Vulcan Materials CO - Annual Report: 2022 (Form 10-K)

Commission file number: 001-33841

VULCAN MATERIALS COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(205) 298-3000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, references in this report to “Vulcan,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” refer to Vulcan Materials Company and its consolidated subsidiaries.

PART I

“SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES
‎LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Certain of the matters and statements made herein or incorporated by reference into this report constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All such statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect our intent, belief or current expectation. Often, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words, such as “anticipate,” “may,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “expect,” “intend” and words of similar import. In addition to the statements included in this report, we may from time to time make other oral or written forward-looking statements in other filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or in other public disclosures. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results could differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in or contemplated by the statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:

general economic and business conditions

a pandemic, epidemic or other public health emergency, such as the COVID-19 outbreak

our dependence on the construction industry, which is subject to economic cycles

the timing and amount of federal, state and local funding for infrastructure

changes in the level of spending for private residential and private nonresidential construction

changes in our effective tax rate

the increasing reliance on information technology infrastructure, including the risks that the infrastructure does not work as intended, experiences technical difficulties or is subjected to cyber-attacks

the impact of the state of the global economy on our businesses and financial condition and access to capital markets

international business operations and relationships, including recent actions taken by the Mexican government with respect to our property and operations in that country

the highly competitive nature of the construction industry

the impact of future regulatory or legislative actions, including those relating to climate change, biodiversity, land use, wetlands, greenhouse gas emissions, the definition of minerals, tax policy and domestic and international trade

the outcome of pending legal proceedings

pricing of our products

weather and other natural phenomena, including the impact of climate change and availability of water

availability and cost of trucks, railcars, barges and ships, as well as their licensed operators, for transport of our materials

energy costs

costs of hydrocarbon-based raw materials

healthcare costs

labor relations, shortages and constraints

the amount of long-term debt and interest expense we incur

changes in interest rates

volatility in pension plan asset values and liabilities, which may require cash contributions to the pension plans

the impact of environmental cleanup costs and other liabilities relating to existing and/or divested businesses

our ability to secure and permit aggregates reserves in strategically located areas

our ability to manage and successfully integrate acquisitions

the effect of changes in tax laws, guidance and interpretations

significant downturn in the construction industry may result in the impairment of goodwill or long-lived assets

changes in technologies, which could disrupt the way we do business and how our products are distributed

the risks of open pit and underground mining

expectations relating to environmental, social and governance considerations

claims that our products do not meet regulatory requirements or contractual specifications

the risks set forth in Item 1A “Risk Factors,” Item 3 “Legal Proceedings,” Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data,” all as set forth in this report

other assumptions, risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission

All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of filing or publication. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. Investors are cautioned not to rely unduly on such forward-looking statements when evaluating the information presented in our filings, and are advised to consult any of our future disclosures in filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our press releases with regard to our business and consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

our mission

We are the company we are today thanks to the positive actions of our nearly 12,000 employees. We believe that doing the right thing is good for our business, our environment and our society. That’s our commitment.

Our Mission

Provide quality products and services that consistently

exceed our customers’ expectations. Be responsible stewards

with respect to safety and the environmental impact of our operations

and products. Drive value and superior returns for our customers,

employees, communities and shareholders.

We maintain the highest degree of respect for people — for their dignity, talents and interests. We believe that empowering, mentoring, training and rewarding our people helps create a highly engaged workforce, happy people and sustainable, long-term value.

We act fairly and honorably to earn the respect and trust of all parties with whom we interact. We hold ourselves to high ethical standards, including abiding by both the letter and spirit of the laws and regulations related to our business.

We are committed to excellence in all of our activities. We value innovation. We strive to maintain a position of leadership in all of our businesses.

DOING THE RIGHT THING, THE RIGHT WAY, AT THE RIGHT TIME. IT’S THE VULCAN WAY.

‎

ITEM 1

BUSINESS

Vulcan Materials Company operates primarily in the U.S. and is the nation’s largest supplier of construction aggregates (primarily crushed stone, sand and gravel) and a major producer of aggregates-based construction materials, including asphalt mix and ready-mixed concrete. We provide the basic materials for the infrastructure needed to maintain and expand the U.S. economy. Delivered by trucks, ships, barges and trains, our products are the indispensable materials building homes, offices, places of worship, schools, hospitals and factories, as well as vital infrastructure including highways, bridges, roads, ports and harbors, water systems, campuses, dams, airports and rail networks. As of December 31, 2022, we had 404 active aggregates facilities as shown below.

For additional information regarding our Calica operations in Mexico, see Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

While aggregates is our focus and primary business, as of December 31, 2022, we further served our customers through our 71 asphalt facilities and 142 concrete facilities located in Alabama, Arizona, California, Maryland, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

Our strategy and competitive advantage are based on our strength in aggregates, which are used in most types of construction and in the production of asphalt mix and ready-mixed concrete. Our strategy for long-term value creation is built on: (1) an aggregates-focused business, (2) a disciplined approach to growth management and capital allocation, (3) a focus on continuous compounding improvement in profitability, (4) a holistic approach to land management, and (5) our commitment to safety, health and the environment.

1. AGGREGATES FOCUS

Aggregates are used in virtually all types of public and private construction, practically no substitutes for quality aggregates exist, and significant barriers to entry exist in most markets. Vulcan is uniquely positioned as the largest aggregates supplier in the U.S. and the most aggregates-focused public company.

Source: 2021 reported financial information and Company estimates. VMC includes U.S. Concrete revenues subsequent to the August 2021 acquisition.

Given our focus on aggregates, we:

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SIZE AND SCALE: While certain aspects of each aggregates operation are unique, such as its location within a local market and its particular geological characteristics, every operation uses a similar group of assets to produce saleable aggregates and provide customer service. Our 404 active aggregates facilities as of December 31, 2022 provide opportunities to share and scale best practices across our operations and to procure equipment (fixed and mobile), parts, supplies and services in an efficient and cost-effective manner, both regionally and nationally. Additionally, we are able to share best practices across the organization and leverage our size for administrative support, customer service, accounting, procurement, technical support and engineering.

BUILD AND HOLD SUBSTANTIAL RESERVES: Our reserves are critical to our long-term success. We currently have 15.6 billion tons of proven and probable aggregates reserves. They are strategically located to economically serve high-growth areas in the United States that are expected to require large amounts of aggregates to meet future construction demand. Moreover, there are significant barriers to entry in many metropolitan markets due to stringent zoning and permitting regulations. These restrictions curtail expansion in certain areas, but they also increase the value of our reserves at existing locations.

2. Growth management AND CAPITAL ALLOCATION

growth management: Demand for our products is dependent on construction activity and correlates positively with changes in population growth, household formation and employment. As such, we have pursued a strategy to increase our presence in U.S. metropolitan areas that are expected to grow the most rapidly and to divest assets that are no longer considered part of our long-term growth strategy. During the next decade (2022 - 2032), Woods & Poole Economics projects that 75% of the U.S. population growth, 74% of household formation and 73% of new jobs will occur in Vulcan-served states. Our coast-to-coast footprint serves 20 of the top 25 highest-growth metropolitan statistical areas in 22 states plus Washington D.C. The close proximity of our aggregates reserves and our production facilities to this projected population growth creates many opportunities to invest capital in high-return projects.

Source: Woods & Poole Economics, Complete Economic and Demographic Data Source (CEDDS) 2022

Our top ten revenue producing states accounted for 84% of our 2022 revenues while our top five accounted for 62%.

capital allocation: Our long-term capital allocation strategy is focused on the following priorities:

Operating Capital (maintain and grow the value of our franchise)

Growth Capital (including greenfields and acquisitions)

Dividend Growth (with a keen focus on sustainability)

Return Excess Cash to Shareholders (primarily via share repurchases)

During 2022, we reinvested $612.6 million into core operating & maintenance capital and internal growth capital, in addition to $451.3 million and $362.2 million reinvested in 2021 and 2020, respectively. These investments are fundamental actions that sustain and strengthen the business. They improve the longer-term efficiency, capacity and flexibility of our production, and they support our strong commitment to superior customer service.

