Mondelez International Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NASDAQ:MDLZ)

Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Traders purchased 6,771 put options on the company. This represents an increase of 77% compared to the average volume of 3,820 put options.

Mondelez International Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:MDLZ opened at $55.36 on Thursday. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $58.19 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.67. Mondelez International has a fifty-two week low of $51.20 and a fifty-two week high of $71.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.59 and a quick ratio of 0.39.

Mondelez International (NASDAQ:MDLZ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $0.72 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.70 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $10.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $10.32 billion. Mondelez International had a return on equity of 14.53% and a net margin of 6.36%.The business’s revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.65 earnings per share. Mondelez International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.920-3.070 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Mondelez International will post 2.9 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Mondelez International Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 31st will be paid a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 31st. Mondelez International’s dividend payout ratio is currently 106.38%.

Insider Transactions at Mondelez International

In related news, EVP Gustavo Carlos Valle sold 3,000 shares of Mondelez International stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.00, for a total value of $186,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 99,596 shares in the company, valued at $6,174,952. This trade represents a 2.92% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Mondelez International

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. J.Safra Asset Management Corp bought a new stake in Mondelez International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Advocate Investing Services LLC bought a new position in Mondelez International in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Soundwatch Capital LLC acquired a new position in Mondelez International in the second quarter worth $27,000. KERR FINANCIAL PLANNING Corp acquired a new position in Mondelez International in the third quarter worth $27,000. Finally, Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Mondelez International during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 78.32% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently commented on MDLZ. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Mondelez International from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 12th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Mondelez International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, February 7th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their target price on Mondelez International from $70.00 to $68.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. TD Cowen dropped their price target on Mondelez International from $68.00 to $62.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Mondelez International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 25th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $67.06.

About Mondelez International

Mondelez International is a global snacks company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2012 when Kraft Foods split to create a business focused on snack foods and a separate North American grocery company. Mondelez develops, manufactures, markets and distributes a broad portfolio of snack products intended for retail, foodservice and e‑commerce channels around the world.

The company’s product mix centers on biscuits and cookies, chocolate and confectionery, gum and candy, and savory crackers and baked snacks.