Today we're going to take a look at the well-established Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE:VMC). The company's stock saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$275 and falling to the lows of US$232. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Vulcan Materials' current trading price of US$250 reflective of the actual value of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Let's take a look at Vulcan Materials's outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

What Is Vulcan Materials Worth?

Vulcan Materials appears to be expensive according to our price multiple model, which makes a comparison between the company's price-to-earnings ratio and the industry average. We've used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because there's not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stock's ratio of 35.74x is currently well-above the industry average of 22.22x, meaning that it is trading at a more expensive price relative to its peers. Another thing to keep in mind is that Vulcan Materials's share price is quite stable relative to the rest of the market, as indicated by its low beta. This means that if you believe the current share price should move towards the levels of its industry peers over time, a low beta could suggest it is not likely to reach that level anytime soon, and once it's there, it may be hard for it to fall back down into an attractive buying range again.

What does the future of Vulcan Materials look like?

Future outlook is an important aspect when you're looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that it's the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. Vulcan Materials' earnings over the next few years are expected to increase by 56%, indicating a highly optimistic future ahead. This should lead to more robust cash flows, feeding into a higher share value.

What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in VMC's positive outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question – is now the right time to sell? If you believe VMC should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If you've been keeping tabs on VMC for some time, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for VMC, which means it's worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

With this in mind, we wouldn't consider investing in a stock unless we had a thorough understanding of the risks. For example - Vulcan Materials has 2 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in Vulcan Materials, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.