Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) Stock Sees Heavy Call Option Buying

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock investors bought 161,291 call options on the company. This is an increase of 199% compared to the average volume of 53,864 call options.

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras Stock Up 2.7%

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras stock traded up $0.68 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $25.98. The stock had a trading volume of 24,013,836 shares, compared to its average volume of 24,201,896. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. The stock has a market capitalization of $167.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.26 and a beta of 0.29. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras has a 12-month low of $11.43 and a 12-month high of $26.10. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $20.88 and its 200-day moving average price is $19.66.

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a special dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 25th will be given a dividend of $0.2649 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 25th. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.86%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. Weiss Ratings raised Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a report on Friday, October 9th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Wall Street Zen cut Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Sunday, October 11th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, August 31st. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $20.97.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PBR. Oaktree Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras in the first quarter worth approximately $126,355,000. Carrhae Capital LLP purchased a new stake in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras during the second quarter valued at approximately $87,456,000. DJE Kapital AG purchased a new stake in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras during the first quarter valued at approximately $65,428,000. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras in the second quarter worth approximately $42,858,000. Finally, Fearnley Asset Management AS bought a new position in Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras in the fourth quarter worth approximately $17,590,000.

About Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras

Petróleo Brasileiro SA, commonly known as Petrobras, is a Brazilian state-controlled, integrated energy company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. Founded in 1953, the company is engaged primarily in the exploration, development, production, refining, transportation and marketing of oil and natural gas.

Petrobras has a major focus on offshore operations, particularly the development of Brazil’s pre-salt oil fields in the Santos and Campos basins. Its activities also include the processing and sale of petroleum products, natural gas and biofuels, as well as participation in power generation and other energy-related businesses.

The company serves the Brazilian market through its production, refining, logistics and distribution activities and has historically maintained international operations and partnerships.