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BALL vs. VMC: Ball vs. Vulcan Materials Stock Comparison

How do Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC) both fall under the Materials industry group, but BALL is classified in Containers & Packaging while VMC is classified in Construction Materials.

Company profile comparison for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Profile ItemBALLVMC
NameBall CorporationVulcan Materials Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryContainers & PackagingConstruction Materials
GICS Sub-IndustryMetal, Glass & Plastic ContainersConstruction Materials
Market Capitalization17.16 billion USD36.29 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BALL
VMC
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
Total Return (1Y)38.59%2.25%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)12.78%12.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-4.75%8.08%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BALL
VMC
GSPC
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)27.54%30.13%
Beta (5Y)0.940.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)-54.87%-32.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.12M1.16M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BALL and VMC are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.25-0.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.02-0.09

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.49% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 12.88% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.49%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
BALL
9.49%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%

VMC

Materials industry group

12.88%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
VMC
12.88%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 3.52% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 13.78% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.52%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
BALL
3.52%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%

VMC

Materials industry group

13.78%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
VMC
13.78%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 9.67% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 23.95% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BALL

Materials industry group

9.67%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
BALL
9.67%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%

VMC

Materials industry group

23.95%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
VMC
23.95%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
ROE (TTM)9.49%12.88%
ROA (TTM)4.65%5.89%
Net Margin (TTM)3.52%13.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.67%23.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)17.84%27.48%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ball (BALL) at 11.58% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 7.06% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 18.39% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Ball (BALL) at -74.62% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.58%7.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.53%2.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)-74.62%18.39%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)13.62%23.46%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.04 and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 1.43 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.04

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
BALL
1.04
Min
0.16

VMC

Materials industry group

1.43

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
VMC
1.43
Min
0.16
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 0.63 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ball (BALL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max
1.98
BALL
1.33
Q3
0.89
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00

VMC

Materials industry group

0.63

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
VMC
0.63
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.041.43
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.63
Net Debt / EBITDA3.452.27

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 1.20% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 0.72% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.20%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
BALL
1.20%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

VMC

Materials industry group

0.72%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
VMC
0.72%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 40.20% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 24.26% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

BALL

Materials industry group

40.20%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
BALL
40.20%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

VMC

Materials industry group

24.26%

Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
VMC
24.26%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.20%0.72%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)40.20%24.26%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ball (BALL) at 33.13 and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 33.46 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

BALL

Materials industry group

33.13

Max
59.00
BALL
33.13
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93

VMC

Materials industry group

33.46

Max
59.00
VMC
33.46
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Ball (BALL) at 1.13 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 4.53 sits in the pricier quartile — VMC costs more per dollar of sales.

BALL

Materials industry group

1.13

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
BALL
1.13
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00

VMC

Materials industry group

4.53

Max
9.62
VMC
4.53
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Ball (BALL) at 3.02 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 4.31 carries an above-peer premium to book — VMC is pricier on assets.

BALL

Materials industry group

3.02

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
BALL
3.02
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17

VMC

Materials industry group

4.31

Max
6.59
VMC
4.31
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Ball (BALL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ball (BALL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricBALLVMC
P/E Ratio (TTM)33.1333.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.134.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)3.024.31
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.54%1.96%