Raymond James Cuts Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Price Target to $295.00

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) had its price objective lowered by Raymond James from $298.00 to $295.00 in a report published on Thursday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the construction company’s stock.

VMC has been the subject of a number of other reports. StockNews.com upgraded Vulcan Materials from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Citigroup decreased their price objective 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. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $301.18.

Vulcan Materials Stock Up 0.4 %

Shares of Vulcan Materials stock opened at $270.28 on Thursday. Vulcan Materials has a 52-week low of $219.73 and a 52-week high of $298.31. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $272.63 and its 200-day moving average price is $258.85. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 2.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company has a market cap of $35.69 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.63, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.83.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The construction company reported $2.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.34 by ($0.12). Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 11.88% and a net margin of 11.43%. The firm had revenue of $2 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.01 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.29 earnings per share. Vulcan Materials’s revenue for the quarter was down 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Vulcan Materials will post 7.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 64.9% in the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 7,910 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $2,035,000 after buying an additional 3,113 shares during the last quarter. Capstone Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter worth approximately $907,000. Ballentine Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 8.7% in the 4th quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 1,015 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $261,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares during the period. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. grew its position in Vulcan Materials by 16.1% during the fourth quarter. Koshinski Asset Management Inc. now owns 928 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $239,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the period. Finally, UMB Bank n.a. increased its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 138.5% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 186 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $48,000 after buying an additional 108 shares in the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.