Analyst Initiates Buy Rating for Vulcan Materials Amid Market Weakness
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Nov 07 2024
0mins
Should l Buy VMC?
Source: Benzinga
Vulcan Materials Co's stock rose by 3.00% and reached a 52-week high despite the broader market decline, with the Nasdaq-100 down 1.07% and the S&P 500 down 0.42%.
The positive movement in Vulcan's stock can be attributed to B. Riley Securities analyst Rohit Seth initiating coverage with a Buy rating and a price target of $345, which reflects strong optimism and could attract more investor interest. This comes in the context of a disappointing earnings report from Raymond James, which may have shifted focus towards more promising stocks like Vulcan.
This analyst support suggests that Vulcan Materials is viewed favorably in a challenging market environment, potentially positioning it for continued growth as investors seek stability and value.
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Analyst Views on VMC
Wall Street analysts forecast VMC stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for VMC is 334.13 USD with a low forecast of 316.00 USD and a high forecast of 370.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
9 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 323.720
Low
316.00
Averages
334.13
High
370.00
Current: 323.720
Low
316.00
Averages
334.13
High
370.00
About VMC
Vulcan Materials Company is a supplier of construction aggregates and producer of aggregates-based construction materials. The Company’s segments include Aggregates, Asphalt and Concrete. The Aggregates segment produces and sells aggregates, such as crushed stone, sand and gravel, sand, and other aggregates and related products and services. This segment also includes a production stage and leased calcium operation located in Brooksville, Florida. This limestone quarry produces a supplement for end-use products such as animal feed and plastics. The Asphalt segment produces and sells asphalt mix in Alabama, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas and provides asphalt construction paving services in Alabama, Tennessee and Texas. The Concrete segment produces and sells ready-mixed concrete in California, Maryland and Virginia. The Company provides the basic materials for the infrastructure delivered by trucks, ships, barges, and trains.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Capital Flow Changes: Goldman Sachs equity strategist Ben Snider indicates that capital is rotating towards sectors perceived as insulated from AI disruption, marking a clear departure from last year's market strategies and reflecting diminished investor confidence in AI themes.
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- Stock Price Movement: Despite the disappointing earnings report, Raymond James shares rose 0.9% to close at $167.34 on Monday, suggesting that market confidence in the company's fundamentals remains intact.
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- Participation Details: Investors can join the call by dialing 833-316-1983 approximately 10 minutes prior to the start, with international participants using 785-838-9310 and the conference ID being 7531856.
- Live Webcast: The conference call will be available via live webcast on Vulcan's website, allowing investors and interested parties to listen in, with a replay accessible after the call.
- Company Overview: Vulcan Materials Company is the largest supplier of construction aggregates in the U.S., primarily producing crushed stone, sand, and gravel, and is a major manufacturer of aggregates-based construction materials including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete.
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- Participation Details: Investors can join the call by dialing 833-316-1983 approximately 10 minutes prior to the start, with an international number of 785-838-9310 and conference ID 7531856, facilitating global investor participation.
- Webcast Availability: The conference call will be available via live webcast on Vulcan's website, and a replay will be accessible post-call, ensuring that investors unable to attend live can still obtain relevant information.
- Company Overview: Vulcan Materials Company is the largest supplier of construction aggregates in the U.S., primarily providing crushed stone, sand, and gravel, and is a major producer of aggregates-based construction materials, including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete, highlighting its significant role in the construction industry.
See More
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- CRH Outlook: CRH Plc, as a global building materials company, benefits from growth in the North American market, with increased demand for its diversified materials portfolio expected as construction activity picks up, likely driving company performance.
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- Market Sentiment Shift: As fears grow that artificial intelligence could disrupt demand rather than enhance it, software and AI-exposed stocks have faced significant sell-offs at the start of 2023, particularly in February, leading investors to reassess their risk exposure.
- Capital Flow Changes: Goldman Sachs equity strategist Ben Snider indicates that capital is rotating towards sectors perceived as insulated from AI disruption, marking a clear departure from last year's market strategies and reflecting diminished investor confidence in AI themes.
- Cyclical Industry Rally: Despite software stocks experiencing one of their worst weeks since the 2022 rate-hike panic, cyclical and consumer-linked industries have continued their recent rallies, indicating a growing preference for traditional sectors among investors.
