Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Upgraded by StockNews.com to “Hold” Rating

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Friday morning.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. Citigroup decreased their target price on Vulcan Materials from $297.00 to $292.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Stephens lowered their price target on Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $267.00 to $257.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vulcan Materials has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $274.75.

Vulcan Materials Stock Performance

VMC stock opened at $270.39 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $247.70 and a 200 day simple moving average of $252.16. The company has a market capitalization of $35.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.65, a PEG ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a quick ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 2.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Vulcan Materials has a fifty-two week low of $206.02 and a fifty-two week high of $279.47.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The construction company reported $2.22 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.34 by ($0.12). Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 11.88% and a net margin of 11.43%. The business had revenue of $2 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.01 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.29 earnings per share. Vulcan Materials’s revenue was down 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts predict that Vulcan Materials will post 7.32 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 4th will be paid a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 4th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.68%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.02%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 2.8% during the first quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 7,044 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,923,000 after purchasing an additional 193 shares during the last quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue boosted its position in Vulcan Materials by 0.5% in the 1st quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 14,416 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $3,934,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. increased its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 18.3% in the 1st quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 4,197 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,145,000 after buying an additional 649 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 13.4% during the first quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 76,356 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $20,839,000 after acquiring an additional 9,031 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials during the first quarter valued at $914,000. 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.