Vulcan (VMC) Q4 Earnings Preview: What You Should Know Beyond the Headline Estimates

Core Viewpoint - Analysts expect Vulcan Materials (VMC) to report quarterly earnings of $1.76 per share, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 20.6%, with revenues projected at $1.83 billion, a slight decline of 0.4% from the previous year [1] Earnings Projections - Changes in earnings projections are crucial for predicting investor reactions, with empirical studies showing a strong correlation between earnings estimate trends and short-term stock price movements [2] Key Metrics Analysis - Analysts estimate 'Net sales- Aggregates' at $1.47 billion, indicating a year-over-year increase of 4.2% [4] - 'Net sales- Concrete' is expected to be $157.82 million, reflecting a significant decline of 38.4% year-over-year [4] - 'Net sales- Asphalt' is projected at $310.68 million, suggesting an increase of 8.5% year-over-year [4] Unit Sales and Prices - The average unit sales price per ton for Aggregates is expected to be $21.31, up from $19.32 in the same quarter last year [5] - 'Unit shipments - Aggregates' are forecasted to reach 53,380.82 KTon, down from 55,300 KTon year-over-year [5] - 'Unit shipments - Asphalt mix' are projected at 3,388.29 KTon, compared to 3,300 KTon in the same quarter last year [6] - 'Unit shipments - Ready-mixed concrete' are expected to be 951.63 KCuYd, down from 1,500 KCuYd year-over-year [6] Price Projections - The average unit sales price per ton for Asphalt mix is expected to be $80.70, up from $76.92 in the same quarter last year [7] - The average unit sales price per cubic yard for Ready-mixed concrete is projected at $186.58, compared to $173.83 in the same quarter last year [7] Gross Profit Estimates - Estimated 'Gross profit- Aggregates' is $469.51 million, compared to $423.90 million year-over-year [8] - 'Gross Profit- Asphalt' is expected to reach $42.93 million, up from $36.30 million year-over-year [8] - 'Gross Profit- Concrete' is projected at $5.62 million, down from $11.40 million year-over-year [8] Stock Performance - Vulcan shares have decreased by 1.6% over the past month, contrasting with a 3.9% increase in the Zacks S&P 500 composite [10] - With a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), VMC is anticipated to closely follow overall market performance in the near term [10]