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PKX vs. VMC: POSCO vs. Vulcan Materials Stock Comparison

How do POSCO (PKX) 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

POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC) both fall under the Materials industry group, but PKX is classified in Metals & Mining while VMC is classified in Construction Materials.

Vulcan Materials (VMC) trades as ordinary local shares, while POSCO (PKX) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Profile ItemPKXVMC
NamePOSCO Holdings Inc. American Depositary ReceiptVulcan Materials Company
Country/RegionSouth KoreaUnited States
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryMetals & MiningConstruction Materials
GICS Sub-IndustrySteelConstruction Materials
Market Capitalization14.79 billion USD36.29 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateOctober 14, 1994February 21, 1973
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PKX
VMC
GSPC
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POSCO (PKX) 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 POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
Total Return (1Y)-4.84%2.25%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-15.65%12.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-1.81%8.08%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

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

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)46.00%30.13%
Beta (5Y)1.710.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)-68.71%-32.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)216.95K1.16M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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PKX 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 POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.20-0.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.30-0.09

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both POSCO (PKX) at 2.21% 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.

PKX

Materials industry group

2.21%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
Median
8.76%
PKX
2.21%
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both POSCO (PKX) at 1.89% 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.

PKX

Materials industry group

1.89%

Max
38.66%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
PKX
1.89%
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both POSCO (PKX) at 4.26% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 23.95% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

PKX

Materials industry group

4.26%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
Median
12.56%
PKX
4.26%
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
ROE (TTM)2.21%12.88%
ROA (TTM)1.31%5.89%
Net Margin (TTM)1.89%13.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)4.26%23.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)7.87%27.48%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 7.06% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while POSCO (PKX) at -6.09% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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

EPS Growth

Both POSCO (PKX) at -29.00% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 18.39% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
Revenue Growth (YoY)-6.09%7.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-6.72%2.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)-29.00%18.39%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-39.42%23.46%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

POSCO (PKX) at 1.98 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.

PKX

Materials industry group

1.98

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
PKX
1.98
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both POSCO (PKX) at 0.50 and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 0.63 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

PKX

Materials industry group

0.50

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
PKX
0.50
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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POSCO (PKX) 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 POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.981.43
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.500.63
Net Debt / EBITDA2.812.27

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 0.72% pays an industry-typical yield; POSCO (PKX) at 18,518.52% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

PKX

Materials industry group

18,518.52%

PKX
18,518.52%
Max
4.52%
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 24.26% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while POSCO (PKX) at 51.60% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

PKX

Materials industry group

51.60%

Max
83.62%
PKX
51.60%
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
Dividend Yield (TTM)18,518.52%0.72%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)51.60%24.26%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

POSCO (PKX) at 15.57 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 33.46 sits in the richer quartile — VMC needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

PKX

Materials industry group

15.57

Max
59.00
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
PKX
15.57
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

POSCO (PKX) at 0.00 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.

PKX

Materials industry group

0.00

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

POSCO (PKX) at 1.36 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.

PKX

Materials industry group

1.36

Max
6.59
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
PKX
1.36
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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POSCO (PKX) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for POSCO (PKX) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
MetricPKXVMC
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.5733.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.004.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.364.31
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-23,410.34%1.96%