Traders Purchase Large Volume of AES Call Options (NYSE:AES)

The AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Stock investors purchased 23,959 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 66% compared to the average daily volume of 14,437 call options.

AES Stock Performance

AES stock traded down $2.96 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $14.33. 62,735,306 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 11,198,566. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $15.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $14.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.15, a current ratio of 0.72 and a quick ratio of 0.66. The company has a market capitalization of $10.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.95, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.00. AES has a fifty-two week low of $9.46 and a fifty-two week high of $17.65.

AES Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Friday, May 1st will be given a dividend of $0.176 per share. This represents a $0.70 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.9%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 1st. AES’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.75%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AES has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Mizuho increased their price objective on AES from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 6th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of AES in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Barclays restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $15.00 target price on shares of AES in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley set a $23.00 price objective on shares of AES in a report on Friday, February 20th. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of AES from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $18.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 5th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $24.00.

Institutional Trading of AES

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC lifted its holdings in AES by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC now owns 14,658 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $210,000 after acquiring an additional 671 shares during the last quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board grew its position in AES by 2.5% in the fourth quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 32,922 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $472,000 after buying an additional 800 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT lifted its position in shares of AES by 3.1% during the 4th quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 28,581 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $410,000 after acquiring an additional 852 shares during the last quarter. S&CO Inc. grew its holdings in shares of AES by 6.3% in the 4th quarter. S&CO Inc. now owns 17,000 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $243,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TD Private Client Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of AES by 50.8% during the third quarter. TD Private Client Wealth LLC now owns 3,401 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 1,146 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.13% of the company’s stock.

Key AES News

Here are the key news stories impacting AES this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unusual call buying suggests some traders expect upside or a change in deal dynamics — 23,959 call options were bought Monday (≈66% above average), indicating speculative or merger‑arbitrage positioning that can lift near‑term volatility.
• Positive Sentiment: The announced deal includes a sizeable premium to earlier trading baselines — the consortium values AES at $15.00 per share, which the company says is a ~40.3% premium to the 30‑day VWAP before July 8, 2025, providing a guaranteed cash exit at that price for long holders. Consortium Led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT Agrees to Acquire AES
• Neutral Sentiment: Deal mechanics and timing create uncertainty — the transaction is an all‑cash buyout valuing equity at about $10.7B and enterprise value near $33.4B, with closing expected in late 2026 or early 2027, which leaves time‑to‑close, regulatory and financing risk that can keep the stock trading below the deal price. Consortium Led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT Agrees to Acquire AES (duplicate release)
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple shareholder law firms have launched investigations alleging the board may have breached fiduciary duties in approving the $15 offer — potential litigation and demands for a higher price can delay closing, increase transaction costs, or push for a renegotiation. Johnson Fistel Investigates Potential Board Fiduciary Duty Breaches in The AES Corporation Merger Transaction The Ademi Firm investigates whether The AES Corporation is obtaining a Fair Price for its Public Shareholders AES Stock Alert: Halper Sadeh LLC is Investigating Whether The AES Corporation is Obtaining a Fair Price for its Shareholders
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction reflects disappointment vs. some prior expectations — traders sold into the announcement, driving heavy volume and a notable price decline as the $15 offer appears below some investors’ hoped‑for outcomes and merger‑arbitrage pricing discounts the late closing. Why Is AES Stock Tanking Monday?

About AES

AES Corporation is a global energy company focused on the generation and distribution of electricity across diversified markets. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, AES develops, builds and operates power plants and distribution systems that serve residential, industrial and commercial customers. The company’s portfolio includes thermal, renewable and battery energy storage facilities designed to deliver reliable and sustainable electricity solutions.

Through its subsidiaries, AES operates a balanced mix of power generation assets, including natural gas, coal and renewables such as solar and wind.