Latest news with #BXC
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Fines (R10 000 to R40 000) for electricity bypass in ELM
VANDERBIJLPARK – Many streets in SE7 are 100% illegally bypassed, bleeding the municipality dry of service delivery revenue and threatening to compromise the electricity infrastructure for all customers in the area. This has caused stakeholders to blame electricity theft as the reason why a small group of residents are resisting the installation of smart meters in the area – and gives insight into why Emfuleni residents owe ELM more than R6 billion for unpaid services. According to smart meter service provider BXC, which says it has discovered more and more streets in the densely-populated suburb – due to concentrated student accommodation – are 100% bypassed and with even more streets reaching a 90% and 80% bypass rate. The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) is staggering under the financial weight of a deep-seated culture of non-payment throughout Emfuleni, but especially in densely-populated suburbs such as SE7, resulting in huge losses for ELM which must still pay Eskom for stolen power. DA Councillor Yvonne Coertze says the installation of smart meters throughout Emfuleni is vital to normalise electricity supply and to ensure payment. BXC is proceeding with smart meter installations in SE7 under Police guard and also assisted by the ELM By Law Unit. ELM is on National Treasury's debt relief programme for its huge Eskom debt and a requirement of that programme is that smart meters be installed to protect and expand revenue security. Most of ELM's revenue comes from electricity sales, currently managed by Eskom as its agent. Although smart meter infrastructure can be bypassed, unlike traditional pre-paid meters it is picked up instantly by the BXC IT network and allows for swift action. Fines of up to R10 000 or even R40 000 in the case of businesses can be issued if bypasses are found, and these must be paid along with the cost of stolen electricity before power is restored. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This BlueLinx Holdings Insider Increased Their Holding In The Last Year
Looking at BlueLinx Holdings Inc.'s (NYSE:BXC ) insider transactions over the last year, we can see that insiders were net buyers. That is, there were more number of shares purchased by insiders than there were sold. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. Notably, that recent purchase by C. Wall is the biggest insider purchase of BlueLinx Holdings shares that we've seen in the last year. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of US$65.87. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when an insider has purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. C. Wall was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months. C. Wall purchased 7.15k shares over the year. The average price per share was US$69.80. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! View our latest analysis for BlueLinx Holdings BlueLinx Holdings is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of under-the-radar companies with insider buying. I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. BlueLinx Holdings insiders own about US$21m worth of shares. That equates to 4.0% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. The recent insider purchase is heartening. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. Insiders likely see value in BlueLinx Holdings shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example - BlueLinx Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) 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. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vulcan Materials Co (VMC) Q1 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Financial Performance Amid ...
Adjusted EBITDA: 27% improvement year-over-year. Adjusted EBITDA Margin: Expanded by 420 basis points. Aggregates Shipments: 1% lower than the prior year. Aggregates Freight-Adjusted Price: Improved 7% year-over-year; 8.5% on a mix-adjusted basis. Aggregates Freight-Adjusted Unit Cash Cost of Sales: Declined 3% compared to the prior year. Aggregates Cash Gross Profit: Grew to $10.99 per ton. Asphalt Cash Unit Profitability: Expanded by 19%. Concrete Cash Unit Profitability: Expanded by 77%. Total Cash Gross Profit: Improved by over 50%. Free Cash Flow: $869 million over the last 12 months, 93% conversion of net earnings. Return on Invested Capital: 16.2%. Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA Leverage: 2.2 times. Cash on Hand: Over $190 million. Capital Expenditures: $105 million in the quarter; expected $750 million to $800 million for the full year. SAG Expenses: In line with expectations; full year expected between $550 million and $560 million. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with BXC. Release Date: April 30, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Vulcan Materials Co (NYSE:VMC) reported a 27% improvement in adjusted EBITDA and a 420 basis points expansion in adjusted EBITDA margin, showcasing strong financial performance. The company achieved a 20% year-over-year improvement in aggregates cash gross profit per ton, indicating effective execution of their growth strategy. Cash unit profitability in both Asphalt and Concrete expanded considerably by 19% and 77%, respectively, contributing to over 50% improvement in total cash gross profit. Vulcan Materials Co (NYSE:VMC) generated $869 million of free cash flow over the last 12 months, reflecting a 93% conversion of net earnings. The company maintains a strong balance sheet with net debt to adjusted EBITDA leverage at 2.2 times, providing financial flexibility for future growth opportunities. Aggregates shipments in the first quarter were 1% lower than the prior year, impacted by extremely cold weather and one less shipping day. Private demand faces challenges due to affordability issues and elevated interest rates, affecting residential construction activity. The interest rate environment and macroeconomic uncertainty are delaying the timing of recovery in private nonresidential construction starts. Vulcan Materials Co (NYSE:VMC) may experience some tariff-related inflationary pressures in operating costs, although not expected to have a material effect on earnings. The company anticipates challenges in private demand, particularly in the fixed concrete plant side, driven by private demand challenges. Q: Can you discuss your thoughts on midyear price increases and cost cadence given the strong performance? A: We carried good momentum into the year with prices up 7%, mix adjusted up 8.5%. Our January 1 price increases went as expected, and we continue to have good pricing in our backlog. We maintain our guidance at 5% to 7% and are starting discussions for midyear price adjustments, which will impact 2026 more than 2025. Q: How would you characterize the organic rock volumes in 2025 across residential, non-residential, and public sectors? A: We maintain our guidance of 3% to 5% growth with acquisitions. We see challenges on the private side but expect healthy growth on the public side. Q1 shipments were down 1% due to cold weather, but March saw a 9% increase. We anticipate back-half-loaded volumes with easier comps from last year's weather challenges. Q: Have you seen any pressure on the pace of IIJA rollout or IRA-related projects due to administrative policy? A: No significant impact. IIJA funds are flowing as expected, and state budgets indicate growth in our markets. Local road and bridge measures also add $45 billion in funding. We expect growth in federal, state, and local funding for the next few years. Q: Can you elaborate on the cost performance in the quarter and the outlook for the rest of the year? A: Costs were down 3% due to improved operating efficiencies, controlled spending, and some delayed expenditures due to weather. While we had a great start, cost will be lumpy, and we guide to low to mid-single-digit increases for the year. Q: Are you seeing any significant project cancellations or delays, and how does the Vulcan Way of Operating help in this uncertain environment? A: Projects that have started are not being canceled or delayed. We are bidding on a lot of work, but some projects are on pause due to macro volatility. The Vulcan Way of Operating provides clarity and forward-looking information, helping us consistently execute and improve unit margins. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
