Macy’s Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:M)

Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Thursday. Investors acquired 18,079 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 62% compared to the average daily volume of 11,153 put options.

Macy’s Stock Performance

M traded down $0.27 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $22.55. 3,168,116 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,394,890. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $23.99 and a 200-day simple moving average of $21.40. Macy’s has a 12 month low of $13.09 and a 12 month high of $26.58. The stock has a market cap of $5.93 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.28 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 0.44.

Macy’s (NYSE:M) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, June 3rd. The company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.02 by $0.11. Macy’s had a net margin of 2.94% and a return on equity of 13.68%. The company had revenue of $4.89 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.61 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.16 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.8% on a year-over-year basis. Macy’s has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.290-0.340 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 2.000-2.200 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Macy’s will post 2.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Thomas Jr. Edwards sold 16,419 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.89, for a total transaction of $408,668.91. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,000 shares in the company, valued at $497,800. This trade represents a 45.08% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, SVP Paul Griscom sold 10,077 shares of Macy’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.63, for a total value of $258,273.51. Following the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 25,373 shares in the company, valued at approximately $650,309.99. The trade was a 28.43% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.05% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC bought a new stake in Macy’s in the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Macy’s by 51.7% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,543 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 526 shares during the period. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Macy’s by 35.9% in the 4th quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 1,838 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 486 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc lifted its position in Macy’s by 263.3% in the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 2,427 shares of the company’s stock valued at $54,000 after purchasing an additional 1,759 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in Macy’s during the 4th quarter valued at about $54,000. 87.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

M has been the topic of several analyst reports. Weiss Ratings upgraded Macy’s from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Friday, August 21st. Zacks Research raised shares of Macy’s from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on shares of Macy’s from $20.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Macy’s from $21.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, June 4th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Macy’s from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have given a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $22.00.

About Macy’s

Macy’s, Inc is a leading American omnichannel retailer operating under the Macy’s brand, as well as specialty divisions Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury. The company’s retail portfolio encompasses full-line department stores, fashion-focused specialty outlets and a high-end beauty chain, offering consumers a wide array of apparel, footwear, accessories, cosmetics and home furnishings. Through its integrated network of physical stores and digital platforms, Macy’s seeks to deliver a seamless shopping experience that blends in-store service with online convenience.

The company’s product assortment spans men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, beauty and personal care products, housewares and home décor.