Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Call Options on Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI)

Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:JCI) saw some unusual options trading on Friday. Stock investors acquired 15,233 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 450% compared to the typical volume of 2,768 call options.

Insider Buying and Selling at Johnson Controls International

In other Johnson Controls International news, VP Lei Schlitz sold 23,417 shares of Johnson Controls International stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $153.07, for a total value of $3,584,440.19. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 15,017 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,298,652.19. This trade represents a 60.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.29% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Johnson Controls International by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 22,655,105 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,712,949,000 after buying an additional 718,245 shares in the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Johnson Controls International by 1.7% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 17,239,953 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,064,485,000 after purchasing an additional 280,704 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 13.0% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 16,003,486 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,916,417,000 after purchasing an additional 1,837,220 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Johnson Controls International in the 4th quarter valued at about $927,739,000. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 7,179,181 shares of the company’s stock valued at $859,707,000 after purchasing an additional 71,296 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.05% of the company’s stock.

Johnson Controls International Price Performance

NYSE:JCI traded up $0.27 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $141.33. 722,408 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,209,548. The firm has a market cap of $85.61 billion, a PE ratio of 24.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.29. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $144.81 and its 200-day moving average is $141.27. Johnson Controls International has a twelve month low of $104.49 and a twelve month high of $157.06. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The company reported $1.42 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.30 by $0.12. Johnson Controls International had a return on equity of 22.11% and a net margin of 14.32%.The firm had revenue of $6.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.46 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.05 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Johnson Controls International will post 5.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Johnson Controls International Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 21st will be paid a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 21st. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Johnson Controls International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 27.83%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

JCI has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Johnson Controls International from $169.00 to $178.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their target price on shares of Johnson Controls International from $154.00 to $161.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 30th. Wolfe Research restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $171.00 target price on shares of Johnson Controls International in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Wall Street Zen lowered Johnson Controls International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Finally, Oppenheimer reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of Johnson Controls International in a research report on Tuesday, June 2nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $155.75.

About Johnson Controls International

Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:JCI) is a global company focused on building technologies and solutions that improve the efficiency, safety and sustainability of buildings. Its offerings include heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, building automation and controls, fire detection and suppression equipment, security systems, and related digital technologies and services.

The company serves commercial, institutional, industrial and residential customers, helping organizations manage building operations, energy use, indoor air quality and physical security.