Stock Traders Buy High Volume of Telephone and Data Systems Call Options (NYSE:TDS)

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) saw some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Traders bought 3,992 call options on the company. This is an increase of 50% compared to the typical daily volume of 2,664 call options.

Telephone and Data Systems Stock Performance

NYSE:TDS opened at $15.40 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84. Telephone and Data Systems has a twelve month low of $6.43 and a twelve month high of $21.75. The company has a fifty day moving average of $15.64 and a 200-day moving average of $17.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.74 billion, a P/E ratio of -3.16 and a beta of 0.81.

Telephone and Data Systems (NYSE:TDS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 3rd. The Wireless communications provider reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.15. Telephone and Data Systems had a negative net margin of 9.36% and a positive return on equity of 0.62%. The business had revenue of $1.26 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.26 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted ($0.08) earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Telephone and Data Systems will post -1 EPS for the current year.

Telephone and Data Systems Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th were paid a dividend of $0.19 per share. This is an increase from Telephone and Data Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.94%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 14th. Telephone and Data Systems’s dividend payout ratio is -15.61%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com raised Telephone and Data Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Telephone and Data Systems

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in TDS. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System bought a new position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems in the 4th quarter worth $905,000. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 6.8% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,116,774 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $20,448,000 after buying an additional 70,832 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC grew its holdings in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 134.2% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 237,254 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock valued at $4,344,000 after buying an additional 135,970 shares during the last quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P bought a new stake in shares of Telephone and Data Systems during the third quarter worth about $4,952,000. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG increased its position in shares of Telephone and Data Systems by 15.6% during the third quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 48,419 shares of the Wireless communications provider’s stock worth $887,000 after acquiring an additional 6,543 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.00% of the company’s stock.

Telephone and Data Systems Company Profile

Telephone and Data Systems, Inc, a telecommunications company, provides communications services in the United States. It operates through two segments: UScellular and TDS Telecom. The company offers wireless solutions to consumers, and business and government customers, including a suite of connected Internet of things (IoT) solutions, and software applications for monitor and control, business automation/operations, communication, fleet and asset management, smart water solutions, private cellular networks and custom, and end-to-end IoT solutions; wireless priority services and quality priority and preemption options; smartphones and other handsets, tablets, wearables, mobile hotspots, fixed wireless home internet, and IoT devices; and accessories, such as cases, screen protectors, chargers, and memory cards, as well as consumer electronics, including audio, home automation and networking products.