Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. Reduces Stake in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. lessened its stake in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 10.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 210,501 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 25,199 shares during the period. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. owned 0.16% of Vulcan Materials worth $54,126,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of VMC. Murphy & Mullick Capital Management Corp acquired a new position in Vulcan Materials in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Generali Asset Management SPA SGR purchased a new stake in shares of Vulcan Materials during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in Vulcan Materials by 138.5% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 186 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $48,000 after acquiring an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Washington Trust Advisors Inc. grew its position in Vulcan Materials by 30.0% in the fourth quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 208 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $54,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VMC has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials from $295.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Monday, February 24th. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 price objective on shares of Vulcan Materials in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Raymond James dropped their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $298.00 to $295.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on Vulcan Materials in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $287.00 price target on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $290.00 to $285.00 in a research report on Wednesday, March 19th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $302.67.

Vulcan Materials Trading Down 2.0 %

NYSE VMC opened at $232.90 on Friday. Vulcan Materials has a 52-week low of $215.08 and a 52-week high of $298.31. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $253.92 and a 200 day moving average price of $260.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.00, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a quick ratio of 2.02, a current ratio of 1.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 18th. The construction company reported $2.17 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.41. The company 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 12.83% and a net margin of 12.30%. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.46 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect 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 was paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $0.49 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This is a boost from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.84%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.61%.

Vulcan Materials Company 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.