BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. Grows Position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. boosted its position in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 43.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 227,570 shares of the construction company’s stock after purchasing an additional 68,565 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A.’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $56,990,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Capital World Investors purchased a new position in shares of Vulcan Materials during the first quarter valued at approximately $388,027,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials by 19.9% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 5,320,570 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $1,332,431,000 after acquiring an additional 884,580 shares during the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 18.4% during the 3rd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,130,537 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $533,551,000 after acquiring an additional 330,433 shares during the period. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC grew its position in Vulcan Materials by 136.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ceredex Value Advisors LLC now owns 355,857 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $89,117,000 after acquiring an additional 205,260 shares during the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Vulcan Materials by 136.1% in the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 184,471 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $45,874,000 after purchasing an additional 106,324 shares during the period. 90.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

VMC opened at $281.18 on Friday. The business’s 50-day moving average is $260.31 and its two-hundred day moving average is $254.60. Vulcan Materials has a 1 year low of $209.60 and a 1 year high of $298.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 2.86 and a quick ratio of 2.02. The firm has a market capitalization of $37.13 billion, a PE ratio of 44.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.81.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The construction company reported $2.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.34 by ($0.12). Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 11.43% and a return on equity of 11.88%. The firm had revenue of $2 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.01 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.29 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 8.3% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 7.2 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 0.65%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 4th. Vulcan Materials’s payout ratio is presently 29.02%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $250.00 to $245.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. StockNews.com raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. Citigroup reduced their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $297.00 to $292.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on Vulcan Materials from $267.00 to $257.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Stephens reduced 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. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $280.46.

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.