- Strong Dow Jones Performance: Amid the decline in software stocks, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has rallied towards all-time highs, suggesting increased investor confidence in industries tied to physical assets and cyclical activity, further emphasizing the market's demand for safety from AI-driven productivity risks.
See More
Raymond James Financial Misses Earnings Expectations
- Earnings Miss: Raymond James reported quarterly earnings of $2.86 per share on January 28, falling short of the analyst consensus estimate of $2.88, indicating potential pressure on the company's profitability and investor confidence.
- Sales Shortfall: The firm’s quarterly sales of $3.735 billion also missed the analyst consensus estimate of $3.92 billion, raising concerns about its future growth prospects in a competitive market.
- Stock Price Movement: Despite the disappointing earnings report, Raymond James shares rose 0.9% to close at $167.34 on Monday, suggesting that market confidence in the company's fundamentals remains intact.
- Analyst Support for Vulcan: B. Riley Securities analyst Rohit Seth initiated coverage on Vulcan Materials with a Buy rating and a price target of $345 on January 16, indicating strong optimism that may attract more investor interest in the stock.
See More
Analysts Initiate Coverage on Vulcan Materials with $345 Price Target
- Vulcan Materials Rating: B. Riley Securities analyst Rohit Seth initiated coverage on Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) with a Buy rating and a price target of $345, indicating a potential upside of approximately 14% from Thursday's closing price of $301.71, reflecting confidence in the company's future growth prospects.
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- Martin Marietta Rating: B. Riley Securities analyst Rohit Seth initiated coverage on Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) with a Neutral rating and a price target of $700, which implies a potential increase of around 9% from its Thursday closing price of $640.94, reflecting recognition of the company's stable performance.
- Construction Partners Rating: B. Riley Securities analyst Rohit Seth initiated coverage on Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROAD) with a Neutral rating and a price target of $117, indicating a modest upside of about 4% from Thursday's closing price of $112.13, demonstrating a cautious outlook on its future growth potential.
See More
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- Earnings Call Scheduled: Vulcan Materials Company will host its Q4 2025 earnings conference call on February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. CT, with financial results released before NYSE market opens.
- Participation Details: Investors can join the call by dialing 833-316-1983 approximately 10 minutes prior to the start, with international participants using 785-838-9310 and the conference ID being 7531856.
- Live Webcast: The conference call will be available via live webcast on Vulcan's website, allowing investors and interested parties to listen in, with a replay accessible after the call.
- Company Overview: Vulcan Materials Company is the largest supplier of construction aggregates in the U.S., primarily producing crushed stone, sand, and gravel, and is a major manufacturer of aggregates-based construction materials including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete.
See More
Vulcan Materials Company to Host Q4 2025 Earnings Call on February 17, 2026
- Earnings Call Schedule: Vulcan Materials Company will hold its Q4 2025 earnings conference call on February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. CT, with financial results released before the NYSE opens, ensuring timely access to critical information for investors.
- Participation Details: Investors can join the call by dialing 833-316-1983 approximately 10 minutes prior to the start, with an international number of 785-838-9310 and conference ID 7531856, facilitating global investor participation.
- Webcast Availability: The conference call will be available via live webcast on Vulcan's website, and a replay will be accessible post-call, ensuring that investors unable to attend live can still obtain relevant information.
- Company Overview: Vulcan Materials Company is the largest supplier of construction aggregates in the U.S., primarily providing crushed stone, sand, and gravel, and is a major producer of aggregates-based construction materials, including asphalt and ready-mixed concrete, highlighting its significant role in the construction industry.
See More
Materials Stocks Surge: Best Performing Sector Early 2026
- Materials Performance: As of early 2026, the Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) has risen 6%, already delivering over half of its full-year 2025 return, indicating a robust recovery in the materials sector and increased investor confidence.
- Mortgage Rate Decline: Following Trump's plan to lower borrowing costs, mortgage rates have dipped to their lowest level in five years, driving a strong rebound in homebuilding stocks and reflecting optimistic market expectations for construction materials demand.
- CRH Outlook: CRH Plc, as a global building materials company, benefits from growth in the North American market, with increased demand for its diversified materials portfolio expected as construction activity picks up, likely driving company performance.
- Martin Marietta Materials: Martin Marietta holds a significant position in both public infrastructure and private construction markets, with lower borrowing costs improving project economics, which is expected to boost its materials sales and further solidify its market position.
See More
