For the quarter ended December 2024, Vulcan Materials (VMC) reported revenue of $1.85 billion, up 1.1% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $2.17, compared to $1.46 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.83 billion, representing a surprise of +1.42%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +23.30%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.76.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how Vulcan performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Average unit sales price per ton - Aggregates (freight adjusted): $21.41 compared to the $21.31 average estimate based on four analysts.
• Unit shipments - Aggregates: 53,900 KTon versus 53,380.82 KTon estimated by four analysts on average.
• Unit shipments - Asphalt mix: 3,400 KTon versus 3,388.29 KTon estimated by three analysts on average.
• Unit shipments - Ready-mixed concrete: 900 KCuYd versus 951.63 KCuYd estimated by three analysts on average.
• Average unit sales price per ton - Asphalt mix: $82.11 versus $80.70 estimated by three analysts on average.
• Average unit sales price per cubic yard - Ready-mixed concrete: $183.07 compared to the $186.58 average estimate based on three analysts.
• Net sales- Aggregates: $1.47 billion versus $1.47 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.3% change.
• Net sales- Concrete: $163.50 million versus $157.82 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -36.1% change.
• Net sales- Asphalt: $327.10 million versus $310.68 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +14.2% change.
• Net sales- Aggregates intersegment sales: -$109.30 million versus -$110.36 million estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -9.7% change.
• Gross profit- Aggregates: $486.50 million compared to the $469.51 million average estimate based on six analysts.
• Gross Profit- Asphalt: $46.10 million compared to the $42.93 million average estimate based on six analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Vulcan here>>>

Shares of Vulcan have returned +0.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +4.7% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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