Antero Midstream Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:AM)

Antero Midstream Co. (NYSE:AM) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Investors acquired 31,036 put options on the company. This is an increase of 1,845% compared to the typical daily volume of 1,596 put options.

Antero Midstream Stock Performance

Shares of AM traded up $0.29 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $15.77. The stock had a trading volume of 655,591 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,087,582. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $15.19 and a 200 day moving average price of $14.89. Antero Midstream has a fifty-two week low of $11.58 and a fifty-two week high of $16.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.47 and a beta of 2.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.09.

Antero Midstream Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 6th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 23rd were paid a dividend of $0.225 per share. This represents a $0.90 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.71%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, October 23rd. Antero Midstream’s payout ratio is currently 111.11%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AM has been the subject of several recent research reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Antero Midstream from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Wells Fargo & Company lowered Antero Midstream from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $16.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Brooks J. Klimley sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.66, for a total value of $146,600.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 74,100 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,086,306. This represents a 11.89 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.61% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Antero Midstream

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in Antero Midstream by 314.6% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 1,862,900 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $27,459,000 after acquiring an additional 1,413,606 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC grew its position in shares of Antero Midstream by 121.9% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,092,755 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $16,446,000 after purchasing an additional 600,208 shares during the period. SIR Capital Management L.P. purchased a new stake in shares of Antero Midstream during the second quarter worth about $8,251,000. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its position in shares of Antero Midstream by 1,141.2% during the 3rd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 470,743 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $7,085,000 after purchasing an additional 432,817 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. lifted its stake in Antero Midstream by 74.5% in the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 686,933 shares of the pipeline company’s stock valued at $10,338,000 after buying an additional 293,238 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 53.97% of the company’s stock.

Antero Midstream Company Profile

Antero Midstream Corporation owns, operates, and develops midstream energy assets in the Appalachian Basin. It operates in two segments, Gathering and Processing, and Water Handling. The Gathering and Processing segment includes a network of gathering pipelines and compressor stations that collects and processes production from Antero Resources' wells in West Virginia and Ohio.