.48, for a total value of $862,336.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 5,395 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,453,844.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 13,017 shares of company stock valued at $3,344,741. 0.62% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Register Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 1st quarter worth $27,000. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 1st quarter worth $33,000. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Pinnacle Bancorp Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. Institutional investors own 90.39% 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.