Bausch Health Cos Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:BHC)

Key Points

• Bausch Health Cos Inc. experienced a significant uptick in options trading, with 10,041 put options purchased, marking a 275% increase from average volumes.
• Wall Street analysts have downgraded BHC from a "strong-buy" to a "buy" rating, with the stock currently holding a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $9.00.
• Director John Paulson acquired 34.7 million shares at $9.00 each, raising his ownership stake in Bausch Health to 70.8 million shares, a 96.35% increase.

Bausch Health Cos Inc. (NYSE:BHC - Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Traders bought 10,041 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 275% compared to the typical volume of 2,677 put options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

BHC has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Bausch Health Cos from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, October 11th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Bausch Health Cos in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $9.00.

Bausch Health Cos Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:BHC traded up $0.02 on Friday, reaching $6.03. 637,118 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,506,444. The company has a current ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 141.90. Bausch Health Cos has a 1-year low of $4.25 and a 1-year high of $9.85. The firm has a market cap of $2.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.14 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a 50-day moving average of $6.94 and a 200-day moving average of $6.01.

Bausch Health Cos (NYSE:BHC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 30th. The company reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.97 by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $2.57 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.47 billion. Bausch Health Cos had a net margin of 0.99% and a negative return on equity of 852.36%. Bausch Health Cos has set its FY 2025 guidance at EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Bausch Health Cos will post 4.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Bausch Health Cos

In other news, Director John Paulson acquired 34,721,118 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 14th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $9.00 per share, with a total value of $312,490,062.00. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 70,755,869 shares in the company, valued at approximately $636,802,821. This represents a 96.35% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In the last three months, insiders have bought 37,964,167 shares of company stock valued at $333,757,793. Insiders own 19.97% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of BHC. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Bausch Health Cos during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Bausch Health Cos during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in Bausch Health Cos by 244.2% in the first quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. now owns 4,230 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 3,001 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its holdings in Bausch Health Cos by 65.9% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 7,819 shares of the company's stock valued at $51,000 after buying an additional 3,106 shares during the period. Finally, Wealthquest Corp purchased a new position in Bausch Health Cos in the first quarter valued at approximately $58,000. 78.65% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Bausch Health Cos Company Profile

Bausch Health Companies Inc operates as a diversified specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company in the United States and internationally. It develops, manufactures, and markets a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter (OTC) products, aesthetic medical devices, and eye health.

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