Ambev Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:ABEV)

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) was the target of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Traders bought 10,020 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 725% compared to the average daily volume of 1,215 put options.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group downgraded shares of Ambev from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Barclays raised their price target on Ambev from $2.00 to $2.50 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, May 12th. Wall Street Zen initiated coverage on shares of Ambev in a research report on Wednesday, April 23rd. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Ambev from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $2.70.

Ambev Trading Down 2.0%

NYSE:ABEV traded down $0.05 on Friday, hitting $2.44. 23,102,542 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 29,396,739. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.20. Ambev has a 52 week low of $1.76 and a 52 week high of $2.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $38.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.56, a P/E/G ratio of 5.80 and a beta of 0.80. The company's 50-day moving average price is $2.42 and its 200 day moving average price is $2.16.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 8th. The company reported $0.04 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $0.04. Ambev had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 16.12%. The business had revenue of $3.92 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $22.40 billion. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Ambev will post 0.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Ambev Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently announced a -- dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, July 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, May 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.0219 per share. This represents a yield of 5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, May 19th. Ambev's dividend payout ratio is presently 68.75%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. GQG Partners LLC increased its holdings in Ambev by 51.9% in the fourth quarter. GQG Partners LLC now owns 196,676,003 shares of the company's stock valued at $363,851,000 after purchasing an additional 67,180,274 shares during the last quarter. Talaria Asset Management Pty Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Ambev in the 4th quarter valued at about $38,602,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of Ambev by 1,641.9% in the 4th quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 19,001,985 shares of the company's stock valued at $35,154,000 after acquiring an additional 17,911,122 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in Ambev by 201.7% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 26,087,675 shares of the company's stock worth $48,262,000 after acquiring an additional 17,440,564 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Advisers LP grew its holdings in Ambev by 329.6% during the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 16,354,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,255,000 after purchasing an additional 12,546,800 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 8.13% of the company's stock.

About Ambev

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, malt and food, other alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in Brazil, Central America and Caribbean, Latin America South, and Canada. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Balboa ICE, Balboa, Atlas Golden Light, Atlas, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Bud 66, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith's, and Kokanee brands.