Proficio Capital Partners LLC Raises Holdings in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Proficio Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 11.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,036 shares of the construction company’s stock after buying an additional 207 shares during the quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $524,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its stake in Vulcan Materials by 138.5% during the 4th 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 last quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $57,000. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. lifted 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. Finally, True Wealth Design LLC lifted its position in Vulcan Materials by 6,040.0% during the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 307 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $77,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Vulcan Materials Stock Down 1.7 %

Shares of Vulcan Materials stock opened at $234.55 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $30.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.24, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $256.58 and a 200 day moving average price of $260.60. Vulcan Materials has a fifty-two week low of $215.08 and a fifty-two week high of $298.31. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.81 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.46 EPS. On average, sell-side 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. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th will be paid a $0.49 dividend. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Vulcan Materials’s payout ratio is currently 28.61%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently commented on VMC. Citigroup reduced their price target on Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 6th. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on Vulcan Materials in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $287.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 19th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, February 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Wednesday, March 19th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $302.67.

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.