Since becoming a public company in 1956, Vulcan has principally grown by mergers and acquisitions. In 1999, we acquired CalMat Co., thereby expanding our aggregates operations into California and Arizona and making us one of the nation’s leading producers of asphalt mix. In 2007, we acquired Florida Rock Industries, Inc., expanding our aggregates business in Florida and our aggregates and ready-mixed concrete businesses in other Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states. In 2017, we acquired Aggregates USA, greatly expanding our ability to serve customers in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. In 2021, we acquired U.S. Concrete, enhancing and expanding our aggregates-led business in attractive growing metropolitan areas.

While an aggregates-focused business, we selectively make investments in downstream products that drive local market profitability. Our downstream businesses (asphalt and concrete) use internally-produced aggregates almost exclusively when available in the market from a Vulcan aggregates operation. In 2017, we entered the asphalt market in Tennessee through the acquisition of several asphalt mix operations and a construction paving business. In 2018, we entered the asphalt mix and construction paving markets in Alabama and expanded our asphalt operations and service offerings in Texas through the acquisition of several asphalt mix operations and construction paving businesses. Through our 2021 acquisition of U.S. Concrete, we entered the New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and U.S. Virgin Islands concrete markets and expanded our California, Texas and Washington D.C. concrete markets. We subsequently exited the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania concrete markets in 2022.

Additionally, throughout our history, we have completed many bolt-on aggregates and downstream acquisitions that have contributed significantly to our growth. From 2020 to 2022, we invested $2,307.4 million in acquisitions as outlined in Note 19 “Acquisitions and Divestitures” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

Our annual Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) decreased 0.7 percentage points (70 basis points) in 2022. While Adjusted EBITDA increased 12% in 2022 (net earnings attributable to Vulcan decreased 14% in 2022), invested capital increased by 18%, primarily as a result of acquisitions. We remain committed to driving improvement in our ROIC through solid operating earnings growth coupled with disciplined capital management. ROIC and Adjusted EBITDA are Non-GAAP financial measures. Non-GAAP financial measures are defined and reconciled within Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the caption “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

3. compounding improvement in profitability

Our focus on the Vulcan Way of Selling (Commercial Excellence & Logistics Innovation) and the Vulcan Way of Operating (Operational Excellence & Strategic Sourcing) has made us one of the most profitable public companies in the industry (as measured by aggregates gross profit per ton).

Commercial Excellence — We place great emphasis on the unique characteristics of each geographic market, and we interact with our customers accordingly. We leverage our coast-to-coast presence, sharing best practices and real-time, forward-looking metrics with our sales teams to drive high quality discussions, value selling and improved solutions for our customers. We have clearly defined roles and responsibilities which enable our sales teams to spend less time on non-selling activities and more time responding to our customers’ needs.

Logistics Innovation — Our industry-leading logistics team manages the shipments of nearly half of our products. We provide logistics systems that give us real-time information including on-site, mobile visibility to orders, deliveries and digital shipping records. Partnering with our customers (truck drivers and contractors), our bundled logistics solutions enable streamlined scheduling, speed and accuracy of delivery, as well as efficient back-office processes.

Operational Excellence — We strive for continuous and sustainable improvements in our operating disciplines and our industry-leading safety performance. Leveraging our size and diversity, we harness technology and innovation to equip our operators with the tools and information they need to improve our customer service, asset utilization and production efficiencies.

Strategic Sourcing — We focus on value preservation and creation in our sourcing, leveraging our scale to save money across the organization while making sure our employees have the supplies and equipment they need. Deploying best practices and innovation allows us to spend more time in our plants and with our suppliers to deliver the right parts and services at the right time and optimize the total cost of ownership.

We manage the Vulcan Way of Selling & Operating locally and align our talent and incentives accordingly. Our knowledgeable and experienced workforce and our flexible production capabilities allow us to manage operational and overhead costs aggressively. As a result, from 2020 to 2022, aggregates gross profit per ton has improved from $5.57 to $5.96 (an increase of 7%), and aggregates cash gross profit per ton has improved from $7.11 to $7.83 (an increase of 10%). Aggregates cash gross profit per ton is a Non-GAAP financial measure. Non-GAAP financial measures are defined and reconciled within Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” under the caption “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

4. LAND MANAGEMENT

With more than 240,000 acres in our land portfolio, a long-term holistic approach to preserving land and water is integral to sustaining our success. From pre-mining to mining to reclamation, we are actively managing the entire life cycle of our land to create maximum value for the business, our shareholders and our communities.

We are putting land to use before we mine by creating opportunities for agriculture and timber development. After mining, our land and water assets will be converted to other valuable uses including drinking water reservoirs, aquifer recharge basins, public parks, habitat mitigation banks, wetlands, productive farmland and residential and commercial developments. In 2022, we sold excess real estate in Southern California for net proceeds of $23.6 million resulting in a pretax gain of $23.5 million. In 2021, we sold previously mined land in Southern California that we had reclaimed for commercial and retail development for net proceeds of $182.3 million resulting in a pretax net gain of $114.7 million.

Because of the evolving needs of our communities, we listen to and collaborate with our neighbors to prepare the land for its highest and best use after mining is complete. For example, in 2021 we partnered with the city of Atlanta to convert our Bellwood Quarry into a reservoir. This reservoir will serve as an emergency water supply for Atlanta, holding more than 2 billion gallons of water from the Chattahoochee River. This amount is enough backup water supply to last between 30 and 90 days — a significant improvement from the city’s previous reserve of three to five days. We are proud to have worked with the city of Atlanta to provide an extremely valuable asset that protects and serves local communities. Our work with state, regional and local governments to develop solutions today will benefit future generations.

5. SAFETY, HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

A strategy for sustainable, long-term value creation must include doing right by your employees, your neighbors and the environment in which you operate.

Our leadership recognized decades ago the significance and importance of leadership in the Safety, Health and Environmental areas. The Safety, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee of our Board of Directors, along with the full Board, has oversight responsibility for our environmental, safety and health programs and results. Our Safety, Health & Environmental Management Committee, made up of the senior leadership team along with other key senior personnel from cross-functional operations and staff disciplines, has the ongoing management responsibility for all of our safety, health and environmental initiatives. We are a leader in our industry in safety performance by applying the shared experiences, expertise and resources at each of our locally led sites with an emphasis on taking care of one another. In 2022, we achieved an overall Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) safety performance of 1.00 injuries per 200,000 employee hours worked, which is both industry-leading and considered world-class.

Our community relations programs serve our neighbors while ensuring that we grow and thrive in the communities where we operate. We leverage our charitable foundation and company funds to support food banks, healthcare services, childhood education remote learning programs and other initiatives designed to lessen the difficulties experienced in many of our communities. Our charitable foundation alone has provided nearly $66 million in support over the past 20 years to essential charitable, civic and educational organizations that strengthen and enrich our communities. The actions of our Grandin Sand Plant facility in Florida over the last two years are a prime example of our commitment to community relations. This aggregates operation provided support to federal, state and local government clients to help rebuild from Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Matthew along the Florida coast. We worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and county officials to support the reconstruction of beaches to improve public usability and protection from future storm events.

We focus on our environmental stewardship programs with the same intensity that we bring to our health and safety initiatives. Our environmental stewardship commitment is designed to protect plant and animal species and habitats, as well as the air we breathe, the water we use and the planet we all share. In all parts of our company, from local operations to our corporate and regional offices to our international business and ocean-going shipping, we are focused on ensuring that our operations are efficient in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable. As an example of our commitment to environmental stewardship, we have been a proud national partner of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) since 1990 when our Sanders quarry became the first site in the U.S. to obtain certification by WHC. Since then, we have received accreditation for 40 quarry sites containing wildlife enhancement programs. Our reforestation efforts at our Calica quarry in Mexico provide another example of our commitment to environmental stewardship. Since we began closely recording data about our reforestation efforts, we have planted an average of 2,885 trees per hectare, significantly more than the 500 recommended by the National Forestry Commission. Over a nearly 20-year time span, we have planted approximately 80,000 trees. We also maintain nearly 30% of our land as protected forest and as a natural forest conservation area, which contains three Mayan archaeological sites and four cenotes (underground natural pools historically used for sacred Mayan ceremonies).

In addition, the recycling of aggregates-containing construction materials including concrete and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) is an important part of our business. The sources of these materials are highway and infrastructure projects and other demolition projects where concrete structures or asphalt paving is being removed. During 2022, we reused 1.7 million tons of RAP and recycled 2.1 million tons of concrete. The recycling of these aggregates-containing construction materials reduces carbon emissions that impact climate change while providing a valuable service to our customers and communities, extending the life of our aggregates reserves and helping us manage the cost of production.

