Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Position Boosted by Groupama Asset Managment

Groupama Asset Managment increased its holdings in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 12.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 11,014 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,246 shares during the quarter. Groupama Asset Managment’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $2,843,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp bought a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth $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. Finally, 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. 90.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vulcan Materials Stock Up 1.7 %

VMC opened at $237.26 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $31.38 billion, a PE ratio of 34.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The business has a 50-day moving average of $252.42 and a 200-day moving average of $260.78. Vulcan Materials has a fifty-two week low of $215.08 and a fifty-two week high of $298.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.83 and a quick ratio of 2.02.

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

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $0.49 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This is a boost from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.83%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is currently 28.61%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on VMC. Seaport Res Ptn raised shares of Vulcan Materials to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 21st. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Loop Capital lowered their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and cut their target price for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $305.58.

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.