Investors Purchase High Volume of Put Options on Boeing (NYSE:BA)

Key Points

• Boeing put-option trading surged: Investors bought 145,457 puts on Thursday, 65% above the average volume, signaling elevated demand for downside protection or bearish exposure.
• Shares fell 1.7% to $171.53 and were near their $165.01 one-year low. Boeing missed quarterly EPS estimates ($0.34 loss versus an expected $0.25 loss), though revenue exceeded forecasts and rose 3.9% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remained broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average $247.88 price target. A director also bought nearly $1 million in shares, while an executive vice president sold about $524,000 worth.

The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA - Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Thursday. Stock traders bought 145,457 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 65% compared to the average volume of 87,961 put options.

Insider Activity

In other Boeing news, Director Mortimer Buckley acquired 5,820 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 30th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $171.55 per share, with a total value of $998,421.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 10,250 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,758,387.50. This trade represents a 131.38% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP David Raymond sold 2,994 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $174.91, for a total transaction of $523,680.54. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 38,456 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,726,338.96. This trade represents a 7.22% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Company insiders own 0.10% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Boeing

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Paul R. Ried Financial Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Boeing by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Paul R. Ried Financial Group LLC now owns 18,060 shares of the aircraft producer's stock valued at $3,594,000 after buying an additional 49 shares during the period. BlueChip Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in Boeing by 2.6% during the first quarter. BlueChip Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,945 shares of the aircraft producer's stock worth $381,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the last quarter. Enterprise Financial Services Corp raised its holdings in shares of Boeing by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Enterprise Financial Services Corp now owns 2,821 shares of the aircraft producer's stock worth $561,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the period. Gradient Investments LLC raised its holdings in shares of Boeing by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Gradient Investments LLC now owns 5,681 shares of the aircraft producer's stock worth $1,230,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the period. Finally, Sandy Cove Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Boeing by 5.1% in the 2nd quarter. Sandy Cove Advisors LLC now owns 1,076 shares of the aircraft producer's stock worth $233,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.82% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BA has been the subject of several recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $238.00 price target on shares of Boeing in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded Boeing to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on Boeing from $275.00 to $240.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Wolfe Research upgraded Boeing from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 24th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price objective on Boeing from $300.00 to $250.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-one have given a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $247.88.

Boeing Trading Down 1.7%

NYSE BA traded down $3.01 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $171.53. 6,009,086 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,167,102. The stock has a market capitalization of $135.93 billion, a PE ratio of 18.66 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.31, a quick ratio of 0.34 and a current ratio of 1.13. Boeing has a 1-year low of $165.01 and a 1-year high of $254.35. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $190.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $214.25.

Boeing (NYSE:BA - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The aircraft producer reported ($0.34) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.25) by ($0.09). The business had revenue of $24.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $23.95 billion. Boeing had a negative return on equity of 42.40% and a net margin of 7.98%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 3.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted ($7.47) earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Boeing will post -1.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Top Boeing Stories

Here are a few of the latest stories about BA:

• Positive Sentiment: A bullish long-term scenario says Boeing’s goal of generating $10 billion in free cash flow in 2029, alongside production and certification milestones, could support substantial share-price gains. That upside depends on execution. Article: $500 Invested in Boeing Today Could Be Worth This Much in 3 Years
• Neutral Sentiment: A law firm announced an investigation into possible securities-law violations involving Boeing. The announcement does not establish wrongdoing, but adds a potential legal and reputational overhang for investors. Article: Kaplan Fox Announces an Investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Safety inspectors are calling for more contact with the factory floor as Boeing works to change its safety culture. The renewed focus may reinforce concerns about manufacturing oversight and the pace of recovery. Article: Safety Inspectors Call for More Factory-Floor Contact

Boeing Company Profile

The Boeing Company is an aerospace manufacturer that designs, builds and supports commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems. Its commercial aircraft include the 737, 767, 777 and 787 families, which serve passenger and cargo operators around the world. Boeing's defense, space and security business supplies military aircraft, helicopters, weapons, satellites and related systems, as well as services for government customers. Its Boeing Global Services business provides support such as maintenance, parts, training and logistics for commercial and government customers.

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.