The GEO Group Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:GEO)

The GEO Group, Inc. (NYSE:GEO) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Wednesday. Investors acquired 55,064 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 225% compared to the typical volume of 16,947 call options.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC bought a new position in The GEO Group during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. grew its stake in The GEO Group by 160.0% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 1,170 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 720 shares during the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its stake in The GEO Group by 149.5% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,527 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 915 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. bought a new position in The GEO Group during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Finally, Jones Financial Companies Lllp grew its stake in The GEO Group by 182.6% during the 4th quarter. Jones Financial Companies Lllp now owns 3,148 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $88,000 after buying an additional 2,034 shares during the last quarter. 76.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

The GEO Group Stock Performance

GEO stock opened at $25.72 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25. The firm has a market cap of $3.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 88.69, a P/E/G ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.87. The GEO Group has a 12-month low of $11.50 and a 12-month high of $36.46. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $29.43 and its 200 day simple moving average is $22.15.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have commented on GEO. Noble Financial cut The GEO Group from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. Wedbush restated an “outperform” rating on shares of The GEO Group in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. Finally, Northland Securities upped their target price on The GEO Group from $16.00 to $37.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th.

About The GEO Group

The GEO Group, Inc (NYSE: GEO) engages in ownership, leasing, and management of secure facilities, processing centers, and community-based reentry facilities in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The company also provides secure facility management services, including the provision of security, administrative, rehabilitation, education, and food services; reentry services, such as temporary housing, programming, employment assistance, and other services; electronic monitoring and supervision services; and transportation services; as well as designs, constructs, and finances new facilities through projects.