For a discussion of our energy management and greenhouse gas emissions initiatives, see the Environmental Stewardship and Climate Change section later within this Item 1 under Other Business-Related Items.

PRODUCT LINES

Our products are used to build the roads, tunnels, bridges, railroads and airports that connect us, and to build the hospitals, schools, shopping centers, factories and places of worship that are essential to our lives, our communities and the economy. We have four operating (and reportable) segments (Aggregates, Asphalt, Concrete and Calcium) organized around our principal product lines. As of December 31, 2022, we had 404 active aggregates facilities, 71 asphalt facilities, 142 concrete facilities and 1 calcium facility.

Our 2022 total revenues and gross profit by segment are illustrated as follows (Calcium revenues and gross profit were less than one percent):

For actual amounts, see Note 15 “Segment Reporting” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

1. AGGREGATES

Our construction aggregates are used in a number of ways:

as a base material underneath highways, walkways, airport runways, parking lots and railroads

to aid in water filtration, purification and erosion control

as a raw material used in combination with other resources to construct many of the items we rely on to sustain our quality of life, including:

houses and apartments

roads, bridges and parking lots

schools and hospitals

commercial buildings and retail space

sewer systems

power plants

airports and runways

AGGREGATES INDUSTRY

Factors that affect the U.S. aggregates industry and our business include:

Location and transportation of reserves: Aggregates have a high weight-to-value ratio and, in most cases, must be produced near where they are used; if not, transportation can cost more than the materials, rendering them uncompetitive compared to locally produced materials. Where practical, we have operations located close to our local markets because the cost of trucking materials long distances is prohibitive. Approximately 82% of our total aggregates shipments are delivered exclusively from the producing location to the customer by truck.

Exceptions to this typical market structure include areas along the U.S. Gulf Coast and the Eastern Seaboard where there are limited supplies of locally available, high-quality aggregates. We serve these markets from quarries that have access to cost-effective long-haul transportation — shipping by barge and rail — and from our quarries in Quintana Roo, Mexico (see Note 12, NAFTA Arbitration) and Puerto Cortés, Honduras (acquired in the third quarter of 2022) with our fleet of Panamax-class, self-unloading ships. Additionally, as a result of our 2021 acquisition of U.S. Concrete, we serve markets in California and Hawaii from our quarry in British Columbia, Canada by means of a long-term marine shipping agreement with CSL Americas. Approximately 16% of our total aggregates shipments are delivered by truck to the customer after reaching a sales yard by rail or water. The remaining 2% of aggregates shipments are delivered directly to the customer by rail or water.

Limited product substitution: There are limited substitutes for quality aggregates. Recycled concrete and asphalt have certain applications as a lower-cost alternative to virgin aggregates. However, many types of construction projects cannot be served by recycled concrete and require the use of virgin aggregates to meet technical specifications and performance-based criteria for durability, strength and other qualities. Likewise, the amount of recycled asphalt included in asphalt mix as a substitute for aggregates is limited due to specifications.

Highly fragmented industry: The U.S. aggregates industry is composed of over 5,000 companies that managed over 10,000 operations during 2022. This fragmented structure provides many opportunities for consolidation. Companies in the industry commonly enter new markets or expand positions in existing markets through the acquisition of existing facilities.

Through strategic acquisitions and investments, we have developed an unmatched coast-to-coast footprint of strategically located permitted reserves concentrated in and serving the nation’s key growth centers. We have over 22,000 customers in 22 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington D.C., British Columbia (Canada), Freeport (Bahamas), Puerto Cortés (Honduras) and Quintana Roo (Mexico).

Flexible production capabilities: The production of aggregates is a mechanical process in which stone is crushed and, through a series of screens, separated into various sizes depending on how it will be used. Direct production costs of aggregates primarily include: a) wages and fringe benefits; b) depreciation, depletion, accretion and amortization of capital (or long-term) assets; c) operating parts and supplies; d) repair and maintenance; e) third-party contracted services and f) energy (primarily electricity and diesel). Production capacity is flexible by adjusting operating hours to meet changing market demand. We are currently operating considerably below full capacity, making us extremely well positioned to further benefit from economies of scale when additional growth materializes.

raw material inputs largely ControlLED: Unlike typical industrial manufacturing industries, the aggregates industry does not require the input of raw material beyond owned or leased aggregates reserves. Stone, sand and gravel are naturally occurring resources. However, production does require the use of explosives, hydrocarbon fuels and electric power.

Demand cycles: Long-term growth in demand for aggregates is largely driven by growth in population, jobs and households. While short-term and medium-term demand for aggregates fluctuates with economic cycles, declines have historically been followed by strong recoveries.

The drivers underpinning long-term demand and sustained pricing growth remain firmly in place in both the public and private sectors of the economy. They include: population growth; gains in total employment and in household income and wages; a continuing increase in household formations; the growing need for additional housing stock and housing demand; a multi-year federal transportation law in place and continuing increases in transportation funding at state and local levels; stable state tax receipts; and a multi-year federal infrastructure investment law and continued political awareness and focus on the need to invest in infrastructure.

AGGREGATES MARKETS

We focus on the U.S. markets with above-average long-term expected population growth and where construction is expected to expand. We produce and sell aggregates (crushed stone, sand and gravel, sand, and other aggregates) and related products and services in twenty-two states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington D.C., Freeport (Bahamas), British Columbia (Canada), Puerto Cortés (Honduras) and Quintana Roo (Mexico) — see Note 12, NAFTA Arbitration. We also ship railroad ballast to eleven additional states and supply direct shipments to Hawaii. We serve both the public and the private sectors.

Public sector construction activity has historically been more stable and less cyclical than privately-funded construction, and it generally requires more aggregates per dollar of construction spending. Private sector construction (primarily residential and nonresidential buildings) typically is more affected by general economic cycles than publicly-funded projects (particularly highways, roads and bridges), which tend to receive more consistent levels of funding throughout economic cycles.

‎Source: Company estimates

PUBLIC SECTOR CONSTRUCTION MARKET

Public sector construction includes spending by federal, state and local governments for highways, bridges, buildings, airports, schools, prisons, sewer and waste disposal systems, water supply systems, dams, reservoirs and other public construction projects. Construction for power plants and other utilities is funded from both public and private sources. In 2022, publicly-funded construction accounted for approximately 40% of our total aggregates shipments, and approximately 22% of our aggregates sales by volume were used in highway construction projects.

Public Sector Funding: Generally, public sector construction spending is more stable than private sector construction spending; public sector spending is less sensitive to interest rates and has historically been supported by multi-year laws, which provide certainty in funding amounts, program structures, rules and regulations. Federal spending is governed by authorization, budget and appropriations laws. The level of state and local spending on infrastructure varies across the United States and depends on individual state needs and economies.

STATE AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING: Since 2013, 33 states and the District of Columbia have increased or adjusted taxes on motor fuel to increase revenues available for transportation investment, including 14 Vulcan-served states and the District of Columbia. Several states in our footprint index their gas taxes to a measure of inflation, including Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

In addition, we benefit from state and local transportation funding ballot measures. In the 2022 general elections, voters in 20 states approved 88% of over 400 measures, which will generate nearly $23 billion in one-time and recurring revenues for transportation investment. This approval rate was higher than the historical average. Voters have approved an average of 85% of nearly 3,000 transportation investment ballot measures since 2010. Major transportation funding measures in Vulcan-served areas approved in 2022 are estimated to result in $8.5 billion in revenues and bond proceeds primarily dedicated to roads, streets and bridges.

federal highway funding: In November 2021, President Biden signed a historic, bi-partisan infrastructure bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), into law.

The IIJA provides the largest increase in federal highway, road and bridge funding in more than six decades with a five-year reauthorization of Federal-Aid Highway Program funding. The total Federal-Aid Highway Program obligation limitation under IIJA starts at $66.9 billion in Fiscal Funding Year (FFY) 2022 and increases to $72.1 billion in FFY 2026, for a total of nearly $350 billion.

These numbers include one-time additional funding for large road and bridge projects, such as $40 billion for bridge repair, replacement and rehabilitation. Of the bridge funds, approximately $16.2 billion is earmarked for projects in Vulcan-served states.

In December 2022, President Biden signed the FFY 2023 omnibus spending package, which fully funds the IIJA highway investment levels for FFY 2023. The FFY 2023 spending package also enables states and localities to use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a COVID-19 relief package for infrastructure projects, including highways, roads and bridges. In Vulcan-served states, counties and cities, this amounts to $70 billion additional Federal resources available.

