Vulcan Materials Company Stock Upgraded (VMC)

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC) has been upgraded by TheStreet Ratings from sell to hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and good cash flow from operations. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including unimpressive growth in net income and poor profit margins.

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Highlights from the ratings report include:

• Compared to its closing price of one year ago, VMC's share price has jumped by 51.69%, exceeding the performance of the broader market during that same time frame. Regarding the stock's future course, our hold rating indicates that we do not recommend additional investment in this stock despite its gains in the past year.
• VULCAN MATERIALS CO has exprienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, VULCAN MATERIALS CO continued to lose money by earning -$0.58 versus -$0.81 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings (-$0.38 versus -$0.58).
• The gross profit margin for VULCAN MATERIALS CO is currently lower than what is desirable, coming in at 27.40%. It has decreased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of -2.60% trails that of the industry average.
• The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Construction Materials industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 124.6% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from -$8.14 million to -$18.28 million.

Vulcan Materials Company engages in the production and sale of construction aggregates, as well as asphalt mix, ready-mixed concrete, and cement primarily in the United States. The company operates in four segments: Aggregates, Concrete, Asphalt Mix, and Cement. Vulcan has a market cap of $5.98 billion and is part of the industrial goods sector and materials & construction industry. Shares are up 17.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday.

You can view the full Vulcan Ratings Report or get investment ideas from our investment research center.

-- Written by a member of TheStreet Ratings Staff

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model

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