Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Shares Sold by Victory Capital Management Inc.

Victory Capital Management Inc. cut its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 1.8% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 56,400 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 1,047 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $14,508,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials during the third quarter worth $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. UMB Bank n.a. raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 138.5% during the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 186 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $48,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the period. FSA Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials during the third quarter worth $57,000. Finally, Coastline Trust Co acquired a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the third quarter valued at about $61,000. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

Vulcan Materials stock opened at $227.18 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a market cap of $30.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.16, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $259.40 and a 200 day moving average price of $260.80. Vulcan Materials has a 12-month low of $215.08 and a 12-month high of $298.31.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.41. The company had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.81 billion. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.30% and a return on equity of 12.83%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This is a positive change from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.61%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently commented on VMC. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price 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. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 24th. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $287.00 target price for the company. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vulcan Materials currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target 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.