Walgreens Boots Alliance Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:WBA)

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock traders purchased 168,529 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 172% compared to the typical volume of 61,987 call options.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Trading Up 27.5 %

WBA opened at $11.76 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.15 billion, a PE ratio of -1.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.64. Walgreens Boots Alliance has a fifty-two week low of $8.08 and a fifty-two week high of $24.93. The company’s 50-day moving average is $9.26 and its 200 day moving average is $9.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.68 and a quick ratio of 0.37.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 10th. The pharmacy operator reported $0.51 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.13. Walgreens Boots Alliance had a negative net margin of 5.85% and a positive return on equity of 14.23%. The firm had revenue of $39.50 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $37.40 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.66 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts predict that Walgreens Boots Alliance will post 1.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 12th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were given a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.50%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. Walgreens Boots Alliance’s dividend payout ratio is currently -9.99%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on WBA shares. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $19.00 to $9.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. UBS Group upped their price objective on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance from $16.00 to $14.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Evercore ISI increased their price target on Walgreens Boots Alliance from $7.50 to $10.00 and gave the stock an “in-line” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance from $7.00 to $8.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 16th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $12.58.

Institutional Trading of Walgreens Boots Alliance

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of WBA. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 18.0% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 42,997,580 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $385,258,000 after purchasing an additional 6,569,223 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Walgreens Boots Alliance by 43.6% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,969,188 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $98,284,000 after acquiring an additional 3,329,857 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 12.1% during the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 7,594,475 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $68,046,000 after acquiring an additional 817,762 shares in the last quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 15.5% in the third quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC now owns 6,955,880 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock worth $62,325,000 after acquiring an additional 934,754 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC grew its position in shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance by 2.5% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,258,919 shares of the pharmacy operator’s stock valued at $29,200,000 after purchasing an additional 80,525 shares in the last quarter. 58.59% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Walgreens Boots Alliance

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc operates as a healthcare, pharmacy, and retail company in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and internationally. It operates through three segments: U.S. Retail Pharmacy, International, and U.S. Healthcare. The U.S. Retail Pharmacy segment engages in operation of the retail drugstores, health and wellness services, specialty, and home delivery pharmacy services, which offers health and wellness, beauty, personal care and consumables, and general merchandise.