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DOW vs. VMC: Dow vs. Vulcan Materials Stock Comparison

How do Dow (DOW) 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

Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC) both fall under the Materials industry group, but DOW is classified in Chemicals while VMC is classified in Construction Materials.

Company profile comparison for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Profile ItemDOWVMC
NameDow Inc.Vulcan Materials Company
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsConstruction Materials
GICS Sub-IndustryCommodity ChemicalsConstruction Materials
Market Capitalization22.73 billion USD36.29 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 20, 2019February 21, 1973
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

DOW
VMC
GSPC
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Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
Total Return (1Y)46.93%2.25%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-8.46%12.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-6.94%8.08%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

DOW
VMC
GSPC
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Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)41.81%30.13%
Beta (5Y)0.440.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)-64.37%-32.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)8.52M1.16M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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DOW 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 Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.02-0.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.62-0.09

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Dow (DOW) reports a negative ROE of -3.24%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Vulcan Materials (VMC) reports 12.88%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DOW

Materials industry group

-3.24%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
DOW
-3.24%
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Dow (DOW) reports a negative net margin of -2.11%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Vulcan Materials (VMC) reports 13.78%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DOW

Materials industry group

-2.11%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
DOW
-2.11%
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Dow (DOW) at 6.78% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 23.95% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

DOW

Materials industry group

6.78%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
DOW
6.78%
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
ROE (TTM)-3.24%12.88%
ROA (TTM)1.87%5.89%
Net Margin (TTM)-2.11%13.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)6.78%23.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)11.01%27.48%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 7.06% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Dow (DOW) at -6.97% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) at -335.67% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
Revenue Growth (YoY)-6.97%7.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-11.11%2.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)-335.67%18.39%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--23.46%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Dow (DOW) at 1.76 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 1.43 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VMC.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.76

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
DOW
1.76
Q1
1.45
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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Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) at 1.08 uses more debt funding than most peers.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.08

Max
1.98
DOW
1.08
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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Dow (DOW) 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 Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.761.43
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.080.63
Net Debt / EBITDA3.212.27

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Dow (DOW) at 4.38% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 0.72% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, DOW the richer one.

DOW

Materials industry group

4.38%

Max
4.52%
DOW
4.38%
Q3
1.85%
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Dow (DOW) reports payout ratio above 100% at 700.00%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Vulcan Materials (VMC) reports 24.26%, ranking against industry peers normally.

DOW

Materials industry group

700.00%

DOW
700.00%
Max
83.62%
Q3
41.37%
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
Dividend Yield (TTM)4.38%0.72%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)700.00%24.26%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Vulcan Materials (VMC) trades at 33.46 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Dow (DOW) has no P/E ratio this period.

DOW

Materials industry group

--

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
DOW
--

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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): DOW does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; VMC is benchmarked against the Materials industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Dow (DOW) at 0.53 looks cheap on sales in the lower P/S ratio quartile, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 4.53 looks rich in the upper quartile — a clear gap in price per dollar of revenue.

DOW

Materials industry group

0.53

Max
9.62
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
DOW
0.53
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Dow (DOW) at 1.41 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.

DOW

Materials industry group

1.41

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
DOW
1.41
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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Dow (DOW) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Dow (DOW) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricDOWVMC
P/E Ratio (TTM)--33.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.534.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.414.31
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.95%1.96%