Meeder Advisory Services Inc. Has $1.02 Million Holdings in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Meeder Advisory Services Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 4.9% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 3,979 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 206 shares during the period. Meeder Advisory Services Inc.’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $1,024,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in VMC. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp bought a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR bought a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials in the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 138.5% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 186 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $48,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Washington Trust Advisors Inc. raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 30.0% in the fourth quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 208 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Vulcan Materials Stock Performance

Shares of VMC opened at $240.16 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.06, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. Vulcan Materials has a 52 week low of $215.08 and a 52 week high of $298.31. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $251.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $260.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a current ratio of 1.83.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.41. The business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.81 billion. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 12.83% and a net margin of 12.30%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.46 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $0.49 dividend. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.82%. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.61%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VMC has been the subject of several recent research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Wednesday, March 19th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 24th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Raymond James dropped their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $298.00 to $295.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $305.58.

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.