Market Update: Taking a Look at Shares of Vulcan Materials Company (VMC)

Vulcan Materials Company (VMC) shares currently have a 7 day ADX signal of Buy. This signal is generally used to determine the market trend. The 7-day ADX direction is currently Strengthening. This signal shows whether the Buy or Sell signal is getting stronger or weakening, or whether the Hold is heading towards a Buy or Sell. The 7-day average directional strength is Average. This trend strength indicator measures the signal based on historical performance where minimum would represent the weakest, and maximum would indicate the strongest. 

For the novice investor, the stock market can sometimes be a scary place. Many investors may be ready to jump into the ring, but they might not have the proper training. Finding a stock market strategy that puts the investor on the winning side is not an easy task. There is a plentiful amount of information regarding the equity market. Knowing what information to focus on can be the key to sustained success. Investors who are able to sift through the noise and stick to a sturdy stock picking plan, may be in a much better position when tough portfolio decisions need to be made. Many investors will instinctually want to jump in to a stock that has taken off running. Sometimes this may work out positively, but it can also lead to significant losses and second guessing. If all the proper research is completed, investors may feel more at ease with their selections going forward. Of course there will be times when the research does not turn into expected profits, but knowing how to let go of those stocks may help the investor in the long ru

Investors may be interested in viewing some other important technical stock indicators for Vulcan Materials Company (VMC). Investors are often focused on share price support and resistance levels. The support is simply a level where a stock may see a bounce after it has fallen. If the stock price manages to break through the first support level, the focus may shift to the second level of support. The resistance is the opposite of support. As a stock rises, it may see a retreat once it reaches a certain level of resistance. After a recent check, the stock’s first resistance level is 123.87, and the second resistance level is 124.93. On the other end, investors are keeping an eye on the first support level of 122.1, and the second support level of 121.39.

Checking in on the 20-Day Bollinger Bands signal, the current reading is Hold. This short-term indicator may be used to help spot oversold and overbought conditions. The current direction of the signal is Falling.

Turning the focus to earnings, we note that Vulcan Materials Company (VMC), for the most recent period, posted quarterly EPS of 0.99. The trailing 12 month earnings number is currently 4.06. The company’s EPS growth over the previous quarter clocks in at -29.29%. The EPS metric is frequently used to measure a company’s profitability based on each outstanding share of common stock. When a company reports earnings results, the majority of the attention is on whether or not the EPS estimate is hit or missed. Wide gaps between estimates and actual reported figures may result in above normal stock price fluctuations after the earnings report.

There are various factors to examine when looking at what spurs growth in the stock market. Many investors will monitor macro-economic factors that influence the price of shares. Some of these factors include the overall condition of the economy and market sentiment. Following the macro factors, investors may employ a top down approach when viewing the equity markets. This may include starting with a sector poised for growth and filtering down to specific stock that meet the investor’s criteria. Another way to approach the stock market is to view the micro-economic factors that influence stocks. This may include studying company profits, news, and the competence of overall management. Investors will often try to piece together all the different information available in order to select stocks that will have a positive impact on the long-term strength of the portfolio.