Synchrony Financial Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:SYF)

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Tuesday. Investors purchased 39,401 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 1,067% compared to the typical daily volume of 3,377 call options.

Synchrony Financial Trading Up 3.2 %

Shares of SYF opened at $56.82 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.25. The company has a market cap of $22.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.42, a PEG ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 1.59. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $51.48 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $47.91. Synchrony Financial has a 52-week low of $28.84 and a 52-week high of $57.37.

Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.77 by $0.17. Synchrony Financial had a net margin of 13.98% and a return on equity of 16.64%. The firm had revenue of $3.81 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.76 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.48 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Synchrony Financial will post 6.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Synchrony Financial Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 15th. Investors of record on Monday, November 4th will be given a $0.25 dividend. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.76%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, November 4th. Synchrony Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.05%.

Insider Transactions at Synchrony Financial

In related news, insider Brian J. Sr. Wenzel sold 74,698 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.73, for a total transaction of $3,490,637.54. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 76,251 shares in the company, valued at $3,563,209.23. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Synchrony Financial during the first quarter worth $28,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd bought a new stake in Synchrony Financial during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Synchrony Financial during the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. WR Wealth Planners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Synchrony Financial by 83.6% in the 2nd quarter. WR Wealth Planners LLC now owns 716 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 326 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Synchrony Financial during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.48% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on SYF shares. BTIG Research cut shares of Synchrony Financial from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, September 16th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on Synchrony Financial from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Synchrony Financial from $42.00 to $41.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, July 18th. JMP Securities restated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $60.00 target price on shares of Synchrony Financial in a research note on Monday, October 14th. Finally, Bank of America raised Synchrony Financial from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $54.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, August 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $56.60.

About Synchrony Financial

Synchrony Financial, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer financial services company in the United States. It provides credit products, such as credit cards, commercial credit products, and consumer installment loans. The company also offers private label credit cards, dual co-brand and general purpose credit cards, short- and long-term installment loans, and consumer banking products; and deposit products, including certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, money market accounts, and savings accounts, and sweep and affinity deposits, as well as accepts deposits through third-party securities brokerage firms.