MARA Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:MARA)

Key Points

• MARA call-option trading was unusually active: Investors bought 321,997 calls on Friday, 53% above the average volume of 209,807.
• FERC approved MARA’s roughly $1.5 billion acquisition of Long Ridge Energy & Power, a step toward its AI and high-performance-computing plans; closing is expected in the coming weeks. Shares nonetheless faced pressure amid a broader AI-data-center stock selloff and concerns about execution and financing.
• Analysts’ ratings are mixed: seven rate MARA a Buy and three a Sell, for an overall Hold consensus and a $17.78 average price target. MARA traded at $6.35 on Friday.

MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA - Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading on Friday. Stock investors bought 321,997 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 53% compared to the average volume of 209,807 call options.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MARA has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered MARA from an "overweight" rating to an "underweight" rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $13.00 to $11.00 in a research report on Monday, September 14th. Morgan Stanley set a $10.00 price target on shares of MARA and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Friday, October 9th. Piper Sandler reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $11.00 price target (down from $13.00) on shares of MARA in a research note on Tuesday, October 20th. Cantor Fitzgerald decreased their price objective on shares of MARA from $14.00 to $12.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 7th. Finally, HC Wainwright initiated coverage on shares of MARA in a research report on Friday, September 11th. They set a "buy" rating and a $20.00 price objective on the stock. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $17.78.

MARA News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting MARA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FERC approved MARA’s roughly $1.5 billion acquisition of Long Ridge Energy & Power, clearing a key regulatory condition. The site includes a 505-megawatt power plant and acreage intended to support the company’s AI and high-performance-computing infrastructure plans; closing is expected in the coming weeks. FERC authorizes MARA’s acquisition of Long Ridge
• Neutral Sentiment: MARA transferred 1,650 BTC, valued in reports at about $132.8 million, to institutional platforms including Galaxy Digital and Copper. The move may relate to its evolving treasury and funding strategy, but the reports do not establish that the bitcoin was sold. MARA transfers 1,650 BTC
• Negative Sentiment: A recent report attributed selling pressure to insider sales, which can weigh on sentiment. MARA shares down on insider selling
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the FERC approval, MARA and other Bitcoin miners were hit by a selloff in AI-data-center-related stocks. Investors may be weighing the execution and financing risks of MARA’s costly shift toward power and data-center infrastructure. AI data center selloff hits Bitcoin miners

MARA Stock Performance

Shares of MARA stock traded up $0.47 on Friday, reaching $6.35. The stock had a trading volume of 34,458,751 shares, compared to its average volume of 44,936,359. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 0.89. MARA has a 1 year low of $5.69 and a 1 year high of $16.62. The stock has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a P/E ratio of -0.69 and a beta of 5.23. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $9.99 and a 200 day simple moving average of $10.70.

MARA (NASDAQ:MARA - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The business services provider reported ($1.60) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.17 by ($1.77). The firm had revenue of $174.88 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $209.44 million. MARA had a negative net margin of 429.71% and a negative return on equity of 26.05%. The firm's revenue was down 26.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.84 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that MARA will post -1.65 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at MARA

In other news, General Counsel Zabi Nowaid sold 8,376 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.00, for a total value of $100,512.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel owned 898,780 shares in the company, valued at $10,785,360. The trade was a 0.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CFO Salman Khan sold 16,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $9.21, for a total value of $147,360.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 377,066 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,472,777.86. The trade was a 4.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 134,396 shares of company stock worth $1,311,490. Insiders own 0.97% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of MARA

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MARA. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System lifted its position in shares of MARA by 55.9% during the 3rd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 86,449 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $979,000 after buying an additional 30,995 shares in the last quarter. RHL Group LLC bought a new stake in MARA during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $123,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC raised its position in shares of MARA by 25.9% during the 3rd quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 44,682 shares of the business services provider's stock valued at $506,000 after purchasing an additional 9,191 shares during the period. Inscription Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of MARA in the third quarter valued at about $115,000. Finally, Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its holdings in MARA by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 185,917 shares of the business services provider's stock worth $2,106,000 after purchasing an additional 3,335 shares in the last quarter. 44.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About MARA

MARA Holdings, Inc NASDAQ: MARA, formerly known as Marathon Digital Holdings, is a digital asset mining and energy infrastructure company. Its primary business is securing the Bitcoin network by operating specialized computing equipment that validates transactions and earns Bitcoin rewards.

The company develops and operates data centers and digital asset computing infrastructure, while also pursuing strategies to access low-cost and surplus energy. MARA has expanded its operations through a combination of owned facilities, hosting arrangements and acquisitions, with activities spanning North America and other international markets.

The company was founded in 2010 as Marathon Patent Group and later shifted its focus toward cryptocurrency mining before adopting the Marathon Digital name.

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