Investors Buy Large Volume of Campbell’s Put Options (NASDAQ:CPB)

The Campbell’s Company (NASDAQ:CPB) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Traders acquired 17,322 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 137% compared to the average volume of 7,318 put options.

Campbell’s Stock Performance

Shares of CPB stock opened at $21.39 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.69, a PEG ratio of 8.43 and a beta of -0.02. Campbell’s has a one year low of $21.19 and a one year high of $40.59. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $26.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $29.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a current ratio of 1.01.

Campbell’s (NASDAQ:CPB) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 11th. The company reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.57 by ($0.06). Campbell’s had a net margin of 5.48% and a return on equity of 19.96%. The firm had revenue of $2.56 billion during the quarter. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.74 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Campbell’s has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.150-2.250 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Campbell’s will post 3.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Campbell’s Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, May 4th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, April 2nd will be issued a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.3%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 2nd. Campbell’s’s payout ratio is 85.25%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded Campbell’s from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and dropped their target price for the company from $28.00 to $20.00 in a report on Thursday. TD Cowen decreased their price target on Campbell’s from $29.00 to $24.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price objective on shares of Campbell’s from $30.00 to $25.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, March 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Campbell’s from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, March 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “hold” rating and set a $26.00 target price on shares of Campbell’s in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and seven have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $27.65.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Charles A. Brawley III sold 11,550 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.14, for a total transaction of $325,017.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 43,777 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,231,884.78. This represents a 20.88% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Anthony Sanzio sold 2,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.51, for a total value of $71,577.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 25,264 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $669,748.64. This represents a 9.66% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 19.78% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Campbell’s

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust lifted its position in shares of Campbell’s by 21.4% in the 3rd quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,942 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 342 shares during the last quarter. Keybank National Association OH raised its stake in Campbell’s by 1.1% during the third quarter. Keybank National Association OH now owns 32,729 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,034,000 after acquiring an additional 353 shares during the period. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Campbell’s by 1.9% during the second quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 19,920 shares of the company’s stock worth $611,000 after acquiring an additional 375 shares during the period. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lifted its holdings in Campbell’s by 0.6% in the third quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 60,571 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,913,000 after acquiring an additional 376 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC lifted its holdings in Campbell’s by 8.1% in the fourth quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 5,099 shares of the company’s stock worth $142,000 after acquiring an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. 52.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Campbell’s

Campbell’s (NASDAQ: CPB) is a leading manufacturer of shelf-stable foods and beverages, best known for its iconic soups and broths. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, the company offers a diverse portfolio of products designed to meet consumer demand for convenient, affordable meals and snacks. Since its founding in 1869, Campbell’s has grown through a combination of organic innovation and strategic acquisitions to expand its presence in the food industry.

The company’s brand portfolio includes Campbell’s Condensed Soups, V8 juices, Prego pasta sauces, Swanson broths and stocks, Pace salsas and dips, and Pepperidge Farm baked snacks.