Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Stake Raised by Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ

Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ grew its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 4.5% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 27,785 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares during the quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $7,173,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Vulcan Materials by 24.9% during the fourth quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 6,605 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,699,000 after buying an additional 1,316 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 13.2% during the fourth quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 2,250 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $579,000 after purchasing an additional 263 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 125.0% during the fourth quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 335,984 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $86,425,000 after purchasing an additional 186,641 shares in the last quarter. AGF Management Ltd. bought a new stake in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth approximately $940,000. Finally, Wealthfront Advisers LLC raised its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 13.4% during the fourth quarter. Wealthfront Advisers LLC now owns 11,027 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $2,836,000 after purchasing an additional 1,303 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently commented on VMC. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Stifel Nicolaus began coverage on Vulcan Materials in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $287.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Monday, February 24th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $303.08.

Vulcan Materials Trading Up 3.0 %

NYSE VMC opened at $231.70 on Friday. Vulcan Materials has a twelve month low of $215.08 and a twelve month high of $298.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a current ratio of 1.83. The stock has a market cap of $30.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.82, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $258.29 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $260.56.

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. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.30% and a return on equity of 12.83%. The firm had revenue of $1.85 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.81 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.46 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.85%. 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%.

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.