The long-term nature of the highway program reauthorization in the IIJA is important. The Federal-Aid Highway Program is the largest component of the law and has provided, on average, 50% of all state capital investment in roads and bridges over the last 10 years. This multi-year authorization and the associated dedicated funding provides state departments of transportation with the ability to plan and execute long-range, complex highway projects. In states where we operate, we are well positioned to serve the large general contractors who will compete for new freight and other major capacity projects that will move forward with IIJA and policy implementation.

Importantly, building on improvements in the two prior reauthorization laws — The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) and Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (MAP-21) — the IIJA further streamlines project delivery and environmental approval advancements.

Project financing remains an important additional component of overall surface transportation spending. The IIJA expands access to private activity bonds for highway and intermodal projects, and sets the Transportation Infrastructure Finance & Innovation Act (TIFIA) program authorized at $250 million per year.

ADDITIONAL FEDERAL PUBLIC INFRASTUCTURE INVESTMENTS UNDER THE IIJA: The IIJA allocates a total of approximately $1.2 trillion in federal funds for infrastructure investment, including almost $550 billion in new spending. A little more than half of the new money is dedicated to transportation sector projects. Beyond highway infrastructure, Vulcan could benefit from IIJA-funded, aggregates-intensive infrastructure projects, such as railroads, airports, seaports, and drinking and wastewater systems.

FEDERAL WATER Resources INFRASTRUCTURE: In December 2022, President Biden signed the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 (WRDA 2022) into law, enacting the fifth consecutive biennial authorization for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Army Corps) since 2014. WRDA 2022 reauthorizes needed investment in America’s ports, channels, locks, dams, and other infrastructure that supports the maritime and waterways transportation system. WRDA 2022 provides the Army Corps with authorization and funding for flood and coastal storm risk management and ecosystem restoration in support of resilience and sustainability. It also authorizes the Army Corps and United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) programs, which support drinking water, wastewater and storm management projects. Notably, WRDA 2022 includes a policy provision that makes permanent the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) cost share for lock and dam construction and major rehabilitation projects, enabling the IWTF to help finance more projects.

Private sector CONSTRUCTION MARKET

The private sector construction markets include both nonresidential building construction and residential construction and are considerably more cyclical than public construction. In 2022, privately-funded construction accounted for approximately 60% of our total aggregates shipments.

Nonresidential Construction: Private nonresidential building construction includes a wide array of projects. Such projects generally are more aggregates intensive than residential construction. Overall demand in private nonresidential construction generally is driven by job growth, vacancy rates, private infrastructure needs and demographic trends. The growth of the private workforce creates demand for offices, hotels and restaurants. Likewise, population growth generates demand for stores, shopping centers, warehouses and parking decks as well as hospitals, places of worship and entertainment facilities. Large industrial projects, such as a new manufacturing facility, can increase the need for other manufacturing plants to supply parts and assemblies. Construction activity in this end market is influenced by a firm's ability to finance a project and the cost of such financing. This end market also includes capital investments in public nonresidential facilities to meet the needs of a growing population.

Residential Construction: Household formations in Vulcan-served states continue to outpace household formations in the rest of the United States. The majority of residential construction is for single-family housing with the remainder consisting of multi-family construction (i.e., two family houses, apartment buildings and condominiums). Public housing comprises only a small portion of housing demand. Construction activity in this end market is influenced by the cost and availability of mortgage financing and builders’ ability to maintain skilled labor.

U.S. housing starts, as measured by Dodge Data & Analytics data, peaked in early 2006 at over 2 million units annually. By the end of 2009, total housing starts had declined to less than 0.6 million units, well below prior historical lows of approximately 1 million units annually. In 2022, total annual housing starts in the U.S. reached 1.73 million units.

ADDITIONAL AGGREGATES PRODUCTS AND MARKETS

We sell aggregates that are used as ballast for construction and maintenance of railroad tracks. We also sell riprap and jetty stone for erosion control along roads and waterways. In addition, stone can be used as a feedstock for cement and lime plants and for making a variety of adhesives, fillers and extenders. Coal-burning power plants use limestone in scrubbers to reduce harmful emissions. Limestone that is crushed to a fine powder can be sold as agricultural lime.

We sell a relatively small amount of construction aggregates outside of the United States, principally in the areas surrounding our aggregates production facility located in Quintana Roo, Mexico (see Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”) and our recently acquired aggregates production facilities in British Columbia, Canada and Puerto Cortés, Honduras. Nondomestic sales and long-lived assets outside the United States are reported in Note 15 “Segment Reporting” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

VERTICAL INTEGRATION

While aggregates is our focus and primary business, we believe vertical integration between aggregates and downstream products, such as asphalt mix and ready-mixed concrete, can be managed effectively in certain markets to generate attractive financial returns and enhance financial returns in our core Aggregates segment. We produce and sell asphalt mix and/or ready-mixed concrete within each of our three geographic markets, as noted below.

Aggregates comprise approximately 95% of asphalt mix by weight and 80% of ready-mixed concrete by weight. In both of these downstream businesses, aggregates are primarily supplied from our operations.

2. ASPHALT

We produce and sell asphalt mix in Alabama, Arizona, California, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas and provide asphalt construction paving services in Alabama, Tennessee and Texas. In August 2022 and October 2020, we strengthened our asphalt positions in California and Texas, respectively, by acquiring additional asphalt operations. For additional details, see Note 19 “Acquisitions and Divestitures” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

This segment relies on our reserves of aggregates, functioning essentially as a customer to our aggregates operations. Aggregates are a major component in asphalt mix, comprising approximately 95% by weight of this product. We meet the aggregates requirements for our Asphalt segment primarily through our Aggregates segment. These product transfers are made at local market prices for the particular grade and quality of material required.

Because asphalt mix hardens rapidly, delivery typically is within close proximity to the producing facility. The asphalt mix production process requires liquid asphalt cement, which we purchase from third-party producers. We do not anticipate any significant difficulties in obtaining the raw materials necessary for this segment to operate. We serve our Asphalt segment customers directly from our local production facilities.

3. CONCRETE

We produce and sell ready-mixed concrete in California, Maryland, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C. In April and August 2022, we strengthened our concrete positions in Virginia and California by acquiring additional concrete operations. In August 2021, through our acquisition of U.S. Concrete, we entered the New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and U.S. Virgin Islands concrete markets and expanded our service of the California, Texas and Washington D.C. concrete markets. Subsequently, in November 2022, we exited the New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania concrete markets. In April 2020, we exited the New Mexico ready-mixed concrete market (we retained the concrete plants and mobile fleet which are leased to the buyer and obtained a 20-year aggregates supply agreement). For additional details, see Note 19 “Acquisitions and Divestitures” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

This segment relies on our reserves of aggregates, functioning essentially as a customer to our aggregates operations. Ready-mixed concrete consists of cement and other cement-related materials (such as fly ash and slag), aggregates (crushed stone and sand), chemical admixtures and water and is measured in cubic yards. Aggregates are a major component in ready-mixed concrete, comprising approximately 80% by weight of this product. We meet the aggregates requirements of our Concrete segment primarily through our Aggregates segment. These product transfers are made at local market prices for the particular grade and quality of material required.

Cement is the binding agent used to bind water, crushed stone and sand in the production of ready-mixed concrete. Other industrial byproducts, such as fly ash from coal burning power plants and slag from the manufacture of iron and silica fume, have cement-related properties that allow them to be used as substitutes for cement depending on the specifications. We purchase cement-related materials from a few suppliers in each of our major geographic markets. Chemical admixtures are generally purchased from suppliers under national purchasing agreements.

With the exception of chemical admixtures, each ready-mix facility typically maintains an inventory level of these raw materials sufficient to satisfy its operating needs for a few days. Inventory levels do not decline significantly or comparatively with declines in revenue during seasonally lower periods. We generally maintain inventory at specified levels to maximize purchasing efficiencies and to be able to respond quickly to customer demand.

Because ready-mixed concrete hardens rapidly, delivery typically is within close proximity to the producing facility. Ready-mixed concrete production also requires cement which we purchase from third-party producers. We do not anticipate any significant difficulties in obtaining the raw materials necessary for this segment to operate. We serve our Concrete segment customers from our local production facilities or by truck.

