COMPARE · Reviewed July 29, 2026
USLM vs VMC
Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. USLM scored 54.7, VMC scored 49.7 — USLM leads.
Compare another set
USLM
United States Lime & Minerals, Inc.
54.7
$115.22 · $3.3B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
5.0
USLM leads
VMC
Vulcan Materials Company
49.7
$272.74 · $35.4B
fundamentals as of
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
USLM
stronger →← stronger
VMC
88
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
67
50
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
50
37
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
37
USLM is stronger on 1 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
USLM
VMC
$91mC-
FCF
$1.1bC+
+9.5%B
Rev
+7.4%B
0.01A
D/E
0.61C+
25.4xC+
P/E
32.1xC
1.44B
PEG
2.50C
Winner per row is the stronger grade in our model; a tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
USLM
VMC
51% above
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
61% above
~19%/yr
Growth the price implies10-yr FCF · lower = less priced in
~23%/yr
-42%
1-yr DCF upside
-49%
-34%
5-yr DCF upside
-38%
-19%
10-yr DCF upside
-18%
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
USLM
Why this score
- Durable high returns
- Cyclical growth
VMC
Why this score
- Raising its dividend
- Cyclical growth
The companies
USLMUnited States Lime & Minerals, Inc.
Why now
Building Materials · market cap $3.3b. 19% off the 52-week high of $141.44.
Moat
Net margin 35% is exceptional — pricing-power territory rare outside premium software, branded staples, and specialty pharma. ROE 20% sits above Buffett's preferred 15% threshold — the equity base is compounding at a rate the market struggles to discount accurately. Mining moat is reserve quality + extraction cost per unit — top-quartile cost producers generate cash through the commodity cycle while marginal producers burn it.
Risk
Jurisdictional + permitting risk — mining and extraction operations concentrate exposure to political stability, royalty regimes, and environmental review timelines that can stall production for years.
VMCVulcan Materials Company
Why now
Building Materials · market cap $35.4b. 18% off the 52-week high of $331.09. 22 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $325.25 (implying +19% upside).
Moat
Net margin 14% beats the market median by a meaningful margin — the company is keeping more of every revenue dollar than the average S&P constituent. ROE 13% meets the long-run market sustainable threshold — solid but not differentiated; the durability comes from elsewhere. FCF converts 100% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Trailing P/E 32x sits well above the S&P median (~20x) — multiple compression is a real risk if revenue growth decelerates. Production-cost sensitivity — top-quartile cost producers generate cash through the cycle while marginal producers burn it; watch the cost-per-unit trend, not just headline revenue.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.