Invesco Experiences Significant Options Trading Activity

Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ - Get Free Report) saw an unusual spike in options trading on Tuesday. Investors engaged in considerable activity by purchasing 16,806 call options on the company's stock. This notable increase of around 435% compared to the typical volume of 3,141 call options has caught the attention of market watchers.

Invesco Stock Performance

On the same day, shares of Invesco rose by 7.4%, trading up $1.32 to reach $19.07 during midday. The trading volume stood at 6,150,405 shares, significantly higher than the average of 3,667,403 shares. The company's fifty-day simple moving average is currently at $17.60, while the two-hundred day simple moving average is $17.25. Invesco has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, with a current and quick ratio both at 4.91. Over the past year, the stock has seen a low of $14.16 and a high of $19.49. With a market capitalization of $8.57 billion, Invesco's price-to-earnings ratio stands at -20.79, while its price-to-earnings-growth ratio is 1.06, and it has a beta of 1.43.

Recent Earnings Reports

Invesco recently released its quarterly earnings, reporting an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.52 for the quarter, slightly beating the consensus estimate of $0.51 by $0.01. The company's net margin was reported at -3.00%, but it maintained a positive return on equity of 8.83%. Analysts forecast an average EPS of 1.7 for the current year.

Dividend Announcement

The company has also announced a quarterly dividend, which is set to be paid on March 4th. Shareholders on record as of February 14th will receive a dividend of $0.205 per share. This results in an annualized dividend of $0.82, offering a yield of 4.30%. Invesco's dividend payout ratio is reported as -89.13%.

Analyst Opinions on Invesco

A number of analysts have weighed in on Invesco's stock. Wells Fargo & Company recently lowered their price target for Invesco shares from $17.50 to $17.00, assigning an "underweight" rating. The Goldman Sachs Group also adjusted their target down from $19.25 to $19.00 and conveyed a "neutral" rating. Barclays reduced its price objective from $19.00 to $18.00 while keeping an "equal weight" rating. Conversely, StockNews.com upgraded Invesco from a "sell" to a "hold" rating. Royal Bank of Canada recently initiated coverage on Invesco with a "sector perform" rating and a price target of $19.00. Overall, one analyst issued a sell rating, eleven suggested holding, and one recommended buying shares. According to MarketBeat, the average rating remains as "Hold," with a median price target of $18.50.

Institutional Trading Insights

Recent activity among hedge funds shows a mixed trend in institutional investment in Invesco. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Invesco by 2.0%, owning 4,540,913 shares after adding 87,405 shares in the previous quarter. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. acquired a new stake valued at approximately $1.43 billion. Meanwhile, Algert Global LLC and Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd also made strategic changes to their positions. Overall, institutional investors hold about 66.09% of Invesco’s stock.

About Invesco

Invesco Ltd. is a publicly traded investment management firm. It serves various clients, including retail and institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, public entities, corporations, non-profit organizations, and sovereign wealth funds.

Investment Considerations

Before investing in Invesco, individuals should conduct thorough research. Despite the company's current "Hold" rating from analysts, some research indicates there may be better investment opportunities available. Potential investors are encouraged to compare Invesco with alternative stocks that may offer more favorable growth prospects.

Invesco, Options, Trading