4. CALCIUM

Our Calcium segment is composed of a single calcium operation in Brooksville, Florida. This facility produces calcium products for the animal feed, plastics and water treatment industries with high-quality calcium carbonate material mined at the Brooksville quarry.

OTHER BUSINESS-RELATED ITEMS

SEASONALITY AND CYCLICAL NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS

Almost all of our products are produced and consumed outdoors. Seasonal changes and other weather-related conditions can affect the production and sales volumes of our products. Therefore, the financial results for any quarter do not necessarily indicate the results expected for the year. Normally, the highest sales and earnings are in the third quarter, and the lowest are in the first quarter. Furthermore, our sales and earnings are sensitive to national, regional and local economic conditions, demographic and population fluctuations, and particularly to cyclical swings in construction spending, primarily in the private sector.

COMPETITORS

We operate in a fragmented industry with a large number of small, privately-held companies. We estimate that the ten largest aggregates producers accounted for 33% of the total U.S. aggregates production in 2022. Despite being the industry leader, Vulcan’s total U.S. market share is less than 10%. Other publicly traded companies among the ten largest U.S. aggregates producers include the following:

Arcosa, Inc.

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V.

CRH plc

HeidelbergCement AG

Holcim Ltd.

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

MDU Resources Group, Inc.

Summit Materials, Inc.

Because the U.S. aggregates industry is highly fragmented, with over 5,000 companies managing over 10,000 operations during 2022, many opportunities for consolidation exist. Therefore, companies in the industry tend to grow by acquiring existing facilities to enter new markets or extend their existing market positions.

CUSTOMERS

No material part of our business depends upon any single customer whose loss would have a significant adverse effect on our business. In 2022, our five largest customers accounted for 7% of our total revenues, and no single customer accounted for more than 2% of our total revenues. Although approximately 40% to 55% of our aggregates shipments have historically been used in publicly-funded construction, such as highways, airports and government buildings, a relatively small portion of our sales are made directly to federal, state, county or municipal governments/agencies. Therefore, although reductions in state and federal funding can curtail publicly-funded construction, the vast majority of our business is not directly subject to renegotiation of profits or termination of contracts with local, state or federal governments. In addition, our sales to government entities span several hundred entities coast-to-coast, ensuring that negative changes to various government budgets would have a muted impact across such a diversified set of government customers.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change, or long-term changes in global temperature and other characteristics of the atmosphere, is a global concern. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26) stressed the urgency of taking action to keep global temperature from exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Due to human influence on the climate from carbon-based energy use and unsustainable natural resource management, the Earth is now about 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than it was in the 1800s.

As an industry leader, Vulcan is, and has always been, committed to environmental stewardship. We are committed to doing our part to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigate against the potential impacts of climate change.

Vulcan recognizes, and is taking steps to address, the physical and transition risks associated with climate change. Carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions from Vulcan’s operations are low: Vulcan is aggregates-focused and does not produce cement. Beginning in 2018, Vulcan chose to voluntarily report GHG emissions via the Carbon Disclosure Project. In 2022, we established interim goals and targets related to Scope 1 and 2 emissions. We also committed to calculating our Scope 3 emissions, which result from activities of assets not owned or controlled by Vulcan but that indirectly impact our value chain. We continue to enhance our GHG emissions tracking and reporting capability in order to report Scope 1 and 2 emissions on an enterprise-wide basis across all lines of business and are concluding the first phase of our Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory project, which focuses on building our Scope 3 upstream emissions inventory and estimating capabilities. The second phase will focus on downstream emissions.

MANAGING ENERGY AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Environmental stewardship — including our efforts to manage energy, increase efficiencies and reduce our environmental impact — is embedded into our business strategy and culture. We manage energy use carefully. We routinely conduct energy audits of our operations to identify areas for operational efficiency improvements and energy savings. Some of the opportunities identified during these audits that are being implemented include: replacement of older motors with new ultra-high efficiency motors to power plant processing equipment; improvements in water handling systems to reduce water pumping needed; optimizing process equipment flow to maximize efficiency; use of LED lighting; and optimization of air conditioning and lighting control to reduce energy consumption.

We continue to increase the fuel efficiencies of our off-road fleet vehicles. Tier IV machines performed over 57% of the off-road fleet’s work in 2022, which positively impacts all air emissions in addition to having an impact on GHG emissions.

Additionally, our Concrete segment has licensed the CarbonCure technology that provides capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide within ready-mixed concrete. The carbon dioxide becomes chemically bound within the concrete matrix and is not released into the air, even when the concrete is recycled following use. This technology also reduces the demand for cement and other cement-related materials which reduces the supply side carbon footprint. The resulting concrete is also stronger than it would have been without use of the technology.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG reductions will come by means of continuing heavy equipment replacement with higher efficiency models, seeking production efficiencies, and procuring energy from renewable sources. We are confident that there are many more opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations, distribution and transportation networks, and the projects in which our products are used. An example of an additional opportunity that we are exploring is the installation of battery storage for electricity at multiple locations so that energy can be stored during off peak periods to run the plant equipment, thereby minimizing peak load usage. This has significant implications for the ability of the utility company to meet peak demands and to reduce their use of older power plants that burn coal or oil and emit greater concentrations of GHG emissions.

ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS AND GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION

We are subject to a wide variety of federal, state and local laws and regulations in the communities where we conduct business. Compliance with these laws and regulations often requires the time and effort of our employees, as well as financial resources. The following describes certain significant regulations that may impact our business. For additional information about our risks related to government regulations, see Item 1A “Risk Factors.”

Our operations are subject to numerous laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and worker health and safety; including regulation of facility air emissions and water discharges, waste management, protection of wetlands, listed and threatened species, noise and dust exposure control for workers, and safety regulations under both Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Compliance with these various regulations requires capital investment and ongoing expenditures for the operation and maintenance of systems and implementation of programs. These anticipated investments and expenditures are not material to our earnings or competitive position.

We have received notices from the EPA or similar state or local agencies that we are considered a potentially responsible party (PRP) at a limited number of sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) or similar state and local environmental laws. Generally, we share the cost of remediation at these sites with other PRPs or alleged PRPs in accordance with negotiated or prescribed allocations. There is inherent uncertainty in determining the potential cost of remediating a given site and in determining any individual party's share of that cost. As a result, estimates can change substantially as additional information becomes available about the nature or extent of site contamination, remediation methods, other PRPs and their probable level of involvement, and actions by or against governmental agencies or private parties.

Frequently, we are required by state and local regulations or contractual obligations to reclaim our former mining sites. These reclamation liabilities are recorded at fair value in our financial statements at the time the obligation arises. To determine the fair value, we estimate the cost for a third party to perform the legally required reclamation, which is adjusted for inflation and risk and includes a reasonable profit margin. Reclaimed quarries often have potential for use in commercial or residential development or as reservoirs or landfills. However, no projected cash flows from these anticipated uses have been considered to offset or reduce the estimated reclamation liability.

For additional information about environmental matters and reclamation obligations, see Notes 12 and 17, respectively, to the consolidated financial statements in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

HUMAN CAPITAL

As of January 1, 2023, we employed 11,397 people in the United States. Of these employees, 1,252 are represented by labor unions. Also, as of that date, we employed 368 people in Mexico, 80 people in Canada, 128 people in Honduras and 1 person in the Bahamas. Of these employees, 296 are represented by labor unions. We believe we enjoy a satisfactory relationship with our employees, including our unionized workforce, and we do not anticipate any significant issues with any unions in 2023.

Vulcan’s commitment to our people has played a key role in the ongoing success and growth of our company throughout our long history. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of mutual respect, integrity, teamwork and trust among our workforce. Our people share a competitive drive to be the best they can be and do the right thing, which benefits all our stakeholders.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are important values at Vulcan. Our continued investment in people and strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion will help us attract, grow and retain the best talent possible. In 2015, we escalated and formalized our efforts in this area with the launch of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council to promote an open workplace where everyone, regardless of background, race, or other factors, is free to contribute and grow. In 2019, we signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion^TM pledge, and we forged a long-term partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to support our future leaders in our communities and on our team. In 2020, we established diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) councils in our divisions to support targeted DE&I opportunities in their local communities. In 2021, we launched Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and included quarterly DE&I topics and updates in our Vulcan University Pop-Up Training Series.

