Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC Raises Position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 27.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 62,403 shares of the construction company’s stock after acquiring an additional 13,539 shares during the period. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $16,052,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

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

Vulcan Materials Trading Up 0.5 %

VMC stock opened at $241.86 on Monday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $241.50 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $259.57. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.31, a price-to-earnings-growth 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 has a twelve month low of $215.08 and a twelve month high of $298.31.

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, topping the consensus estimate of $1.76 by $0.41. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.30% and a return on equity of 12.83%. The business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.81 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.46 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were paid a $0.49 dividend. This is a positive change from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.81%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 28.61%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on VMC. Royal Bank of Canada raised 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, February 19th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Vulcan Materials from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 10th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Monday, March 24th. UBS Group downgraded shares of Vulcan Materials from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $343.00 to $258.00 in a research report on Monday, April 7th. Finally, Loop Capital decreased their price objective on Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 1st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $293.64.

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.