Investors Purchase Large Volume of iShares Biotechnology ETF Call Options (NASDAQ:IBB)

iShares Biotechnology ETF (NASDAQ:IBB) saw some unusual options trading on Tuesday. Stock investors bought 4,479 call options on the company. This is an increase of 266% compared to the average volume of 1,225 call options.

Institutional Trading of iShares Biotechnology ETF

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Western Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares Biotechnology ETF by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,633 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $276,000 after acquiring an additional 168 shares in the last quarter. Optiver Holding B.V. acquired a new stake in iShares Biotechnology ETF during the 1st quarter valued at $159,000. First Nebraska Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of iShares Biotechnology ETF during the first quarter valued at $279,000. Financial Solutions Advisory Group Inc. purchased a new position in iShares Biotechnology ETF during the 1st quarter valued at about $343,000. Finally, Henshaw Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Biotechnology ETF in the first quarter worth approximately $20,262,000. 62.45% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

iShares Biotechnology ETF Stock Up 1.2%

iShares Biotechnology ETF stock traded up $2.11 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $179.11. 470,062 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,641,387. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $170.71 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $170.72. iShares Biotechnology ETF has a 1-year low of $125.25 and a 1-year high of $179.64.

iShares Biotechnology ETF Cuts Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 18th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were issued a $0.0238 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, June 15th. This represents a $0.10 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.1%.

About iShares Biotechnology ETF

iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (the Index). The Index contains securities of NASDAQ listed companies that are classified according to the Industry Classification Benchmark as either biotechnology or pharmaceuticals, which also meet other eligibility criteria determined by NASDAQ.