Ameren Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:AEE)

Ameren Co. (NYSE:AEE) saw unusually large options trading on Wednesday. Stock investors purchased 2,984 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 2,268% compared to the average daily volume of 126 call options.

Ameren Trading Up 1.4 %

NYSE AEE opened at $89.21 on Thursday. Ameren has a one year low of $67.03 and a one year high of $95.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a current ratio of 0.63. The company has a market capitalization of $23.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.48. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $90.44 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $84.50.

Ameren Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 11th were paid a $0.67 dividend. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.00%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 11th. Ameren’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 63.06%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on Ameren from $93.00 to $98.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on Ameren in a research note on Thursday, September 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $97.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Ameren from $91.00 to $96.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Mizuho raised shares of Ameren from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $82.00 to $89.00 in a research note on Monday, September 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Ameren from $86.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, December 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $89.89.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Michael L. Moehn sold 6,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.15, for a total transaction of $598,975.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 205,171 shares in the company, valued at approximately $18,906,507.65. This represents a 3.07 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 0.42% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Ameren

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Jamison Private Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Ameren in the 3rd quarter worth $44,000. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Ameren in the third quarter valued at about $49,000. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new position in Ameren in the third quarter worth about $56,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in shares of Ameren during the second quarter valued at about $58,000. Finally, Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in shares of Ameren in the 3rd quarter valued at about $74,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.09% of the company’s stock.

Ameren Company Profile

Ameren Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a public utility holding company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Ameren Missouri, Ameren Illinois Electric Distribution, Ameren Illinois Natural Gas, and Ameren Transmission. It engages in the rate-regulated electric generation, transmission, and distribution activities; and rate-regulated natural gas distribution business.