Traders Purchase Large Volume of Shoe Carnival Put Options (NASDAQ:SHOE)

Shoe Carnival, Inc. (NASDAQ:SHOE) was the target of unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock investors bought 5,887 put options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 342% compared to the average daily volume of 1,333 put options.

Shoe Carnival Trading Up 3.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:SHOE opened at $12.71 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $345.08 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.44 and a beta of 1.40. Shoe Carnival has a 1 year low of $10.20 and a 1 year high of $24.10. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $14.82.

Shoe Carnival (NASDAQ:SHOE) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, September 10th. The company reported $0.23 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.34 by ($0.11). Shoe Carnival had a net margin of 2.20% and a return on equity of 5.31%. The firm had revenue of $284.31 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $299.19 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.70 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Shoe Carnival has set its FY 2026 guidance at 0.750-0.900 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Shoe Carnival will post 0.82 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

SHOE has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wall Street Zen lowered Shoe Carnival from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday. Weiss Ratings started coverage on Shoe Carnival in a report on Monday, June 15th. They issued a “hold (c-)” rating on the stock. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Shoe Carnival from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, June 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $22.00.

Shoe Carnival News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Shoe Carnival this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FY 2026 guidance was maintained or updated: Shoe Carnival projected earnings of $0.75–$0.90 per share for fiscal 2026. The guidance provides investors with a defined earnings outlook following the quarterly results. Shoe Carnival quarterly results press release
• Neutral Sentiment: Short-interest data showed no measurable bearish position: Reported short interest was zero shares, with a zero-day short-interest ratio. Because the figures were unchanged at zero and included an invalid percentage comparison, the data offers little meaningful insight into trading sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly earnings missed expectations: Shoe Carnival reported adjusted earnings of $0.23 per share, below consensus estimates ranging from $0.32 to $0.34 and well below $0.70 a year earlier. Revenue of $284.31 million also missed estimates of approximately $298–$299 million. Shoe Carnival earnings report
• Negative Sentiment: Sales trends deteriorated: Quarterly revenue declined 7.2% year over year, while the company reported a relatively low 3.31% net margin and 7.24% return on equity. The earnings decline raises concerns about promotional pressure, demand, and profitability.
• Negative Sentiment: Bearish options activity increased sharply: Investors purchased 5,887 put options, roughly 342% above typical put volume of 1,333 contracts. This unusually high activity indicates increased demand for downside protection or speculation on further weakness.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Shoe Carnival

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in SHOE. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in Shoe Carnival in the second quarter worth approximately $29,007,000. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Shoe Carnival during the 2nd quarter worth $1,606,000. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Shoe Carnival by 33.1% during the 4th quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 340,912 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,755,000 after purchasing an additional 84,861 shares in the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC bought a new position in shares of Shoe Carnival during the 2nd quarter valued at $2,071,000. Finally, Denali Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Shoe Carnival in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,074,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.05% of the company’s stock.

Shoe Carnival Company Profile

Shoe Carnival, Inc (NASDAQ: SCVL) is a U.S.-based specialty retailer offering a broad assortment of footwear, apparel and accessories for the entire family. Through its network of brick-and-mortar stores and e-commerce platform, the company provides casual, athletic and dress shoes for men, women and children, as well as complementary apparel, handbags, socks and other accessories designed to deliver value and variety. Its distinctive in-store carnival host service model aims to create an engaging shopping experience and foster customer loyalty.

Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Evansville, Indiana, Shoe Carnival has expanded over four decades to operate more than 350 retail locations across over 30 states.