Village Farms International Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NASDAQ:VFF)

Key Points

• Village Farms International experienced a significant increase in call options trading, with a 427% rise in volume on Wednesday, indicating heightened investor interest.
• CFO Stephen C. Ruffini purchased 25,000 shares of the company's stock, increasing his holdings to nearly 9.8 million shares, valued at over $11.8 million, which reflects confidence in the company.
• Despite recent trading up 2.2%, the stock has faced mixed analyst ratings, with some downgrades to "sell" while others maintain a "buy" or "overweight" stance, highlighting adivergence in market outlook.

Village Farms International, Inc. (NASDAQ:VFF - Get Free Report) saw some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Investors acquired 3,276 call options on the company. Thisrepresentsanincreaseofapproximately427% compared to the average volume of 622 call options.

Insider Buying and Selling at Village Farms International

In other news, CFO Stephen C. Ruffini acquired 25,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 30th. The shares were bought at an average price of $1.21 per share, for a total transaction of $30,250.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief financial officer directly owned 9,783,127 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $11,837,583.67. This trade represents a 0.26% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 12.60% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Village Farms International

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of VFF. Lighthouse Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Village Farms International during the fourth quarter worth $36,000. Stephens Inc. AR raised its position in shares of Village Farms International by 50.6% during the second quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 59,500 shares of the company's stock worth $65,000 after acquiring an additional 20,000 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Village Farms International in the 4th quarter valued at $146,000. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL bought a new stake in Village Farms International during the fourth quarter valued at $146,000. Finally, Two Sigma Advisers LP grew its stake in Village Farms International by 625.6% during the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 193,000 shares of the company's stock worth $149,000 after purchasing an additional 166,400 shares during the period. 12.15% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Village Farms International Trading Up 2.2%

NASDAQ:VFF traded up $0.05 on Wednesday, reaching $2.53. The company's stock had a trading volume of 293,504 shares, compared to its average volume of 897,114. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a quick ratio of 0.98 and a current ratio of 1.92. The business's 50-day moving average price is $1.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $0.95. Village Farms International has a 1-year low of $0.45 and a 1-year high of $2.69. The firm has a market cap of $284.66 million, a PE ratio of 27.88 and a beta of 2.14.

Village Farms International (NASDAQ:VFF - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 11th. The company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.02) by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $59.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $48.86 million. Village Farms International had a negative return on equity of 2.30% and a net margin of 3.42%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Village Farms International will post -0.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on VFF shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Village Farms International from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday. Alliance Global Partners reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Village Farms International in a report on Tuesday, May 13th. Finally, Zelman & Associates restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Village Farms International in a research note on Monday, June 9th.

About Village Farms International

Village Farms International, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, markets, and sells greenhouse-grown tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers in North America. It operates through four segments: Produce, Cannabis-Canada, Cannabis-U.S., and Energy. The company also produces and supplies cannabis products to other licensed providers and provincial governments in Canada and internationally; develops and sells cannabinoid-based health and wellness products, including ingestible, edibles, and topical applications; and produces power.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate reporting. This story was reviewed by MarketBeat's editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.