Traders Purchase Large Volume of Super Micro Computer Call Options (NASDAQ:SMCI)

Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI) was the target of some unusual options trading on Friday. Investors purchased 566,371 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 33% compared to the typical volume of 425,429 call options.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Super Micro Computer

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Acadian Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Super Micro Computer during the first quarter valued at $98,000. Edgestream Partners L.P. bought a new stake in shares of Super Micro Computer during the 1st quarter valued at about $424,000. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its stake in Super Micro Computer by 944.7% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 397 shares of the company’s stock worth $401,000 after purchasing an additional 359 shares during the period. Advisors Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in Super Micro Computer by 1,450.0% in the first quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,240 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,252,000 after purchasing an additional 1,160 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Toronto Dominion Bank lifted its stake in Super Micro Computer by 398.2% in the first quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 30,866 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,176,000 after buying an additional 24,671 shares during the period. 84.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on SMCI shares. Loop Capital reduced their price objective on Super Micro Computer from $150.00 to $100.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 23rd. Mizuho assumed coverage on Super Micro Computer in a research report on Tuesday, September 17th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $45.00 target price for the company. Bank of America cut shares of Super Micro Computer from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $109.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Rosenblatt Securities restated a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 target price on shares of Super Micro Computer in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Super Micro Computer from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and decreased their price target for the company from $50.00 to $23.00 in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Super Micro Computer currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $66.89.

Super Micro Computer Trading Up 9.6 %

NASDAQ:SMCI traded up $2.85 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $32.55. 91,259,188 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 82,113,930. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.36 and a beta of 1.28. Super Micro Computer has a one year low of $17.25 and a one year high of $122.90. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $38.45 and a 200 day simple moving average of $61.16. The company has a current ratio of 3.77, a quick ratio of 1.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32.

About Super Micro Computer

Super Micro Computer, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops and manufactures high performance server and storage solutions based on modular and open architecture in the United States, Europe, Asia, and internationally. Its solutions range from complete server, storage systems, modular blade servers, blades, workstations, full racks, networking devices, server sub-systems, server management software, and security software.