ConocoPhillips Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:COP)

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) saw unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Traders purchased 17,775 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 49% compared to the average daily volume of 11,949 call options.

ConocoPhillips Stock Performance

NYSE COP traded up $2.21 during trading on Friday, reaching $142.27. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 5,869,080 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,063,315. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $137.29 and a 200 day moving average price of $123.10. ConocoPhillips has a 12 month low of $85.70 and a 12 month high of $154.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $168.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 0.16. The company has a current ratio of 1.52, a quick ratio of 1.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The energy producer reported $3.27 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.05 by $0.22. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 16.55% and a return on equity of 17.60%. The company had revenue of $19.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.59 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.61 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 29.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 12.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, November 16th will be issued a $0.93 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 16th. This represents a $3.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. This is a boost from ConocoPhillips’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.84. ConocoPhillips’s payout ratio is presently 35.29%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on COP. Argus boosted their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $136.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered ConocoPhillips from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $129.00 to $122.00 in a research note on Wednesday. Susquehanna lifted their price target on ConocoPhillips from $161.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. Mizuho set a $149.00 price target on ConocoPhillips in a research note on Thursday, November 5th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised ConocoPhillips from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Monday, November 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $145.31.

Insider Activity at ConocoPhillips

In related news, SVP Andrew Lundquist sold 9,487 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.15, for a total value of $1,282,168.05. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 9,593 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,296,493.95. This represents a 49.72% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of ConocoPhillips

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of COP. Carolina Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC grew its stake in ConocoPhillips by 151.0% during the first quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 241 shares of the energy producer’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 145 shares in the last quarter. Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the second quarter worth about $32,000. William Mack & Associates Inc. bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Evergreen Advisors LLC bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 1st quarter valued at about $36,000. 82.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about ConocoPhillips

These are some of the COP headlines that stood out recently:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays raised its price target to $165 from $150 and reiterated an “overweight” rating, signaling confidence in further upside. Barclays analyst ratings
• Positive Sentiment: COP was highlighted among companies that raised dividends, supporting its appeal to income-focused investors. A separate analysis notes an 11% dividend increase and substantial buybacks. Dividend hikes article ConocoPhillips valuation article
• Neutral Sentiment: A report said the shares moved above their 50-day moving average, a technical development that may be supportive, though the move followed an analyst downgrade. Moving-average report

About ConocoPhillips

ConocoPhillips is an independent exploration and production company focused on finding, developing and producing oil and natural gas. Its products include crude oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas and natural gas liquids. The company operates in several regions, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Its activities span exploration, development and production, with a portfolio that includes both conventional and unconventional resources. ConocoPhillips was formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco and Phillips Petroleum.