FOX Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:FOXA)

Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:FOXA) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Traders bought 6,021 call options on the company. This is an increase of 118% compared to the typical daily volume of 2,759 call options.

Insider Buying and Selling at FOX

In other news, CEO Lachlan Murdoch bought 149,934 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $68.53 per share, for a total transaction of $10,274,977.02. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 1,401,713 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $96,059,391.89. This trade represents a 11.98% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 20.89% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of FOX

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of FOXA. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of FOX by 20.9% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,451 shares of the company’s stock valued at $85,000 after acquiring an additional 251 shares during the period. Greenleaf Trust increased its position in shares of FOX by 4.4% in the second quarter. Greenleaf Trust now owns 6,295 shares of the company’s stock worth $328,000 after purchasing an additional 267 shares during the period. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of FOX by 1.1% in the second quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 35,335 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,843,000 after purchasing an additional 389 shares during the period. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC raised its stake in FOX by 50.6% in the first quarter. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,435 shares of the company’s stock valued at $84,000 after purchasing an additional 482 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Advus Financial Partners LLC raised its stake in FOX by 11.5% in the second quarter. Advus Financial Partners LLC now owns 4,744 shares of the company’s stock valued at $247,000 after purchasing an additional 489 shares in the last quarter. 52.52% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

FOX Stock Up 0.3%

NASDAQ FOXA traded up $0.22 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $64.20. 2,051,176 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,730,860. The stock has a market capitalization of $26.94 billion, a PE ratio of 16.77, a PEG ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a current ratio of 3.17, a quick ratio of 2.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. FOX has a 12 month low of $48.34 and a 12 month high of $76.39. The company has a 50 day moving average of $65.26 and a two-hundred day moving average of $61.91.

FOX (NASDAQ:FOXA) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $1.79 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.44 by $0.35. The company had revenue of $4.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.64 billion. FOX had a net margin of 9.84% and a return on equity of 20.64%. The company’s revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.27 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that FOX will post 5.94 earnings per share for the current year.

FOX Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 23rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 2nd were paid a $0.29 dividend. This represents a yield of 86.0%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, September 2nd. FOX’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.14%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Rothschild & Co Redburn set a $71.00 price objective on shares of FOX and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, July 10th. Citigroup assumed coverage on FOX in a research note on Monday, September 14th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Oppenheimer downgraded FOX to a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday. Zacks Research downgraded FOX from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Finally, Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating and set a $85.00 price objective on shares of FOX in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and ten have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $78.12.

FOX News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting FOX this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America upgraded Fox from “Underperform” to “Buy” and raised its price target to $85 from $54. The firm estimates that the Roku deal could add approximately $700 million in annual earnings by 2028, materially improving Fox’s growth outlook. Fox upgraded to Buy at Bank of America as Roku deal boosts growth outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Fox’s acquisition of Roku gives it a direct connection to streaming viewers and could improve the distribution and monetization of programming, including Sunday NFL games. The deal may also help Fox compete more effectively in connected television and digital advertising. Why Fox Can Finally Breathe a Sigh of Relief With Roku Deal—and Why the NFL Can’t
• Positive Sentiment: Options activity reflected bullish positioning: investors purchased 6,021 call options, about 118% above typical call volume of 2,759 contracts. Elevated call buying can signal expectations for further gains, although it may also increase short-term volatility.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Fox to a Rank #2, or “Buy,” citing improving earnings expectations. Another Zacks report said the stock could still be undervalued, supporting the broader bullish sentiment. All You Need to Know About Fox Rating Upgrade to Buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Fox has reportedly completed the Roku acquisition, but investors will continue to assess integration risks, deal costs and whether the expected earnings benefits are realized.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent technical coverage noted that FOXA crossed below its 200-day moving average, a potential warning sign for momentum-focused investors. Valuation analysis also suggested the stock may be near fair value based on cash flow, which could limit near-term upside.

FOX Company Profile

Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOXA) is a U.S. media company that produces and distributes news, sports, and entertainment programming. Its portfolio includes FOX News Media, FOX Sports, FOX Entertainment, FOX Television Stations, and Tubi, an ad-supported streaming service offering movies, television programs, and other digital content.

FOX News Media operates FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network, FOX News Digital, and related audio and digital platforms. FOX Sports provides national and regional sports programming, while FOX Entertainment develops and broadcasts scripted and unscripted programming through the FOX broadcast network and other platforms.