Traders Buy High Volume of Call Options on MediaAlpha (NYSE:MAX)

MediaAlpha, Inc. (NYSE:MAX) was the target of unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Stock investors acquired 6,034 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 2,239% compared to the average daily volume of 258 call options.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on the company. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their target price on MediaAlpha from $19.00 to $16.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of MediaAlpha in a report on Monday, December 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada decreased their price target on shares of MediaAlpha from $18.00 to $11.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Canaccord Genuity Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $15.00 price objective on shares of MediaAlpha in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of MediaAlpha from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Sunday, January 11th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $14.58.

MediaAlpha Stock Up 6.5%

MediaAlpha stock traded up $0.58 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $9.55. 362,118 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 842,495. MediaAlpha has a 52-week low of $7.09 and a 52-week high of $13.92. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $10.59 and its 200-day moving average price is $11.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $622.63 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.68 and a beta of 1.29.

MediaAlpha (NYSE:MAX) last posted its earnings results on Monday, February 23rd. The company reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.25 by $0.25. The firm had revenue of $291.16 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $296.42 million. MediaAlpha had a net margin of 2.30% and a negative return on equity of 117.28%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 3.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.08 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that MediaAlpha will post 0.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key Headlines Impacting MediaAlpha

Here are the key news stories impacting MediaAlpha this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings beat — MediaAlpha reported EPS of $0.50 versus the $0.25 consensus, signalling stronger profitability than expected; investors often reward EPS beats with buying interest. GlobeNewswire Release
• Positive Sentiment: Share buyback boost — the board doubled the repurchase authorization to $100 million, which supports the stock by increasing potential buybacks and returning capital. GlobeNewswire Release
• Positive Sentiment: Record transaction value and strong full‑year metrics — Q4 transaction value hit $613M and full‑year transaction value was $2.2B, with record P&C performance, supporting growth narrative. GlobeNewswire Release
• Positive Sentiment: Upbeat Q1 transaction guidance — management expects $570M–$595M in Q1 transaction value and ~35% P&C growth, highlighting continued marketplace momentum and AI-driven expansion. Seeking Alpha Preview
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow — a large block of ~6,034 call options was traded (≈2,239% above average), indicating speculative or hedged bullish interest that can amplify intraday moves.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst view mixed — several brokers trimmed price targets (JPMorgan from $15 to $11; Keefe Bruyette & Woods from $19 to $16) but kept constructive ratings (overweight/outperform), which tempers enthusiasm but preserves institutional support. Benzinga
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed estimates — Q4 revenue was $291.15M versus consensus ~$296.4M and revenue was down ~3.2% YoY, a short-term weakness investors may weigh against the EPS beat. MarketBeat / Earnings

Insider Buying and Selling at MediaAlpha

In related news, CRO Keith Cramer sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $12.83, for a total transaction of $128,300.00. Following the transaction, the executive directly owned 187,169 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,401,378.27. This represents a 5.07% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CTO Kuanling Amy Yeh sold 12,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.49, for a total transaction of $161,880.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 402,662 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,431,910.38. The trade was a 2.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 474,900 shares of company stock valued at $5,569,954. 11.53% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On MediaAlpha

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its position in MediaAlpha by 5,900.0% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 2,160 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 2,124 shares during the period. Strs Ohio purchased a new position in MediaAlpha in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $49,000. Quarry LP grew its holdings in MediaAlpha by 43.3% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 4,087 shares of the company’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 1,234 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its position in MediaAlpha by 28.0% in the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 5,551 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 1,213 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. bought a new stake in shares of MediaAlpha in the second quarter valued at $62,000. 64.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

MediaAlpha Company Profile

MediaAlpha, Inc is a technology company that operates a real-time digital marketplace for the distribution of insurance and adjacent services. The company’s platform connects buyers—consumers seeking insurance policies—to sellers, including insurance carriers and distribution partners, through programmatic bidding and data-driven pricing. By leveraging transaction-level data and proprietary auction mechanics, MediaAlpha enables carriers to acquire customers more efficiently and at scale.

The firm offers a suite of products that help clients optimize marketing spend and improve conversion rates.