Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Reduces Holdings in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP cut its position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 2.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,401,037 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 28,341 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned 1.06% of Vulcan Materials worth $360,406,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in VMC. First Trust Advisors LP raised its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 77.9% in the 4th quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 28,092 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $7,226,000 after purchasing an additional 12,298 shares in the last quarter. Forum Financial Management LP increased its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 7.1% in the 4th quarter. Forum Financial Management LP now owns 1,515 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $390,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares during the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co raised its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 13.2% in the 4th quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 118,427 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $30,468,000 after purchasing an additional 13,832 shares in the last quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA lifted its position in shares of Vulcan Materials by 4.6% during the fourth quarter. First Commonwealth Financial Corp PA now owns 2,476 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $637,000 after purchasing an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Farringdon Capital Ltd. acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter worth about $444,000. 90.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vulcan Materials Trading Up 0.5 %

Shares of VMC stock opened at $241.86 on Friday. Vulcan Materials has a 1 year low of $215.08 and a 1 year high of $298.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.99 billion, a PE ratio of 35.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $241.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $259.44. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a current ratio of 1.83.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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 in the prior year, the company posted $1.46 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.81%. The ex-dividend date was 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 currently 28.61%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on VMC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 19th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $325.00 price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Wolfe Research raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Loop Capital lowered their target price on Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn raised Vulcan Materials to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 21st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $293.64.

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.