Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Holdings Raised by Wells Fargo & Company MN

Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its position in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 0.9% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 440,367 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 3,992 shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN owned 0.33% of Vulcan Materials worth $113,276,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. boosted its position in Vulcan Materials by 16.5% during the 4th quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 254 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $65,000 after acquiring an additional 36 shares during the period. Howard Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 5.2% in the 4th quarter. Howard Capital Management Inc. now owns 906 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $233,000 after buying an additional 45 shares during the period. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. lifted its position 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 buying an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC now owns 1,169 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $301,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 5.6% in the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 969 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $249,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares during the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vulcan Materials Stock Down 2.6 %

VMC opened at $230.98 on Monday. The business has a 50 day moving average of $250.05 and a 200-day moving average of $260.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.72, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. Vulcan Materials has a 1-year low of $215.08 and a 1-year high of $298.31.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.41. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.30% and a return on equity of 12.83%. The firm had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.81 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.46 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current 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. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.85%. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 28.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have commented on VMC shares. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Vulcan Materials to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 21st. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 price target on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $290.00 to $285.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 19th. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $287.00 target price for the company. Finally, Raymond James dropped their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $298.00 to $295.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Three 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $305.58.

Vulcan Materials 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.