Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Raised to Buy at UBS Group

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) was upgraded by research analysts at UBS Group from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, Marketbeat reports. The brokerage presently has a $318.00 price target on the construction company’s stock, up from their prior price target of $280.00. UBS Group’s price target suggests a potential upside of 15.37% from the company’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also commented on the company. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Vulcan Materials in a report on Monday, March 24th. Stephens set a $315.00 price target on Vulcan Materials and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 1st. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on Vulcan Materials from $287.00 to $309.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 2nd. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Vulcan Materials from $273.00 to $303.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, May 12th. Finally, Loop Capital dropped their price target on Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $302.91.

Vulcan Materials Stock Up 1.7%

Vulcan Materials stock opened at $275.64 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $36.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.24, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.84. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $245.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $260.50. Vulcan Materials has a 12 month low of $215.08 and a 12 month high of $298.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, April 30th. The construction company reported $1.00 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.20. The business had revenue of $1.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.64 billion. Vulcan Materials had a return on equity of 12.83% and a net margin of 12.30%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.80 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Vulcan Materials

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Woodline Partners LP increased its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 166.0% in the first quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 201,773 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $47,074,000 after purchasing an additional 125,929 shares during the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 6.3% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 3,195 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $745,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares during the last quarter. MBB Public Markets I LLC bought a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the first quarter worth about $304,000. United Services Automobile Association bought a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the first quarter worth about $747,000. Finally, Sciencast Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials in the first quarter worth about $1,273,000. 90.39% of the stock is currently 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.