Investors Purchase Large Volume of Put Options on Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY)

Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) was the target of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Stock investors purchased 44,620 put options on the company. This is an increase of 77% compared to the average daily volume of 25,257 put options.

Bristol Myers Squibb Price Performance

Shares of BMY traded up $1.88 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $64.98. 18,017,888 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 12,268,181. The company has a current ratio of 1.42, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $132.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.25, a PEG ratio of 0.18 and a beta of 0.23. The business has a 50-day moving average of $57.79 and a 200 day moving average of $58.22. Bristol Myers Squibb has a one year low of $42.52 and a one year high of $65.56.

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.60 by $0.44. The firm had revenue of $12.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.74 billion. Bristol Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 64.87% and a net margin of 15.01%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.46 EPS. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.750-7.000 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Bristol Myers Squibb will post 6.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bristol Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be given a $0.63 dividend. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.9%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. Bristol Myers Squibb’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 70.79%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently commented on BMY shares. Weiss Ratings lowered Bristol Myers Squibb from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Bristol Myers Squibb from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 27th. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $72.00 target price on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. Bank of America reduced their price target on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb from $67.00 to $66.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Friday, May 1st. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $61.25.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bristol Myers Squibb

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Bristol Myers Squibb by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 198,727,768 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $10,719,376,000 after buying an additional 2,743,759 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 97,980,438 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $5,285,065,000 after purchasing an additional 1,385,206 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 13.1% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 52,638,346 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,837,026,000 after purchasing an additional 6,084,046 shares during the period. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Bristol Myers Squibb in the fourth quarter valued at about $1,947,272,000. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Bristol Myers Squibb by 172.6% in the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 25,796,905 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,391,485,000 after buying an additional 16,332,924 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.41% of the company’s stock.

Bristol Myers Squibb News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Bristol Myers Squibb this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results exceeded expectations. BMY reported adjusted earnings of $2.04 per share, versus the $1.60 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 5.7% year over year to $12.97 billion, well above analysts’ $11.74 billion forecast. Bristol Myers raises 2026 forecast as Eliquis, newer medicines power results
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised its 2026 outlook. BMY now expects full-year earnings of $6.75–$7.00 per share and revenue of $49 billion–$50 billion, above consensus forecasts of approximately $6.31 EPS and $47.3 billion in revenue. Bristol Myers Squibb Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Growth products are gaining traction. Stronger demand for Eliquis, Camzyos and Reblozyl, along with momentum from Opdivo Qvantig, Breyanzi and Iza-bren, is improving confidence that newer products can support growth as older drugs face patent-related pressure. Bristol Myers Squibb raises 2026 forecast after Q2 earnings beat
• Positive Sentiment: Valuation remains attractive to some analysts. A bullish investment view highlighted BMY’s low forward valuation and roughly 4% dividend yield, while Piper Sandler maintained a Buy rating. Bristol Myers Squibb: Upgrading To Buy on Positive Q2 Earnings, Long-Term Outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinion remains mixed. William Blair kept a Hold rating, citing strong quarterly performance and better Eliquis trends but continued legacy-product declines and pipeline delays. Bristol Myers Squibb: Strong Quarter and Higher Eliquis Growth Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual put-option activity signals hedging or bearish positioning. Investors traded 44,620 put options, 77% above typical volume, though options activity alone does not establish the direction of the stock.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, focused on discovering, developing and delivering medicines for serious diseases. The company’s core activities include research and development, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. BMS concentrates on advancing therapies in oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease and specialty areas through both small molecules and biologics.

BMS’s marketed portfolio and late?stage pipeline reflect a strong emphasis on cancer and immune?mediated conditions.