Diversity, equity and inclusion is also part of employee training. All employees completed DE&I awareness training in 2016; all new hires complete DE&I awareness training within their first 90 days, and all employees receive additional training every three years. The Unconscious Bias training launched in 2021 was completed by all employees by the end of 2022.

As a result of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion we have:

Cultivated a diverse talent pipeline of next generation leaders through our operations/sales trainee program

Expanded the diversity of our workforce at middle management and higher levels

Increased the number of female hires and promotions in senior leadership roles

Developed a five-year strategy through our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council

Built partnerships with HBCUs to recruit talented minority students for internships and management training roles

Our Board of Directors is 42% diverse (four board members are women and two board members are Black).

We believe that learning is fundamental to every job, and we encourage our people to expand and explore their capabilities for continued growth throughout their careers with Vulcan. Our industry-leading training and development programs encourage collaboration and enable people to innovate and flourish on the job and in the community. These programs:

Provide our employees with a Tuition Reimbursement Program, which pays up to 100% of tuition costs based on academic performance

Encourage personal and professional growth through our mentoring program, which has graduated more than 1,900 employees

Prepare future senior-level leaders through our Leadership Development Program in partnership with the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 

Offer mini MBA programs and other continuing education opportunities

Deliver ongoing Vulcan Way of Operating technical and skills-based training modules

Provide ongoing management and soft skill training through the Plant Manager Engagement Series

shareholder return performance

Below is a graph comparing the performance of our common stock, with dividends reinvested, to that of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index (S&P 500) and the S&P 500 Materials Index (S&P 500 Materials) from December 31, 2017 to December 31, 2022.

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INVESTOR INFORMATION

We make available on our website, www.vulcanmaterials.com, free of charge, copies of our:

Annual Report on Form 10-K

Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q

Current Reports on Form 8-K

Our website also includes amendments to those reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as well as all Forms 3, 4 and 5 filed with the SEC by our executive officers and directors, as soon as the filings are made publicly available by the SEC on its EDGAR database (www.sec.gov).

In addition to accessing copies of our reports online, you may request a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, including financial statements, by writing to Denson N. Franklin III, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Vulcan Materials Company, 1200 Urban Center Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35242.

We have a:

Business Conduct Policy applicable to all employees and directors

Code of Ethics for the CEO and Senior Financial Officers

Copies of the Business Conduct Policy and the Code of Ethics are available on our website under the heading “Corporate Governance” under the “Investor Relations” tab. If we make any amendment to, or waiver of, any provision of the Code of Ethics, we will disclose such information on our website as well as through filings with the SEC.

Our Board of Directors has also adopted:

Corporate Governance Guidelines

Charters for our Audit, Compensation, Executive, Finance, Governance and Safety, Health & Environmental Affairs Committees

These documents meet all applicable SEC and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) regulatory requirements.

The Charters of the Audit, Compensation and Governance Committees are available on our website under the “Investor Relations” tab (“Governance – Committee Composition” section), or you may request a copy of any of these documents by writing to Denson N. Franklin III, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Vulcan Materials Company, 1200 Urban Center Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35242.

Information included on our website is not incorporated into, or otherwise made a part of, this report.

CERTIFICATIONS AND ASSERTIONS

The certifications of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer made pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are included as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Additionally, on June 6, 2022 our Chief Executive Officer submitted to the NYSE the annual written affirmation required by the rules of the NYSE certifying that he was not aware of any violations of Vulcan Materials Company of NYSE corporate governance listing standards.

ITEM 1A

RISK FACTORS

The following risks could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, and cause the trading price of our common stock to decline. This list does not identify all risks that we face; our operations could also be affected by factors that are not presently known to us or that we currently consider to be immaterial. Due to risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, our past financial results may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. You should also refer to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

ECONOMIC/POLITICAL RISKS

Our business is dependent on the construction industry and is subject to economic cycles — Our products are principally sold to the U.S. construction industry. Construction spending is affected by general economic conditions, changes in interest rates, demographic shifts, industry cycles, employment levels, inflation and other business, economic and financial factors, any of which could contribute to a downturn in construction activities or spending in Vulcan-served markets. A downturn in Vulcan-served markets, particularly in our top revenue-generating markets, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our business is exposed to the risks associated with a pandemic, epidemic or other public health emergency, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic — The COVID-19 pandemic caused governments and businesses around the world to implement strict measures to help control the spread of the virus. The vast majority, if not all, of these measures are no longer in place in the United States. While our industry was deemed essential in every state in which we operate and we continued to operate across our footprint when such measures were in place, our operations, supply chain, customers, and transportation networks were negatively impacted by such measures (including our own) and the health of our employees. The progression of COVID-19 (which remains highly uncertain) or another pandemic may result in future measures taken by governments and/or businesses (including our own) that could negatively impact our business.

Our business is dependent on the timing and amount of federal, state and local funding for infrastructure — Our products are used in a variety of public infrastructure projects that are funded and financed by federal, state and local governments. In 2022, voters in local jurisdictions in California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia, among others, approved bond and revenue-raising measures to provide additional resources for transportation projects. In November 2021, the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which included a five year road, bridge and public transportation program reauthorization at record levels, was signed into law. These state and federal highway programs, as well as funding for other aggregates-intensive public infrastructure, will support demand for our products for several years to come. However, given the time to set up new federal programs, varying state and local budgetary situations and the stages of projects, we cannot be entirely assured of the existence, amount and timing of appropriations for future public infrastructure projects.

We are subject to various risks arising from our international business operations and relationships — We are subject to both the risks of conducting international business and the requirements of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the FCPA) associated with our aggregates production facilities including those located in British Columbia, Canada; Puerto Cortés, Honduras; and Quintana Roo, Mexico. These risks have included, and may in the future include, changes in international trade policies, such as the United States - Mexico - Canada Agreement (USMCA), imposition of duties, taxes or government royalties, arbitrary changes to permits, zoning classifications or operating agreements, or overt acts by foreign governments, including expropriations and other forms of takings of property. Recently, the Mexican government has taken actions that adversely affect our property and operations in that country, including arbitrary shutdown orders to immediately cease underwater quarrying and extraction operations. We continue to vigorously pursue all lawful avenues available to us in order to protect our rights, under both Mexican and international law and intend to resume normal operations in Mexico as soon as permitted.

OPERATIONS, GROWTH AND COMPETITIVE RISKS

Within our local markets, we operate in a highly competitive industry — The construction aggregates industry is highly fragmented with a large number of independent local producers in a number of our markets. Additionally, in most markets, we also compete against large private and public companies, some of which are significantly vertically integrated. This significant competition could lead to lower prices and lower sales volumes.

Certain markets are experiencing the expanded use of aggregates substitutes — Recycled concrete and asphalt are increasingly being used in a number of our markets, particularly urban markets, as a substitute for aggregates. The expanded use of recycled concrete and asphalt could cause a significant reduction in the demand for aggregates.

Our long-term success depends upon securing and permitting aggregates reserves in strategically located areas — Construction aggregates have a high weight-to-price ratio, and transportation costs can quickly exceed the cost of the aggregates. Therefore, except for geographic regions that do not possess commercially viable deposits of aggregates and are served by rail, barge or ship, the markets for our products tend to be localized around our quarry sites and are served by truck. New quarry sites often take years to develop, so our strategic planning and new site development must stay ahead of actual growth. Additionally, in a number of urban and suburban areas in which we operate, it is increasingly difficult to permit new sites or expand existing sites due to community resistance. Therefore, our future success is dependent, in part, on our ability to accurately forecast future areas of high growth in order to locate optimal facility sites and on our ability to secure operating and environmental permits to operate at those sites.

Our future growth depends in part on acquiring and successfully integrating other businesses in our industry — Our ability to acquire and integrate businesses is dependent upon the availability of attractive businesses with owners that are willing to sell at fair market prices, conducting proper due diligence on such available businesses, and developing and executing integration plans for acquired businesses.

Our aggregates operations are subject to the risks of open pit and underground mining – Aggregates mining involves risks such as pit wall failures, pillar or ceiling collapse, flooding, and seismic events related to geologic conditions and our mining activities. Any ground control event could lead to serious injuries, loss of life, equipment damage, production delays or cessation, and increased operating costs.

FINANCIAL/ACCOUNTING RISKS

Our industry is capital intensive, resulting in significant fixed and semi-fixed costs — Due to the high levels of fixed capital required for extracting and producing construction aggregates, our earnings are highly sensitive to changes in product shipments. Therefore, it is important that our capital allocation decisions are properly informed and our capital deployment is well planned and executed.

