Constellation Brands Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:STZ)

Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) saw unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock traders bought 3,172 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 13% compared to the average volume of 2,819 call options.

Insider Transactions at Constellation Brands

In other Constellation Brands news, CEO William A. Newlands sold 4,013 shares of Constellation Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $263.25, for a total value of $1,056,422.25. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 5,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,420,233.75. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Constellation Brands news, CEO William A. Newlands sold 25,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $261.54, for a total value of $6,538,500.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 14,700 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,844,638. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO William A. Newlands sold 4,013 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $263.25, for a total transaction of $1,056,422.25. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 5,395 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,420,233.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 48,031 shares of company stock valued at $12,582,321 over the last 90 days. 12.19% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Constellation Brands

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BKM Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Constellation Brands during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Constellation Brands during the 1st quarter worth $35,000. First Financial Corp IN acquired a new position in Constellation Brands during the 1st quarter worth about $35,000. LRI Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands in the 1st quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Kapitalo Investimentos Ltda bought a new stake in shares of Constellation Brands in the 4th quarter valued at about $35,000. 77.34% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Constellation Brands Price Performance

Shares of NYSE STZ traded up $2.88 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $253.25. 623,064 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,200,474. Constellation Brands has a 1-year low of $227.50 and a 1-year high of $274.87. The company has a market cap of $46.34 billion, a PE ratio of 26.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a current ratio of 1.19. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $254.77 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $253.97.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 3rd. The company reported $3.57 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.46 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $2.66 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.67 billion. Constellation Brands had a return on equity of 23.72% and a net margin of 22.70%. Constellation Brands’s revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.91 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Constellation Brands will post 13.67 EPS for the current year.

Constellation Brands Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 23rd. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $1.01 per share. This represents a $4.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.60%. Constellation Brands’s dividend payout ratio is currently 43.07%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wedbush reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $300.00 target price on shares of Constellation Brands in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Constellation Brands from $295.00 to $288.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of Constellation Brands from $310.00 to $311.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $315.00 price target on shares of Constellation Brands in a report on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on Constellation Brands from $291.00 to $320.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $300.16.

Constellation Brands Company Profile

Constellation Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, produces, imports, markets, and sells beer, wine, and spirits in the United States, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, and Italy. The company provides beer primarily under the Corona Extra, Corona Familiar, Corona Hard Seltzer, Corona Light, Corona Non-Alcoholic, Corona Premier, Corona Refresca, Modelo Especial, Modelo Chelada, Modelo Negra, Modelo Oro, Victoria, Vicky Chamoy, and Pacifico brands.