Brokerages Set Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Target Price at $284.33

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) has been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the thirteen ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and nine have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $284.33.

VMC has been the subject of several research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. Barclays increased their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $349.00 price target on the stock.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

Vulcan Materials stock opened at $262.36 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $34.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.38, a P/E/G ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.81. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $275.70 and its 200 day moving average price is $257.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a current ratio of 2.86. Vulcan Materials has a 1 year low of $218.37 and a 1 year high of $298.31.

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

Vulcan Materials Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 27th. Investors of record on Monday, November 4th were given a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 4th. This represents a $1.84 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.70%. Vulcan Materials’s payout ratio is 29.02%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 3rd quarter worth about $811,000. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in Vulcan Materials by 284.9% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 44,650 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $11,104,000 after buying an additional 33,051 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 3.4% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,332,649 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $331,404,000 after acquiring an additional 43,294 shares during the last quarter. Tower Bridge Advisors raised its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 64.5% in the 3rd quarter. Tower Bridge Advisors now owns 4,936 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,236,000 after acquiring an additional 1,936 shares during the period. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 5.6% in the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 250,428 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $62,276,000 after acquiring an additional 13,318 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other 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.