Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp Purchases Shares of 117 Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 117 shares of the construction company’s stock, valued at approximately $30,000.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter valued at $32,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position 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 purchasing an additional 108 shares during the period. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 30.0% in the 4th quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 208 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 3rd quarter worth about $57,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

NYSE VMC opened at $238.05 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 2.02. The firm has a market cap of $31.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $254.67 and its two-hundred day moving average is $260.41. Vulcan Materials has a fifty-two week low of $215.08 and a fifty-two week high of $298.31.

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

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a $0.49 dividend. The ex-dividend date was 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 0.82%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 24th. Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on Vulcan Materials in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $287.00 target price for the company. Citigroup reduced their price target 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, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $302.67.

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.