Alto Ingredients Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NASDAQ:ALTO)

Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALTO) saw unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Stock investors purchased 2,718 call options on the stock. This is an increase of 224% compared to the average volume of 838 call options.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ALTO. SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of Alto Ingredients in the first quarter valued at approximately $62,000. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Alto Ingredients in the 1st quarter valued at about $68,000. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Alto Ingredients during the 1st quarter worth about $131,000. Empowered Funds LLC acquired a new stake in Alto Ingredients during the 1st quarter worth approximately $286,000. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new position in Alto Ingredients in the second quarter valued at approximately $202,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 42.44% of the company’s stock.

Alto Ingredients Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:ALTO traded down $0.65 on Thursday, reaching $1.29. 2,395,237 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 541,942. The company has a 50-day moving average of $1.63 and a 200-day moving average of $1.58. The company has a current ratio of 3.09, a quick ratio of 2.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The firm has a market cap of $98.67 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.55 and a beta of 1.97. Alto Ingredients has a 1-year low of $1.22 and a 1-year high of $3.00.

Alto Ingredients (NASDAQ:ALTO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported ($0.05) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.11) by $0.06. Alto Ingredients had a negative return on equity of 11.26% and a negative net margin of 3.49%. The firm had revenue of $236.47 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $236.17 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.10 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that Alto Ingredients will post -0.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $5.50 price objective on shares of Alto Ingredients in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th.

About Alto Ingredients

Alto Ingredients, Inc produces, distributes, and markets specialty alcohols, renewable fuel, and essential ingredients in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Marketing and Distribution, Pekin Campus Production, and Western Production. It offers specialty alcohols used in mouthwash, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and cleaners for health, home, and beauty markets; grain neutral spirits used in alcoholic beverages and vinegar, as well as corn germ used in corn oils in the food and beverage markets; alcohols and other products for paint applications and fertilizers in the industrial and agriculture markets; and essential ingredients include dried yeast, corn protein meal, corn protein feed, distiller's grains, and liquid feed for commercial animal feed and pet food applications, as well as yeast for human consumption.