Applied Optoelectronics Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NASDAQ:AAOI)

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAOI) was the target of unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock investors acquired 8,922 put options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 70% compared to the average volume of 5,246 put options.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Stefan J. Murry sold 5,000 shares of Applied Optoelectronics stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.56, for a total transaction of $157,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 216,129 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,821,031.24. The trade was a 2.26 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Richard B. Black sold 8,162 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.18, for a total value of $303,463.16. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 66,979 shares of company stock worth $1,990,637 over the last 90 days. 5.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Optoelectronics during the first quarter worth $46,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its stake in Applied Optoelectronics by 272.1% in the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 9,281 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $77,000 after purchasing an additional 6,787 shares in the last quarter. Pingora Partners LLC bought a new stake in Applied Optoelectronics during the third quarter worth about $82,000. FMR LLC grew its stake in Applied Optoelectronics by 3,290.6% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 6,137 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $88,000 after buying an additional 5,956 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Hong Kong Ltd bought a new position in Applied Optoelectronics in the 2nd quarter valued at about $89,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 61.72% of the company’s stock.

Applied Optoelectronics Trading Up 13.2 %

Shares of Applied Optoelectronics stock opened at $41.22 on Friday. Applied Optoelectronics has a 52-week low of $6.70 and a 52-week high of $43.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.86 billion, a PE ratio of -20.01 and a beta of 1.96. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $20.95 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $13.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.61 and a quick ratio of 1.06.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. Northland Securities lifted their target price on Applied Optoelectronics from $18.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Applied Optoelectronics to a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. B. Riley reduced their target price on Applied Optoelectronics from $12.00 to $9.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Rosenblatt Securities lifted their price target on shares of Applied Optoelectronics from $20.00 to $27.50 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, B. Riley Financial restated a “neutral” rating and set a $9.00 price objective on shares of Applied Optoelectronics in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $18.70.

About Applied Optoelectronics

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells fiber-optic networking products in the United States, Taiwan, and China. It offers optical modules, optical filters, lasers, laser components, subassemblies, transmitters and transceivers, turn-key equipment, headend, node, distribution equipment, and amplifiers.