Analysts Set Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Target Price at $301.18

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and eight have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $305.00.

VMC has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. StockNews.com raised Vulcan Materials from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, 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 on the stock.

Vulcan Materials Stock Down 2.9 %

NYSE VMC opened at $264.84 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 2.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Vulcan Materials has a 52 week low of $225.36 and a 52 week high of $298.31. The firm has a market capitalization 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 fifty day moving average of $267.35 and a two-hundred day moving average of $261.43.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last released 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates 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 last year, the business earned $1.46 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Vulcan Materials will post 8.83 earnings per share for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

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

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new position in Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter valued at about $32,000. Finally, Concord Wealth Partners bought a new position in Vulcan Materials in the third quarter worth about $35,000. 90.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.