Somerset Trust Co Boosts Stock Position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Somerset Trust Co raised its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 22.3% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 1,534 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 280 shares during the quarter. Somerset Trust Co’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $395,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials in the 3rd quarter worth about $811,000. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 284.9% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 44,650 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $11,104,000 after purchasing an additional 33,051 shares in the last quarter. Campbell Newman Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter worth about $15,719,000. Fiduciary Alliance LLC bought a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter worth approximately $612,000. Finally, Tower Bridge Advisors grew its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 64.5% during the third quarter. Tower Bridge Advisors now owns 4,936 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,236,000 after buying an additional 1,936 shares during the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Vulcan Materials Stock Performance

VMC opened at $270.28 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $272.63 and its 200 day moving average is $258.76. The company has a current ratio of 2.86, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company has a market cap of $35.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.63, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.83. Vulcan Materials has a 12-month low of $219.73 and a 12-month high of $298.31.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The construction company reported $2.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.34 by ($0.12). The business had revenue of $2 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.01 billion. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 11.88% and a net margin of 11.43%. The company’s revenue was down 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.29 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Vulcan Materials will post 7.16 EPS for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on VMC shares. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a report on Thursday, November 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $349.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $325.00 price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. StockNews.com raised Vulcan Materials from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, Raymond James dropped their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $298.00 to $295.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $301.18.

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.