Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Call Options on International Paper (NYSE:IP)

International Paper (NYSE:IP) was the recipient of some unusual options trading on Tuesday. Stock investors bought 9,831 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 140% compared to the typical daily volume of 4,102 call options.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have commented on IP shares. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $64.00 price objective on shares of International Paper in a research note on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com upgraded shares of International Paper from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 20th. Citigroup started coverage on International Paper in a research report on Wednesday, March 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $60.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. initiated coverage on International Paper in a research note on Thursday, March 20th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $59.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Bank of America began coverage on International Paper in a research note on Thursday, February 13th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $55.32.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Paper

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Pathstone Holdings LLC increased its holdings in shares of International Paper by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Pathstone Holdings LLC now owns 55,009 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,687,000 after buying an additional 1,130 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. grew its position in International Paper by 53.8% in the third quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 11,156 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $545,000 after acquiring an additional 3,902 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC increased its stake in International Paper by 7.3% during the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 38,050 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,859,000 after acquiring an additional 2,588 shares during the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. increased its stake in International Paper by 1.1% during the third quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 40,947 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,000,000 after acquiring an additional 442 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Private Trust Co. NA raised its position in International Paper by 15.9% in the third quarter. Private Trust Co. NA now owns 5,627 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $275,000 after purchasing an additional 771 shares during the period. 81.95% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

International Paper Price Performance

NYSE:IP opened at $56.34 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. International Paper has a 52 week low of $33.16 and a 52 week high of $60.36. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $54.96 and its 200-day moving average price is $53.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.64 billion, a PE ratio of 35.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.39 and a beta of 1.02.

International Paper (NYSE:IP) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.03 by ($0.05). International Paper had a net margin of 2.99% and a return on equity of 4.75%. As a group, equities analysts expect that International Paper will post 2.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

International Paper Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 24th were issued a $0.4625 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 24th. This represents a $1.85 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.28%. International Paper’s payout ratio is 117.83%.

International Paper Company Profile

International Paper Company produces and sells renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. It operates through two segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers. The company offers linerboard, medium, whitetop, recycled linerboard, recycled medium and saturating kraft; and pulp for a range of applications, such as diapers, towel and tissue products, feminine care, incontinence, and other personal care products, as well as specialty pulps for use in textiles, construction materials, paints, coatings, and others.