Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $305.00.

Several brokerages have commented on VMC. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Barclays boosted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $285.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 29th. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 6th. UBS Group began coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $349.00 price target for the company. Finally, Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st.

Institutional Trading of Vulcan Materials

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Toronto Dominion Bank grew its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 7.3% in the fourth quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 70,790 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $18,209,000 after purchasing an additional 4,826 shares in the last quarter. Investment Management Corp VA ADV purchased a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials in the 4th quarter worth $376,000. Fourth Dimension Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the 4th quarter worth about $46,000. Vise Technologies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the 4th quarter worth about $332,000. Finally, Highview Capital Management LLC DE purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,003,000. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Vulcan Materials Stock Performance

Shares of Vulcan Materials stock opened at $264.84 on Thursday. Vulcan Materials has a 1 year low of $225.36 and a 1 year high of $298.31. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $267.35 and its 200 day moving average is $261.43. The stock has a market cap of $34.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.66, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 2.86 and a quick ratio of 2.02.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.41. The firm had revenue of $1.85 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.81 billion. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.30% and a return on equity of 13.01%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.83 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.49 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This is a positive change from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.74%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is presently 26.86%.

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.