Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NYSEARCA:XLB)

Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLB) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Stock investors acquired 202,729 put options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 508% compared to the typical volume of 33,317 put options.

Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund Trading Up 0.8%

Shares of NYSEARCA XLB traded up $0.39 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $50.89. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 7,146,187 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,440,989. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.55 and a beta of 0.92. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $51.13 and a 200 day moving average price of $50.58. Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund has a one year low of $42.03 and a one year high of $54.14.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Main Street Group LTD bought a new position in Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund in the 1st quarter worth about $25,000. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. grew its holdings in Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund by 100.0% during the 4th quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 578 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 289 shares in the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC bought a new stake in shares of Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund during the first quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Thompson Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund by 100.0% in the fourth quarter. Thompson Investment Management Inc. now owns 600 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 300 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.78% of the company’s stock.

Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund Company Profile

Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Materials Select Sector Index (the Index). The Index includes companies involved in such industries as chemicals; metals and mining; paper and forest products; containers and packaging, and construction materials. The Fund’s investment advisor is SSgA Funds Management, Inc