Citigroup Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NYSE:C)

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) was the target of unusually large options trading on Friday. Investors acquired 117,314 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 47% compared to the average daily volume of 79,651 call options.

Key Stores Impacting Citigroup

Here are the key news stories impacting Citigroup this week:

• Positive Sentiment: U.S. federal regulators have eased formal supervisory requirements that had forced Citi to fix long‑standing risk and trading-control weaknesses — a material reduction in regulatory overhang for the bank. Citi clears another regulatory hurdle to fix longstanding problems
• Positive Sentiment: The OCC terminated a regulatory amendment related to Citi’s risk-management obligations, further trimming legacy compliance constraints that had been a valuation discount. OCC Reduces Regulatory Mandate Covering Citi Risk Management Systems
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have become more bullish: Truist raised its price target (buy) and broker commentary from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods flagged upside, supporting the re-rating narrative. Citi price target raised by Truist
• Positive Sentiment: Management deals and partnerships aimed at efficiency — a multi‑year data/risk workflow partnership with LSEG — signal cost and control improvements that investors view positively. Citigroup Inks Partnership Deal With LSEG: A Push for Efficiency?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts expect a double‑digit EPS increase next quarter, which underpins forward estimates but leaves execution and guidance as the catalysts to watch. What to Expect From Citigroup’s Next Quarterly Earnings Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Citi research called attention-grabbing macro views (including a 12‑month bitcoin forecast), showcasing the bank’s market research but with limited direct impact on Citi’s bank valuation. Citi sets 12-month bitcoin forecast at $143,000 on rising adoption, regulatory easing
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysis argues Citigroup has lost its “value play” appeal as multiple positive catalysts have already been priced in — a caution for value-oriented investors that upside may be more limited absent fresh earnings beats or buybacks. Citigroup: No Longer The Value Play That It Once Was

Analysts Set New Price Targets

C has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Oppenheimer decreased their target price on Citigroup from $123.00 to $120.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 19th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Citigroup from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, September 15th. Wolfe Research reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $121.00 price objective on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Citigroup from $129.00 to $134.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 15th. Finally, Piper Sandler set a $118.00 target price on shares of Citigroup in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Citigroup presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $114.50.

Citigroup Trading Up 1.7%

Shares of NYSE:C traded up $1.96 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $114.79. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 37,395,848 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,853,152. The firm has a market capitalization of $205.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.12, a PEG ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 0.99. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $102.41 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $95.28. Citigroup has a fifty-two week low of $55.51 and a fifty-two week high of $115.61.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, October 14th. The company reported $2.24 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.89 by $0.35. The business had revenue of $22.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $20.92 billion. Citigroup had a return on equity of 7.91% and a net margin of 8.73%.The firm’s revenue was up 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.51 earnings per share. As a group, analysts forecast that Citigroup will post 7.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Citigroup Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 3rd were given a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 3rd. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. Citigroup’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 33.71%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Citigroup

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. FMB Wealth Management increased its stake in Citigroup by 4.1% in the third quarter. FMB Wealth Management now owns 2,618 shares of the company’s stock valued at $266,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Tritonpoint Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Citigroup by 2.1% in the 3rd quarter. Tritonpoint Wealth LLC now owns 4,989 shares of the company’s stock valued at $506,000 after buying an additional 104 shares during the period. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Citigroup by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter. Onyx Bridge Wealth Group LLC now owns 3,117 shares of the company’s stock valued at $265,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Highline Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in Citigroup by 35.3% in the 3rd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 418 shares of the company’s stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fullcircle Wealth LLC raised its stake in Citigroup by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Fullcircle Wealth LLC now owns 13,097 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,206,000 after buying an additional 111 shares during the period. 71.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Citigroup Company Profile

Citigroup Inc is a global financial services company headquartered in New York City with roots tracing back to the City Bank of New York, founded in 1812. The modern Citigroup was created through the 1998 merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group and has since operated as a diversified bank holding company that provides a broad range of banking and financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments and institutions worldwide.

Citi’s principal businesses include retail and commercial banking, credit card and consumer lending products, wealth management and private banking, and a full suite of institutional services.