Ambev Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:ABEV)

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) was the target of some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Stock traders acquired 21,538 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 1,144% compared to the average volume of 1,732 put options.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its stake in Ambev by 323.2% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 9,913,282 shares of the company’s stock worth $20,322,000 after acquiring an additional 7,570,842 shares during the last quarter. Perpetual Ltd raised its holdings in Ambev by 10.1% in the 1st quarter. Perpetual Ltd now owns 65,003,922 shares of the company’s stock valued at $161,210,000 after buying an additional 5,943,974 shares during the period. Seafarer Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in Ambev by 29.9% in the first quarter. Seafarer Capital Partners LLC now owns 25,199,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $62,494,000 after buying an additional 5,800,000 shares during the last quarter. Ruffer LLP boosted its stake in Ambev by 12.4% during the fourth quarter. Ruffer LLP now owns 51,517,699 shares of the company’s stock worth $144,494,000 after buying an additional 5,699,184 shares during the period. Finally, Oldfield Partners LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Ambev during the first quarter valued at about $12,157,000. 8.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ABEV has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com cut Ambev from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of Ambev from $3.20 to $2.90 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Ambev from $3.00 to $2.50 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 9th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $2.75.

Ambev Trading Down 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE ABEV traded down $0.03 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $2.06. 16,958,023 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 14,638,515. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $2.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $2.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $32.45 billion, a PE ratio of 10.84, a P/E/G ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 1.06. Ambev has a 12-month low of $2.01 and a 12-month high of $3.16.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 8th. The company reported $0.05 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.05. Ambev had a net margin of 18.25% and a return on equity of 17.53%. The company had revenue of $4.09 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4 billion. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Ambev will post 0.18 EPS for the current year.

Ambev Company Profile

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, other non-alcoholic beverages, malt, and food products. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe and Hoegaarden, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.