Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) Shares Sold by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. decreased its position in shares of Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) by 0.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,647,060 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 19,625 shares during the quarter. Vulcan Materials makes up about 2.3% of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 15th biggest holding. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. owned approximately 7.31% of Vulcan Materials worth $2,481,513,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

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

Vulcan Materials Stock Down 2.0 %

Shares of Vulcan Materials stock opened at $232.90 on Friday. 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 52-week low of $215.08 and a 52-week high of $298.31. The company 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 50 day moving average of $253.92 and a 200 day moving average of $260.41.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE:VMC) last released 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. The business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.81 billion. Vulcan Materials had a net margin of 12.30% and a return on equity of 12.83%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.46 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Vulcan Materials will post 8.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vulcan Materials Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 24th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.84%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. This is a positive change from Vulcan Materials’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Vulcan Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.61%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on VMC. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Vulcan Materials from $325.00 to $301.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Stephens reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $325.00 target price on shares of Vulcan Materials in a research report on Thursday, January 2nd. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Vulcan Materials to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, March 21st. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on Vulcan Materials in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $287.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Vulcan Materials from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lowered their target price for the company from $290.00 to $285.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 19th. Three investment 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Vulcan Materials currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $302.67.

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.