Johnson Controls International Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:JCI)

Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:JCI) was the target of some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Stock traders purchased 19,207 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 1,963% compared to the typical volume of 931 call options.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have recently commented on JCI. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Johnson Controls International from $129.00 to $139.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on Johnson Controls International from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price objective on Johnson Controls International from $137.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Barclays increased their target price on Johnson Controls International from $125.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $132.00 price target on Johnson Controls International in a report on Thursday, February 5th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $133.84.

Johnson Controls International Price Performance

Shares of Johnson Controls International stock opened at $139.65 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $85.48 billion, a PE ratio of 26.30, a PEG ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 1.43. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $121.80 and a 200 day moving average of $114.45. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. Johnson Controls International has a 12 month low of $68.03 and a 12 month high of $143.17.

Johnson Controls International (NYSE:JCI) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $0.89 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.84 by $0.05. Johnson Controls International had a return on equity of 17.15% and a net margin of 14.17%.The firm had revenue of $5.80 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.64 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.64 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Johnson Controls International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.700-4.700 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 1.110-1.110 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Johnson Controls International will post 3.64 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Johnson Controls International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 22nd were issued a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 22nd. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Johnson Controls International’s payout ratio is 30.13%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Mark Vergnano acquired 7,665 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 5th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $131.94 per share, with a total value of $1,011,320.10. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 37,602 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,961,207.88. This represents a 25.60% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, VP Lei Zhang Schlitz sold 32,031 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.20, for a total value of $3,625,909.20. Following the transaction, the vice president owned 66,780 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,559,496. This trade represents a 32.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.29% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in JCI. Maseco LLP increased its position in shares of Johnson Controls International by 102.9% during the 4th quarter. Maseco LLP now owns 211 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in Johnson Controls International during the second quarter worth $28,000. Roxbury Financial LLC increased its position in Johnson Controls International by 71.9% during the fourth quarter. Roxbury Financial LLC now owns 239 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Twin Tree Management LP raised its stake in shares of Johnson Controls International by 140.9% in the fourth quarter. Twin Tree Management LP now owns 260 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 895 shares during the period. Finally, MTM Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Johnson Controls International in the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.05% of the company’s stock.

About Johnson Controls International

Johnson Controls International plc is a global diversified technology and multi‑industrial company that develops products, services and solutions for buildings and energy storage. The company’s core focus is on improving building efficiency, safety and sustainability through a combination of HVAC equipment, building controls and automation, fire and security systems, and related services. Johnson Controls traces its roots to 1885, when inventor Warren S. Johnson developed an electric room thermostat; over its long history the company has expanded from controls into a broad set of building‑related technologies and, through corporate transactions, into a global provider of integrated building solutions.

Johnson Controls’ product and service portfolio includes heating, ventilation and air‑conditioning equipment, chillers, air handlers and related mechanical systems, together with building automation and control platforms that monitor and manage energy use, indoor environmental quality and security.