Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Zoetis Call Options (NYSE:ZTS)

Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Monday. Investors acquired 8,106 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 300% compared to the typical volume of 2,027 call options.

Zoetis Stock Down 1.6 %

Shares of ZTS stock traded down $2.48 during trading on Monday, hitting $149.25. 983,832 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,589,460. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $165.71 and its 200 day simple moving average is $173.26. Zoetis has a twelve month low of $144.07 and a twelve month high of $200.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $66.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.92, a P/E/G ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.75.

Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 13th. The company reported $1.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.37 by $0.03. Zoetis had a return on equity of 53.82% and a net margin of 26.86%. The firm had revenue of $2.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.30 billion. As a group, analysts forecast that Zoetis will post 6.07 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Zoetis Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 3rd. Investors of record on Monday, April 21st will be paid a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, April 21st. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.34%. Zoetis’s payout ratio is 36.56%.

Insider Transactions at Zoetis

In other news, Director Willie M. Reed sold 1,210 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.14, for a total transaction of $201,029.40. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 11,245 shares in the company, valued at $1,868,244.30. The trade was a 9.71 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Roxanne Lagano sold 326 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.18, for a total transaction of $55,804.68. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,107 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,757,196.26. The trade was a 1.98 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 1,862 shares of company stock worth $312,254. Company insiders own 0.16% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Zoetis

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Howard Capital Management Group LLC raised its position in Zoetis by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 104,866 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,489,000 after purchasing an additional 883 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in Zoetis by 17.3% during the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,377,403 shares of the company’s stock worth $464,497,000 after buying an additional 351,372 shares in the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC grew its holdings in Zoetis by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 7,271 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,421,000 after acquiring an additional 92 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP increased its position in Zoetis by 45.9% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 305 shares of the company’s stock valued at $60,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares in the last quarter. Finally, iA Global Asset Management Inc. raised its position in Zoetis by 600.3% in the 3rd quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 25,504 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,983,000 after purchasing an additional 21,862 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.80% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have recently issued reports on ZTS shares. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on Zoetis from $210.00 to $180.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Zoetis from $242.00 to $244.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, February 14th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Monday, December 9th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $196.00 price objective on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Zoetis from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Zoetis from $243.00 to $238.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $215.90.

About Zoetis

Zoetis Inc engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses.