Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA Sells 1,095,408 Shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC)

Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA decreased its position in Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 21.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,948,775 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 1,095,408 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned approximately 2.99% of Vulcan Materials worth $1,015,743,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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

Vulcan Materials Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of Vulcan Materials stock opened at $237.26 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $252.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $260.78. Vulcan Materials has a 12-month low of $215.08 and a 12-month high of $298.31. The company has a market capitalization of $31.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.80.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last posted its earnings results 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 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 business posted $1.46 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.83%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This is an increase from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.61%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Loop Capital dropped their target price on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $320.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley upped 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. Raymond James reduced their target price on Vulcan Materials from $298.00 to $295.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Vulcan Materials to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $305.58.

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.