Banco Bradesco (NYSE:BBD) Stock Sees Heavy Put Option Buying

Key Points

• Put-option activity surged: Investors purchased 20,124 Banco Bradesco put options, a 621% increase over the typical volume of 2,790 contracts, signaling heightened hedging or bearish interest.
• Shares traded near their yearly high: BBD fell $0.07 to $4.45, compared with a 52-week range of $2.98 to $4.58. The bank reported quarterly EPS of $0.12, revenue of $6.77 billion, a 14.61% return on equity and a 10.55% net margin.
• Analyst sentiment remained positive overall: JPMorgan and Bradesco Corretora upgraded the stock to “overweight,” while Weiss Ratings downgraded it to “hold.” MarketBeat’s consensus rating was “Moderate Buy,” and the company announced a $0.0728 special dividend.

Banco Bradesco SA (NYSE:BBD - Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading activity on Wednesday. Stock investors purchased 20,124 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 621% compared to the typical volume of 2,790 put options.

Banco Bradesco Price Performance

NYSE BBD traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $4.45. The company's stock had a trading volume of 18,401,229 shares, compared to its average volume of 35,408,031. Banco Bradesco has a 1 year low of $2.98 and a 1 year high of $4.58. The company has a quick ratio of 1.48, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.93. The company has a market capitalization of $47.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.54, a PEG ratio of 0.67 and a beta of 0.46. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $3.43 and its 200-day moving average price is $3.55.

Banco Bradesco (NYSE:BBD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, June 30th. The bank reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $6.77 billion during the quarter. Banco Bradesco had a return on equity of 14.61% and a net margin of 10.55%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Banco Bradesco will post 0.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Banco Bradesco Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a special dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, October 15th will be paid a $0.0728 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 15th. Banco Bradesco's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 7.14%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates bought a new stake in Banco Bradesco during the 2nd quarter valued at $38,000. Wayfinding Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Banco Bradesco during the 2nd quarter worth $40,000. Diversify Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Banco Bradesco during the first quarter valued at $43,000. Tenzing Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Banco Bradesco in the fourth quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Modern Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Banco Bradesco in the first quarter valued at about $55,000.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms recently weighed in on BBD. Weiss Ratings downgraded Banco Bradesco from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Friday, July 24th. Bradesco Corretora upgraded shares of Banco Bradesco from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Banco Bradesco from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Banco Bradesco has an average rating of "Moderate Buy".

Banco Bradesco Company Profile

Banco Bradesco SA is a Brazilian financial services company headquartered in Osasco, São Paulo. Through its banking operations, the company serves individuals, businesses, corporate clients and public-sector entities across Brazil.

Bradesco offers a broad range of products and services, including checking and savings accounts, loans, credit cards, mortgages, investment and wealth-management products, payment solutions, foreign-exchange services and investment banking. Its operations also include insurance, pension plans and capitalization products through affiliated businesses.

Founded in 1943 in Marília, São Paulo, Bradesco has developed an extensive distribution network of branches, automated banking facilities and digital channels.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.