Investors Purchase Large Volume of Call Options on Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC)

Exelon Co. (NASDAQ:EXC) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Investors acquired 8,339 call options on the company. This is an increase of 156% compared to the typical volume of 3,252 call options.

Exelon Stock Performance

NASDAQ EXC traded up $0.41 on Friday, hitting $37.09. The stock had a trading volume of 1,751,373 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,636,537. Exelon has a one year low of $33.35 and a one year high of $43.71. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.56. The stock has a market cap of $37.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.74, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.54. The company’s 50-day moving average is $36.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $37.10.

Exelon (NASDAQ:EXC) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 21st. The company reported $0.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $5.37 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.87 billion. Exelon had a net margin of 10.72% and a return on equity of 9.40%. The business’s revenue was up 15.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.43 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Exelon will post 2.41 earnings per share for the current year.

Exelon Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th were issued a $0.38 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 1st. This is a boost from Exelon’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.36. This represents a $1.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.10%. Exelon’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 65.24%.

Institutional Trading of Exelon

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Compton Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Exelon during the first quarter worth approximately $212,000. Diversified Trust Co boosted its holdings in Exelon by 105.5% during the first quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 34,091 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,281,000 after buying an additional 17,503 shares in the last quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB boosted its holdings in Exelon by 61.5% during the first quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB now owns 2,012,282 shares of the company’s stock worth $75,626,000 after buying an additional 766,558 shares in the last quarter. Register Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Exelon during the first quarter worth approximately $26,000. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Exelon by 49.6% in the 1st quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 110,227 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,141,000 after acquiring an additional 36,548 shares in the last quarter. 80.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on the stock. Mizuho upgraded shares of Exelon from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $36.00 to $39.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Exelon from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th. Seaport Res Ptn lowered shares of Exelon from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Bank of America cut their target price on shares of Exelon from $38.00 to $36.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Exelon from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Exelon currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $39.09.

About Exelon

Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the energy distribution and transmission businesses in the United States and Canada. The company is involved in the purchase and regulated retail sale of electricity and natural gas, transmission and distribution of electricity, and distribution of natural gas to retail customers.