A deterioration in our credit ratings and/or the state of the capital markets could negatively impact the cost and/or availability of financing — We currently have approximately $4.0 billion of debt with maturities between 2023 and 2048. We expect to finance acquisitions with a combination of cash flows from existing operations, additional debt and/or additional equity. The mix of financing sources for acquisitions will be situationally dependent.

A deterioration in our credit ratings, regardless of the cause, could limit our debt financing options and increase the cost of such debt financing. While we do not anticipate a credit ratings downgrade and plan to manage our capital structure consistent with investment-grade credit metrics, we cannot assure our current credit ratings.

A deterioration in the state of the capital markets, regardless of our credit ratings, could impact our access to and/or cost of new debt or equity capital.

We use estimates in accounting for a number of significant items — As discussed more fully in “Critical Accounting Policies” under Item 7 “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” we use estimates and assumptions that require significant judgment in accounting for the following items:

goodwill impairment

impairment of long-lived assets excluding goodwill

business combinations and purchase price allocation

pension and other postretirement benefits

environmental compliance costs

claims and litigation including self-insurance

income taxes

Additionally, the calculation of mineral resources and reserves are estimates and depend upon geological interpretation and statistical inferences or assumptions drawn from drilling and sampling analysis. These estimates are subject to uncertainty due to factors that include the inherent variability of the deposit and recoverability of saleable material in the mining process.

These estimates and assumptions could change significantly in the future and could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Our effective tax rate is subject to change — Factors that may increase our future effective tax rate include, but are not limited to: governmental authorities increasing statutory income tax rates or eliminating deductions or credits; the mix of jurisdictions in which our earnings are taxed; changes in the valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities; the effect our stock price has with regard to excess tax benefits from share-based compensation; adjustments to estimated taxes upon finalization of various income tax returns; the resolution of issues arising from income tax audits with various tax authorities; and the interpretation of income tax laws and/or administrative practices.

LEGAL/REGULATORY COMPLIANCE RISKS

Our operations are subject to changes in legal requirements and governmental policies — Our operations are affected by numerous federal, state and local laws and regulations, including those related to zoning, land use and environmental matters. In addition, our operations require numerous governmental approvals and permits, which often require us to make significant capital and operating expenditures to comply with the applicable requirements. Stricter laws and regulations, or more stringent interpretations of existing laws or regulations, may impose new liabilities, taxes or tariffs on us; reduce operating hours; require additional investment by us in pollution control equipment; create restrictions on our products; impede our access to reserves or hamper the opening of new, or the expansion of existing, plants or facilities.

We are involved in certain environmental matters and other legal proceedings — We are involved in environmental investigations and cleanups at sites that we own or owned, where we operate or have operated or where we sent materials for recycling or disposal, as well as related offsite investigations and cleanups. We are also involved in several other complex, non-environmental, legal proceedings. As required by GAAP, we establish reserves when a loss is determined to be probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Our assessment of probability and loss estimates are based on the facts and circumstances known to us at a particular point in time. Subsequent developments related to these matters may affect our assessment and estimates of loss contingency. For a description of our current significant legal proceedings and environmental matters, see Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

Climate change legislation or regulations may adversely impact our business — A number of governmental bodies have introduced or are contemplating legislative and regulatory change in response to the potential impacts of climate change. Such legislation or regulation, if enacted, potentially could include provisions for a “cap and trade” system of allowances and credits or a carbon tax, among other provisions, and adversely impact the availability and/or cost of purchased electricity.

Expectations relating to environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations expose us to potential liabilities, increased costs, reputational harm, and other adverse effects on our business — Many governments, regulators, investors, employees, customers and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on ESG considerations relating to businesses, including climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, human and civil rights, and diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition, we make statements about our ESG goals and initiatives through our ESG report, our other non-financial reports, information provided on our website, press releases and other communications. Responding to these ESG considerations and implementing these goals and initiatives involves risks and uncertainties, requires investments, and depends in part on third-party performance or data that is outside our control. We cannot guarantee that we will achieve our announced ESG goals and initiatives. In addition, some stakeholders may disagree with our goals and initiatives. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to achieve our goals, further our initiatives, adhere to our public statements, comply with federal, state or international ESG laws and regulations, or meet evolving and varied stakeholder expectations and standards could result in legal and regulatory proceedings against us.

We may incur material costs and losses as a result of claims that our products do not meet regulatory requirements or contractual specifications — Our operations involve providing products that must meet building code or other regulatory requirements and contractual specifications for durability, stress-level capacity, weight-bearing capacity and other characteristics. If we fail to provide products meeting these requirements and specifications, product liability claims may arise against us. We have resolved certain claims of this kind, but there are currently open claims, and we expect future claims, some of which may exceed our product liability insurance coverage.

PERSONNEL RISKS

Our future success depends upon attracting and retaining qualified personnel, particularly in sales and operations — Our success in attracting qualified personnel, particularly in the areas of sales and operations, is affected by changing demographics of the available pool of workers with the training and skills necessary to fill the available positions, the impact on the labor supply due to general economic conditions, and our ability to offer competitive compensation and benefit packages.

Disputes with organized labor could disrupt our business operations — Labor unions represent approximately 13% of our workforce. Disputes with our trade unions, or the inability to renew our labor agreements, may lead to strikes or other actions that could disrupt our business operations.

GENERAL RISK FACTORS

We are dependent on information technology systems (our own and those of our service providers such as Amazon Web Services), and these systems contain confidential or sensitive data about our business, employees, suppliers, and customers — The protection of our information technology systems and the data contained therein is critical to us. We have a dedicated information security team that executes our information security program and routinely tests the security of our applications, networks, databases, etc. The loss of use of information technology systems (whether ours or our service providers), regardless of the cause, would disrupt our business operations. The failure to keep secure the confidential and sensitive data about our business, employees, suppliers and customers, regardless of the reason for such failure, could expose us, our employees, suppliers and/or our customers to the misuse of such data and could result in reputational harm and financial liability. The Audit Committee, which has oversight responsibility for our information security program, is briefed on such program at least twice annually, and our Chief Financial Officer is briefed on such program at least quarterly.

Weather can, and climate change may, materially affect our operations — Almost all of our products are consumed outdoors in the public or private construction industry, and our production and distribution facilities are located outdoors. Inclement weather affects both our ability to produce and distribute our products and affects our customers’ short-term demand because their work also can be hampered by weather. Potential impacts of climate change include disruption in production and product distribution due to impacts from major storm events, shifts in regional weather patterns and intensities, availability of energy and/or water, and sea level changes. A number of our facilities are located in desert climates, and while we have not experienced any significant shortages of energy or water in the past, we cannot guarantee that we will not in the future. Furthermore, public expectations for addressing climate change could result in increased energy, transportation and raw material costs and may require us to make additional investments in facilities and equipment.

Our product distribution is multi-modal and often dependent upon third-party providers — Our products are distributed either by truck to local markets or by rail, barge or oceangoing vessel to remote markets. The distribution and cost of distribution could be negatively affected by factors such as rail service interruptions or rate increases, tariffs, rising fuel costs, truck/railcar/barge shortages, truck driver and rail crew shortages, capacity constraints and minimum tonnage requirements. Additionally, weather events, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, can negatively impact our distribution network.

The production of our products is dependent upon the supply chain for several key inputs — In our production and distribution processes, we consume significant amounts of electricity, diesel fuel, liquid asphalt and other petroleum-based resources. Additionally, we operate significant amounts of fixed and mobile equipment that require regular maintenance and replacement of parts. The availability and pricing of these resources are subject to market forces.

ITEM 1B

UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

We have not received any written comments from the Securities and Exchange Commission staff regarding our periodic or current reports under the Exchange Act of 1934 that remain unresolved.
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ITEM 2

PROPERTIES

AGGREGATES

As the largest U.S. supplier of construction aggregates, we have mining properties across the U.S. and in the Bahamas, Canada, Honduras, Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We principally serve markets in twenty-two states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington D.C., and the local markets surrounding our operations in Freeport, Bahamas; British Columbia, Canada; Puerto Cortés, Honduras and Quintana Roo, Mexico. Our primary focus is serving states and metropolitan markets in the U.S. that are expected to experience the most significant growth in population, households and employment. These three demographic factors are significant drivers of demand for aggregates.

