Traders Purchase High Volume of Put Options on Babcock (NYSE:BW)

by · The Cerbat Gem

Babcock (NYSE:BW – Get Free Report) saw unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock traders bought 9,536 put options on the company. This represents an increase of 85% compared to the average volume of 5,141 put options.

Insider Buying and Selling at Babcock

In related news, Director Philip D. Moeller purchased 5,000 shares of Babcock stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $9.50 per share, for a total transaction of $47,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 240,809 shares in the company, valued at $2,287,685.50. This represents a 2.12% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 2.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Huntington National Bank increased its holdings in Babcock by 400,000.0% in the 4th quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 4,001 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 4,000 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in Babcock during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in shares of Babcock by 57.3% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,785 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 650 shares during the period. Centiva Capital LP bought a new position in shares of Babcock in the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. increased its stake in shares of Babcock by 11,311.3% in the third quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 12,096 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 11,990 shares in the last quarter. 83.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BW has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Babcock from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday. Weiss Ratings raised Babcock from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Northland Securities set a $23.00 price target on Babcock in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Babcock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $14.25.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Babcock

Trending Headlines about Babcock

Here are the key news stories impacting Babcock this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: A fresh institutional disclosure placed Babcock & Wilcox among several “second-derivative” artificial-intelligence plays attracting investor attention. The disclosure appears to be the main catalyst behind the stock’s Friday strength, although the available report does not provide details on the institution or position size. AXT, T1 Energy and Babcock & Wilcox Soaring Higher On Friday
  • Positive Sentiment: Insider activity was supportive after the company reported CEO buying on August 13. Investors may interpret the purchase as a signal that management sees value in the shares following their recent weakness. CEO’s Bold Insider Move Signals Growing Confidence at Babcock & Wilcox
  • Positive Sentiment: Babcock’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with earnings of $0.04 per share versus a $0.02 consensus estimate and revenue of approximately $319.7 million versus an expected $197.0 million. Northland Securities also issued a Buy rating, adding to the constructive sentiment. Babcock & Wilcox Gets a Buy from Northland Securities
  • Neutral Sentiment: The stock’s trading volume was substantially above its average, indicating strong investor interest. Shares remain below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, suggesting that the broader trend is still weak despite the recent rally.
  • Negative Sentiment: Investors bought 9,536 put options, roughly 85% above average put volume. This may reflect increased bearish speculation or hedging demand.
  • Negative Sentiment: Northland Securities slightly reduced its fiscal 2026 EPS forecast to $0.30 from $0.31. The new estimate matches consensus but signals limited near-term earnings upside. Babcock Q3 EPS Estimate Decreased by Northland Securities

Babcock Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:BW opened at $10.33 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $1.54 billion, a P/E ratio of -57.38 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a 50 day moving average of $12.13 and a 200 day moving average of $13.62. Babcock has a 12 month low of $1.40 and a 12 month high of $22.03. The company has a current ratio of 1.45, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.21.

Babcock (NYSE:BW – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The technology company reported $0.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.02 by $0.02. Babcock had a negative net margin of 2.17% and a negative return on equity of 4.51%. The company had revenue of $319.69 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $196.95 million. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Babcock will post 0.3 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Babcock Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc (NYSE: BW) is a specialized provider of energy and environmental technologies and services serving power generation and heavy industrial markets. The company designs, manufactures and maintains critical components and systems that support the safe and efficient operation of both fossil-fuel and renewable power facilities. Its core offerings include industrial and utility boilers, environmental control systems for emissions reduction, and aftermarket support services ranging from inspection and maintenance to spare parts management.

In addition to its boiler and emissions control portfolio, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises delivers lifecycle solutions aimed at enhancing plant performance and compliance.

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