Sanctuary Advisors LLC Increases Stock Holdings in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Sanctuary Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 11.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 28,015 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,839 shares during the period. Sanctuary Advisors LLC’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $7,742,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of VMC. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 16.5% in the 4th quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 254 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $65,000 after buying an additional 36 shares during the period. United Asset Strategies Inc. lifted its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 1.1% in the third quarter. United Asset Strategies Inc. now owns 3,747 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $938,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in Vulcan Materials by 2.3% in the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,987 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $498,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Golden State Equity Partners increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 4.5% during the third quarter. Golden State Equity Partners now owns 1,099 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $275,000 after acquiring an additional 47 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Valley Brook Capital Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter. Valley Brook Capital Group Inc. now owns 1,025 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $257,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. 90.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently issued reports on VMC shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vulcan Materials from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a report on Thursday, November 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $349.00 price objective on the stock. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $303.82.

Vulcan Materials Trading Down 2.9 %

VMC opened at $264.84 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $267.35 and a 200 day moving average price of $261.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 2.86 and a quick ratio of 2.02. Vulcan Materials has a 12 month low of $225.36 and a 12 month high of $298.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $34.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.77, a PEG ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.84.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates 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 return on equity of 11.88% and a net margin of 11.43%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.46 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Vulcan Materials will post 7.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th will be given a $0.49 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 10th. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.74%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.02%.

About Vulcan Materials

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.