Suncor Energy Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:SU)

Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE:SU - Get Free Report) TSE: SU was the target of some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Stock investors purchased 28,315 put options on the stock. This represents an increase of 2,998% compared to the average volume of 914 put options.

Institutional Trading of Suncor Energy

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Eastern Bank acquired a new position in shares of Suncor Energy during the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new position in shares of Suncor Energy during the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Summit Securities Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Suncor Energy during the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Suncor Energy by 82.8% during the 2nd quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 724 shares of the oil and gas producer's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 328 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ridgewood Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Suncor Energy during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. 67.37% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Suncor Energy Stock Down 0.8 %

Shares of NYSE SU traded down $0.32 on Thursday, hitting $37.77. The company had a trading volume of 3,602,080 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,261,730. Suncor Energy has a 12-month low of $29.45 and a 12-month high of $41.94. The business has a 50 day moving average of $38.60 and a two-hundred day moving average of $38.73. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.41, a PEG ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 1.12.

Suncor Energy (NYSE:SU - Get Free Report) TSE: SU last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.27 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.76 by $0.51. Suncor Energy had a return on equity of 16.22% and a net margin of 14.40%. The firm had revenue of $12.90 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.30 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.71 earnings per share. Suncor Energy's revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Suncor Energy will post 3.53 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Suncor Energy Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, September 25th. Investors of record on Wednesday, September 4th were given a $0.395 dividend. This represents a $1.58 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, September 4th. Suncor Energy's dividend payout ratio is currently 35.86%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently commented on SU shares. TD Securities upgraded Suncor Energy from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com lowered Suncor Energy from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Wolfe Research started coverage on Suncor Energy in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $68.00 target price for the company. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Suncor Energy from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Scotiabank dropped their target price on Suncor Energy from $61.00 to $60.00 and set a "sector perform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Suncor Energy presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $55.83.

About Suncor Energy

Suncor Energy Inc operates as an integrated energy company in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; and Refining and Marketing segments. The Oil Sands segment explores, develops, and produces bitumen, synthetic crude oil, and related products.