Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Stake Boosted by Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC

Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC raised its position in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 4.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,169 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 48 shares during the quarter. Sound View Wealth Advisors Group LLC’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $301,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in VMC. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the third quarter valued at $42,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 138.5% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 186 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $48,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. Finally, Washington Trust Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 30.0% during the fourth quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 208 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vulcan Materials Trading Up 0.3 %

Vulcan Materials stock opened at $221.63 on Tuesday. Vulcan Materials has a one year low of $215.08 and a one year high of $298.31. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $260.64 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $261.24. The company has a market capitalization of $29.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.35, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. 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 issued its quarterly earnings data 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. The business had revenue of $1.85 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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 last year, the business earned $1.46 EPS. On average, 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 will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.49 per share. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.88%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 10th. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is currently 28.61%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VMC has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus assumed coverage on Vulcan Materials in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $287.00 price objective for the company. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 price target on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective 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. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $303.08.

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.