Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. Increases Position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. lifted its holdings in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 3.2% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 182,817 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,735 shares during the period. Vulcan Materials comprises about 0.7% of Comgest Global Investors S.A.S.’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. owned 0.14% of Vulcan Materials worth $45,783,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of VMC. Empowered Funds LLC increased its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 16.1% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 1,933 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $528,000 after purchasing an additional 268 shares in the last quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 150.1% in the 1st quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 4,006 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,093,000 after buying an additional 2,404 shares during the last quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. boosted its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 14.3% in the 1st quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 12,310 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $3,360,000 after buying an additional 1,540 shares during the last quarter. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Vulcan Materials in the 1st quarter worth about $216,000. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 5.0% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 16,005,692 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $4,368,273,000 after buying an additional 755,991 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Vulcan Materials Trading Down 1.2 %

NYSE VMC traded down $3.40 on Friday, reaching $279.28. The stock had a trading volume of 669,613 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,057,878. The firm has a market capitalization of $36.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 2.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Vulcan Materials has a 12-month low of $209.39 and a 12-month high of $298.31. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $256.67 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $254.12.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The construction company reported $2.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.34 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $2 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.01 billion. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 11.43% and a return on equity of 11.88%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.29 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Vulcan Materials will post 7.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 4th will be given a dividend of $0.46 per share. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.66%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 4th. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.02%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Stephens lowered their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $280.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Truist Financial lifted their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $300.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 1st. Citigroup lowered their target price on Vulcan Materials from $297.00 to $292.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on Vulcan Materials from $267.00 to $257.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, UBS Group started coverage on Vulcan Materials in a report on Thursday, November 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $349.00 target price on the stock. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $280.46.

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.