Arizona State Retirement System Sells 2,821 Shares of Vulcan Materials Company $VMC

Arizona State Retirement System decreased its holdings in Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) by 7.2% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 36,256 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 2,821 shares during the period. Arizona State Retirement System’s holdings in Vulcan Materials were worth $10,341,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in Vulcan Materials by 100.0% in the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 84 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. NBT Bank N A NY bought a new position in Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter worth approximately $26,000. Greykasell Wealth Strategies Inc. bought a new position in Vulcan Materials in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. Measured Wealth Private Client Group LLC bought a new position in Vulcan Materials in the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Godsey & Gibb Inc. bought a new position in Vulcan Materials in the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 90.39% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Vulcan Materials news, Director Melissa H. Anderson sold 1,137 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $303.72, for a total value of $345,329.64. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.65% of the company’s stock.

Vulcan Materials Price Performance

Shares of VMC opened at $292.21 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.12 billion, a PE ratio of 35.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 1.97. Vulcan Materials Company has a 1-year low of $241.91 and a 1-year high of $331.09. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $285.45 and its 200-day moving average price is $293.15.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 17th. The construction company reported $1.70 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by ($0.41). The company had revenue of $1.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.95 billion. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 13.56% and a return on equity of 12.56%. Vulcan Materials’s quarterly revenue was up 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.17 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Vulcan Materials Company will post 9.17 EPS for the current year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 9th were issued a $0.52 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 9th. This is a positive change from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.49. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio is currently 25.62%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on VMC shares. Barclays reduced their price target on Vulcan Materials from $320.00 to $296.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 31st. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Vulcan Materials from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 21st. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Vulcan Materials from $322.00 to $321.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Finally, DA Davidson reduced their price target on Vulcan Materials from $330.00 to $320.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Vulcan Materials presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $324.08.

About Vulcan Materials

Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC) is a U.S.-based producer of construction materials that supplies the building and infrastructure markets. The company’s primary products include construction aggregates such as crushed stone, sand and gravel, as well as asphalt mixes and ready-mixed concrete. These materials are used in a wide range of projects including highways, commercial and residential construction, and public infrastructure.

Vulcan operates an integrated network of quarries, asphalt plants and concrete facilities to produce and deliver materials to contractors, municipalities and private developers.