Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) Receives Average Recommendation of "Buy" from Analysts

Key Points

• Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) has received an average analyst rating of "Buy", with ten analysts recommending a buy and two issuing a strong buy, while the average price target is $308.36.
• Analyst reports from firms such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Barclays have resulted in revised price targets, increasing the outlook for the company's stock.
• Insiders and institutional investors have been actively trading Vulcan's shares, with notable purchases and a reported 90.39% of the company's stock owned by institutional investors.

Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of "Buy" from the fourteen analysts that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $308.3636.

VMC has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $285.00 to $330.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 26th. Barclays increased their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $285.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, August 1st. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $303.00 to $285.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 28th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $286.00 to $279.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 1st. Finally, Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $321.00 price target (up from $305.00) on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Monday, August 4th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP David P. Clement sold 698 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $298.56, for a total transaction of $208,394.88. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 2,832 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $845,521.92. This trade represents a 19.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.62% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Golden State Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 21.0% during the first quarter. Golden State Wealth Management LLC now owns 951 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $222,000 after acquiring an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 42.1% during the first quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 15,798 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $3,686,000 after acquiring an additional 4,678 shares in the last quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC raised its position in 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 in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 27.2% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,706 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $398,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 5.6% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 969 shares of the construction company's stock valued at $249,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company's stock.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

VMC stock opened at $294.87 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. Vulcan Materials has a one year low of $215.08 and a one year high of $302.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.96 billion, a PE ratio of 41.18, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.86. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $287.24 and a two-hundred day moving average of $265.64.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 31st. The construction company reported $2.45 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $2.65 by ($0.20). Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.52% and a return on equity of 12.81%. The firm had revenue of $2.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.35 earnings per share. Vulcan Materials's quarterly revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts forecast that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 14th were given a $0.49 dividend. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 14th. Vulcan Materials's dividend payout ratio is 27.37%.

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.

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