Stock Traders Purchase High Volume of HP Call Options (NYSE:HPQ)

HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Traders acquired 33,966 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 41% compared to the typical volume of 24,151 call options.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently weighed in on HPQ. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of HP in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Zacks Research downgraded HP from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Friday, November 28th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on HP from $18.00 to $16.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Evercore set a $22.00 price target on HP in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of HP in a research report on Monday, December 1st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and six have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, HP presently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $21.58.

Trending Headlines about HP

Here are the key news stories impacting HP this week:

• Positive Sentiment: MarketBeat analysis highlights HP’s strategic positioning for the “second act” of AI — selling AI-capable PCs, stronger security and an ecosystem (HP IQ) that could convert hardware refresh demand into recurring software/services revenue. HP Is Positioning Itself for the AI Gold Rush’s Second Act
• Positive Sentiment: HP unveiled high-performance workstations (including Z8 Fury) that support up to four NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs — a clear play into local AI compute for enterprises and creators, which can capture higher ASPs and corporate upgrade spend. HP reveals new high-performance PCs able to support up to four Nvidia Blackwell GPUs
• Positive Sentiment: HP introduced HP IQ — a workplace intelligence layer — and HP NearSense (cross-device interoperability with Google D2DI) to lock devices into an enterprise ecosystem; this supports higher-margin services and stickier corporate relationships. HP Imagine 2026: HP Demonstrates Its Vision … with the Introduction of HP IQ
• Positive Sentiment: New LaserJet lineup touts quantum‑resistant security and faster digitization for SMBs — a defensive, enterprise-security differentiator that can help sustain pricing and recurring managed-print revenues. HP Introduces LaserJet Portfolio with Quantum-Resistant Security
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large options flow: investors bought ~33,966 call contracts (≈ +41% vs. average), signaling short-term bullish positioning that may amplify moves on positive headlines.
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary that HP’s operations align with S&P 500 fund market structure may support index-related flows over time but is not an immediate revenue driver. HP (NYSE:HPQ) Operations Align With S&P 500 Fund Market Structure
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains conservative: the average analyst rating is “Reduce,” reflecting near-term margin pressure (memory/component costs) and cyclical risks that could cap upside until execution shows clear revenue/earnings lift. HP Inc. Receives Average Rating of “Reduce” from Analysts

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Ketan M. Patel sold 33,321 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.19, for a total transaction of $772,713.99. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 34,572 shares in the company, valued at $801,724.68. This trade represents a 49.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On HP

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Westfuller Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in HP during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of HP by 2,346.5% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,052 shares of the computer maker’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 1,009 shares during the period. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of HP in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new position in shares of HP in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Garner Asset Management Corp purchased a new stake in HP during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. 77.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

HP Stock Performance

NYSE:HPQ opened at $19.46 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $17.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.37, a PEG ratio of 5.25 and a beta of 1.18. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $19.11 and a 200 day moving average price of $23.24. HP has a fifty-two week low of $17.56 and a fifty-two week high of $29.55.

HP (NYSE:HPQ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 24th. The computer maker reported $0.81 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.04. HP had a net margin of 4.46% and a negative return on equity of 367.41%. The firm had revenue of $14.44 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.87 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.74 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.9% on a year-over-year basis. HP has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 0.700-0.760 EPS. Research analysts forecast that HP will post 3.56 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HP Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 11th will be issued a $0.30 dividend. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.2%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 11th. HP’s payout ratio is currently 45.45%.

HP Company Profile

HP Inc is an American multinational information technology company that designs, manufactures and sells personal computing devices, printers and related supplies and services. Its product portfolio spans consumer and commercial notebooks and desktops, workstations, displays and accessories, as well as an extensive line of printing hardware that includes home, office and production printers. HP also provides consumables such as ink and toner, managed print services, device deployment and lifecycle support, and software for device and print management.

Founded from the original Hewlett‑Packard Company, HP Inc became a separately traded public company in 2015 following a corporate split that created Hewlett Packard Enterprise to focus on enterprise hardware and services.