Investors Buy Large Volume of Call Options on QuantumScape (NYSE:QS)

QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE:QS) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Thursday. Stock traders purchased 73,091 call options on the company. This is an increase of 63% compared to the average volume of 44,929 call options.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Kevin Hettrich sold 9,800 shares of QuantumScape stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $7.28, for a total value of $71,344.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 1,816,257 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,222,350.96. This trade represents a 0.54% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CTO Timothy Holme sold 102,991 shares of QuantumScape stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, July 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $7.28, for a total transaction of $749,774.48. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer owned 1,712,506 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,467,043.68. This trade represents a 5.67% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 737,540 shares of company stock worth $5,967,115 over the last three months. Insiders own 3.93% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of QuantumScape

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of QS. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in shares of QuantumScape by 11.8% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 40,959,061 shares of the company’s stock valued at $426,793,000 after purchasing an additional 4,323,829 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in QuantumScape by 333.5% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 11,126,497 shares of the company’s stock worth $115,938,000 after buying an additional 8,559,554 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in QuantumScape by 16.7% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 8,327,604 shares of the company’s stock worth $86,794,000 after buying an additional 1,189,748 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in QuantumScape during the 4th quarter worth approximately $84,584,000. Finally, State Street Corp lifted its holdings in QuantumScape by 7.6% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 7,500,503 shares of the company’s stock worth $78,155,000 after buying an additional 529,602 shares in the last quarter. 29.87% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

QuantumScape Trading Down 12.9%

QS opened at $5.11 on Friday. QuantumScape has a 52 week low of $4.97 and a 52 week high of $19.07. The company has a quick ratio of 21.14, a current ratio of 21.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $7.40 and a 200-day simple moving average of $7.72. The firm has a market cap of $3.14 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.31 and a beta of 2.61.

QuantumScape (NYSE:QS) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 22nd. The company reported ($0.16) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.18) by $0.02. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted ($0.20) earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up .0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts expect that QuantumScape will post -0.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Stories Impacting QuantumScape

Here are the key news stories impacting QuantumScape this week:

• Positive Sentiment: QuantumScape narrowed its Q2 loss and beat EPS estimates, while customer billings reached $10.8 million, showing early commercialization traction. QuantumScape Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates on Eagle Line Gains
• Positive Sentiment: The company highlighted broader opportunities beyond EVs, including Honda, AI data centers, aerospace, and defense, which could widen its future addressable market. QS Q2 Earnings Call Focuses on Honda and New Markets
• Positive Sentiment: Some analysts turned more constructive, arguing QuantumScape’s funding quality, reduced capital spending, and partnership progress make it more attractive than peers like Solid Power. QuantumScape Vs. Solid Power: Progress And Funding Quality, Not Valuation, Will Decide The Winner
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity surged ahead of and after earnings, suggesting traders expect a larger move, but this does not by itself indicate direction. QUICK SPARK: QuantumScape Q2 Preview — Options Imply 11% Stock Move
• Negative Sentiment: Investors are focusing on the company’s soft revenue performance and continued losses, with some commentary saying the quarter’s deeper negatives outweigh the EPS beat. Deeper dive: why QuantumScape stock’s post-earnings decline makes sense
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish reports also highlighted that Volkswagen/PowerCo-related support appears weaker than hoped, while dilution and revenue timing remain concerns for shareholders. QuantumScape: Plan Keeps Changing While The Clock Is Ticking

About QuantumScape

QuantumScape Corporation is a development-stage company specializing in the research and commercialization of next-generation solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. The company’s core technology replaces the traditional liquid electrolyte with a solid ceramic separator, aiming to deliver higher energy density, faster charging times and enhanced safety compared to conventional lithium-ion cells. QuantumScape’s product roadmap focuses on enabling electric vehicle manufacturers to extend driving range and reduce charging downtime, addressing key barriers to widespread EV adoption.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in San Jose, California, QuantumScape has attracted significant strategic investment and formed partnerships with leading automotive OEMs.