Our mining properties are categorized as follows: (1) Production Stage – properties with reported proven or probable reserves where we are actively mining aggregates, (2) Development Stage – properties with reported proven or probable reserves where we are not actively mining aggregates, and (3) Exploration Stage – properties with no reported reserves. The following map illustrates the location of our 234 aggregates production stage properties and 78 development stage properties. Our 36 aggregates exploration stage properties are excluded from this map.

For additional information regarding our Calica operations in Mexico, see Note 12 “Commitments and Contingencies” in Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

Production stage properties generally include one or more scale houses, office buildings, maintenance shops and processing plants.

Our aggregates resources and reserves are our foundation and fundamental to our success. However, no individual mining property is individually material to our business. As of December 31, 2022, we directly operated substantially all of our aggregates production facilities.

Our aggregates resources and reserves estimates are calculated in accordance with subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act. Our proven and probable aggregates reserves may not be comparable to similar information regarding aggregates reserves disclosed in accordance with the guidance of other countries. We conduct ongoing studies of our deposits to optimize economic values and to manage risk.

We revise our mine plans and estimates of proven and probable aggregates reserves as required and in accordance with the latest available studies. Once mine plans are initially established, the ongoing viability of the plan is reviewed regularly with the benefit of hindsight. Discussions between mine planning, operations, and management determine the need for adjustments, additional resources, drilling information, or other key information. While construction aggregates reserves and resources are relatively consistent, conditions can change with time that require a newly tailored solution. Examples of changes include fluctuations in physical or chemical parameters of the product, sales product shifts, overburden removal or placement management, structural changes, entitlement changes and land additions.

Our estimates of proven and probable aggregates reserves are prepared by and are the responsibility of our employees. The methodology employed takes a systematic approach to collecting sufficient information to estimate the reserves and resources. Each of our reserve and resource bearing properties is evaluated with supporting information to identify its geological, mining and economic viability. The supporting information includes aerial photography, topography, geologic maps, aggregates rock quality information (including core drilling, hand samples, and bulk sample testing, and/or geophysical data), hydrology, archaeology, biology, property boundary information, zoning information, and relevant municipal and environmental permitting information. The information is collected by experienced mining engineers and geologists who determine the extent of a resource using a combination of methods including ordinary planimetric based measurements to computer aided design 3-dimensional models.

The results of the supporting information are reviewed by various levels of management, including our “qualified person” (as defined by subpart 1300). This qualified person then verifies that the information adheres to regulatory mandated quantification methods. The economic viability of our reserves is evaluated taking into account historical performance of relevant operations and sales forecasts, among other factors.

Measurements of our proven and probable aggregates reserves have inherent risks. These risks include the accuracy and completeness of geologic information, the interpretation of the data, operational execution, market shifts, structural events and the uncertainty of uncovered material. Management and the qualified person work together to assess these risks regularly and amend the reserves assessments with new information as appropriate. New information can yield site changes that require capital expenditures or cause production performance changes that have financial impacts.

AGGREGATES RESOURCES

Mineral resources are defined as a concentration or occurrence of material of economic interest in or on the earth’s crust in such form, grade or quality, and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for its economic extraction. Mineral resources are classified into three categories, in decreasing level of confidence, as follows:

Measured — based on conclusive geological evidence and sampling, meaning that evidence is sufficient to test and confirm geological and grade or quality continuity. After applying modifying factors (as noted in the Aggregates Reserves section below), measured resources may be converted to either proven or probable reserves

Indicated — based on adequate geological evidence and sampling, meaning that evidence is sufficient to establish geological and grade or quality continuity with reasonable certainty. After applying modifying factors, indicated resources may be converted to probable reserves

Inferred — based on limited geological evidence and sampling, meaning that evidence is only sufficient to establish that geological and grade or quality continuity is more likely than not. Inferred resources may not be converted to reserves

Our reported aggregates resources do not include amounts that have been identified as mineral reserves. Our 2022 measured, indicated and inferred aggregates resources are based on an initial assessment using an average sales price assumption ranging from approximately $6.00 to $24.00 per ton depending on the location/market. The table below presents, by division, the tons of measured, indicated and inferred aggregates resources and the percentage of aggregates resources by commodity as of December 31, 2022.

AGGREGATES RESERVES

Mineral reserves are defined as the economically mineable part of a measured or indicated mineral resource. Mineral reserves are classified into two categories, in decreasing level of confidence, as follows:

Proven — those reserves for which the quantity is computed from dimensions revealed by drill data, together with other direct and measurable observations, such as outcrops, trenches and quarry faces. The grade and quality of those reserves are computed from the results of detailed sampling, and the sampling and measurement data are spaced so closely and the geologic character is so well defined that size, shape, depth and mineral content of reserves are well established

Probable — those reserves for which quantity, grade and quality are computed partly from specific measurements and partly from projections based on reasonable, though not drilled, geologic evidence. The degree of assurance, although lower than that for proven reserves, is high enough to assume continuity between points of observation

Reported proven and probable reserves include only quantities that are owned in fee or under lease and for which all appropriate zoning and permitting have been obtained through permit, contract or grandfathered status. We apply modifying factors to establish the economic viability of the reserves, as follows:

Contractual and governmental regulations (for example, leases, zoning, permits and reclamation plans) often set limits on the areas, depths and lengths of time allowed for mining, stipulate setbacks and slopes that must be left in place, and designate which areas may be used for surface facilities, berms, and overburden or waste storage, among other requirements and restrictions

Technical and economic factors affect the estimates of reported reserves regardless of what might otherwise be considered proven or probable based on a geologic analysis. For example, excessive overburden or weathered rock, rock quality issues, excessive mining depths, groundwater issues, overlying wetlands, endangered species habitats, and rights of way or easements may effectively limit the quantity of reserves considered proven and probable

Mining and processing waste are also factored in our computations for proven and probable reserves

Our 2022 proven and probable aggregates reserves were estimated by internal experts (i.e. geologists or engineers). The economic viability of our reserves were determined using average aggregates prices ranging from approximately $6.00 to $24.00 per ton depending on the location/market.

The tables below present by reserve classification — proven, probable and total proven & probable — and by division, the tons of aggregates reserves as of December 31, 2022 and the percentages by commodity type. The third (proven & probable) table also notes the 2022 production.

Our current estimate of 15.6 billion tons of proven and probable aggregates reserves is unchanged from the prior year’s estimate. Estimates of reserves are of recoverable stone, sand and gravel of suitable quality for economic extraction, based on drilling and studies by our geologists and engineers, recognizing reasonable economic and operating constraints as to maximum depth of overburden and stone excavation, and subject to permit or other restrictions.

Of the 15.6 billion tons of estimated proven and probable aggregates reserves reported at the end of 2022, 13.2 billion tons or 85% are located on production stage properties and 2.4 billion tons or 15% are located on development stage properties. We do not report aggregates reserves for exploration stage sites.

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Of the 15.6 billion tons of aggregates reserves at December 31, 2022, 9.2 billion tons or 59% are located on owned land and 6.4 billion tons or 41% are located on leased land. Our land portfolio consists of more than 240,000 acres.

In addition to our aggregates mining properties we operate aggregates sales yards and recycled concrete plants. The table below presents, by division, the count of active aggregates facilities as of December 31, 2022 and the types of facilities operated.

ASPHALT, CONCRETE AND CALCIUM

As of December 31, 2022, we operated a number of facilities producing asphalt mix, ready-mixed concrete and calcium in several of our divisions as reflected in the table below:

In addition to the concrete facilities above, we operate a fleet of volumetric mixer trucks (which are effectively mobile mini-plants) serving major markets in Texas. Our fleet is one of the largest volumetric operations in the U.S. ready-mixed concrete market. These trucks mix concrete to the customer's specification on the job site, better serving smaller jobs and specialized applications, and allow flexibility for servicing remote job locations. Because of their versatility, these trucks offer the contractor multiple options for a single job without the inconvenience or added costs typically associated with standard ready-mix trucks delivering special or short-loads to a job site. Furthermore, because of their unique on-demand production capabilities, these trucks minimize the amount of wasted concrete which improves margins and reduces environmental impact.

The asphalt and concrete facilities are able to meet their needs for raw material inputs with a combination of internally sourced and purchased raw materials.

Our Calcium segment operates a quarry at Brooksville, Florida that provides feedstock for the ground calcium operation. The Brooksville quarry is not individually material to our business. Calcium resources and reserves are outlined in the table below: