Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Shares Sold by Sentry Investment Management LLC

Sentry Investment Management LLC cut its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 14.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 498 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 81 shares during the period. Sentry Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $128,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials during the third quarter worth $811,000. DAVENPORT & Co LLC raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 149.4% during the fourth quarter. DAVENPORT & Co LLC now owns 9,393 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $2,416,000 after acquiring an additional 5,627 shares during the period. Smith Group Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth $514,000. Campbell Newman Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials during the fourth quarter worth $15,719,000. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Vulcan Materials by 284.9% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 44,650 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $11,104,000 after acquiring an additional 33,051 shares during the period. 90.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Vulcan Materials Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of VMC opened at $250.36 on Thursday. 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 has a 12-month low of $225.36 and a 12-month high of $298.31. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $264.94 and a 200 day moving average price of $261.65. The firm has a market capitalization of $33.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 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 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.81 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.46 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast 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 given a $0.49 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.78%. This is a boost from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is presently 28.61%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on VMC shares. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $349.00 price objective for the company. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $245.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upped their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $269.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 19th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vulcan Materials currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $304.55.

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.