Pacific Gas & Electric Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:PCG)

Key Points

• Unusual options activity: Investors purchased 137,781 PG&E call options, about 210% above the stock’s average daily call volume, signaling heightened interest in potential upside.
• Quarterly performance: PG&E reported adjusted earnings of $0.40 per share, beating estimates of $0.36, while revenue of $5.90 billion fell short of the $6.20 billion consensus. The company maintained fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $1.64–$1.66.
• Analyst outlook remains positive: Seven analysts rate the stock a Buy, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a $22.20 price target versus its recent price of $17.46. PG&E also pays a quarterly dividend of $0.05, yielding about 1.1%.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (NYSE:PCG - Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading on Friday. Stock investors purchased 137,781 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 210% compared to the average daily volume of 44,462 call options.

Pacific Gas & Electric Price Performance

NYSE PCG traded up $0.46 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $17.46. The company's stock had a trading volume of 11,460,893 shares, compared to its average volume of 21,378,217. The firm has a market capitalization of $46.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.63, a P/E/G ratio of 1.12 and a beta of 0.28. Pacific Gas & Electric has a 1-year low of $14.30 and a 1-year high of $19.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.15. The company's 50-day moving average is $17.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $17.10.

Pacific Gas & Electric (NYSE:PCG - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The utilities provider reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.36 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $5.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.20 billion. Pacific Gas & Electric had a return on equity of 12.48% and a net margin of 12.25%.Pacific Gas & Electric's quarterly revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.31 earnings per share. Pacific Gas & Electric has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.640-1.660 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Pacific Gas & Electric will post 1.65 EPS for the current year.

Pacific Gas & Electric Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 30th were paid a $0.05 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 30th. This represents a $0.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Pacific Gas & Electric's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 14.49%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Weiss Ratings lowered Pacific Gas & Electric from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $25.00 target price on shares of Pacific Gas & Electric in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Morgan Stanley set a $22.00 target price on shares of Pacific Gas & Electric in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Truist Financial lowered their price target on shares of Pacific Gas & Electric from $23.00 to $21.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their price target on shares of Pacific Gas & Electric from $28.00 to $27.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Pacific Gas & Electric has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $22.20.

Insider Activity at Pacific Gas & Electric

In related news, EVP Marlene Santos sold 158,250 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $18.00, for a total transaction of $2,848,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 230,885 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,155,930. This trade represents a 40.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.22% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pacific Gas & Electric

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Pacific Gas & Electric in the first quarter valued at about $203,000. Empowered Funds LLC raised its position in shares of Pacific Gas & Electric by 16.4% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 46,936 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $806,000 after purchasing an additional 6,601 shares during the last quarter. Woodline Partners LP lifted its stake in Pacific Gas & Electric by 41.2% in the 1st quarter. Woodline Partners LP now owns 185,324 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $3,184,000 after buying an additional 54,033 shares in the last quarter. Focus Partners Wealth lifted its stake in Pacific Gas & Electric by 93.0% in the 1st quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 83,816 shares of the utilities provider's stock valued at $1,440,000 after buying an additional 40,380 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S boosted its holdings in Pacific Gas & Electric by 499.7% in the 2nd quarter. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S now owns 433,064 shares of the utilities provider's stock worth $6,037,000 after buying an additional 360,845 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.56% of the company's stock.

About Pacific Gas & Electric

Pacific Gas & Electric NYSE: PCG is an investor-owned utility holding company whose principal operating subsidiary, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, provides electricity and natural gas service in northern and central California. The company's core activities include the generation, procurement, transmission and distribution of electric power, as well as the transmission and distribution of natural gas. PG&E serves a broad mix of residential, commercial, and industrial customers across urban and rural communities within its California service territory.

PG&E's operations encompass utility infrastructure planning and construction, grid operations, customer service and energy procurement.

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