Zoetis Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:ZTS)

Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) was the target of unusually large options trading on Thursday. Stock traders acquired 6,728 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 63% compared to the typical daily volume of 4,127 call options.

Trending Headlines about Zoetis

Here are the key news stories impacting Zoetis this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms announced or promoted class-action lawsuits against Zoetis, alleging false and/or misleading statements to investors and setting a July 27, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline. These headlines increase uncertainty and can weigh on the stock as investors assess potential legal costs and reputational damage. Article: Shareholder Alert Bernstein Liebhard LLP Announces A Securities Fraud Class Action Lawsuit Has Been Filed Against Zoetis Inc. (ZTS)
• Negative Sentiment: Additional investor-rights firms continued to publicize the lawsuit, suggesting the issue is broadening and keeping legal risk in focus for shareholders. Article: INVESTOR NOTICE: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Announces that Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Class Action Lawsuit
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary from Jim Cramer saying he feels “something not well” at Zoetis and preferring a rival added to sentiment headwinds, reinforcing the cautious tone around the stock. Article: Jim Cramer Says He Feels ‘Something Not Well’ At Zoetis, Names A Rival As His Pick
• Neutral Sentiment: Zoetis released its 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting progress under its Driven to Care strategy and its next-phase goals. The update is positive for long-term ESG positioning, but it is unlikely to offset the near-term litigation-driven pressure on the shares. Article: Zoetis Releases 2025 Sustainability Report: Advancing Sustainability in Animal Health for a Better Future

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Weiss Ratings lowered Zoetis from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a research note on Friday, March 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on Zoetis from $190.00 to $130.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 8th. William Blair restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Argus restated a “hold” rating on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley restated an “overweight” rating and set a $115.00 price target on shares of Zoetis in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $133.92.

Zoetis Stock Up 3.5%

Shares of Zoetis stock traded up $2.70 during trading on Thursday, hitting $80.29. 2,885,419 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,306,981. The firm has a market cap of $33.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a current ratio of 3.15, a quick ratio of 1.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.80. Zoetis has a 52-week low of $72.38 and a 52-week high of $171.52. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $101.99 and its 200 day simple moving average is $116.09.

Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported $1.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.60 by ($0.07). Zoetis had a return on equity of 66.85% and a net margin of 27.80%.The company had revenue of $2.26 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.30 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.48 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Zoetis has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.850-7.000 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Zoetis will post 6.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Zoetis Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 20th will be paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 20th. Zoetis’s payout ratio is 35.16%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Zoetis news, Director Michael B. Mccallister bought 3,000 shares of Zoetis stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $77.76 per share, for a total transaction of $233,280.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 24,524 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,906,986.24. This trade represents a 13.94% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, Director Frank A. Damelio bought 6,650 shares of Zoetis stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $75.39 per share, for a total transaction of $501,343.50. Following the purchase, the director owned 21,458 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,617,718.62. This trade represents a 44.91% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have acquired a total of 11,650 shares of company stock worth $886,384 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.22% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Zoetis

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates purchased a new position in Zoetis in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Prosperity Bancshares Inc purchased a new position in Zoetis in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Zoetis in the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Lodestone Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Zoetis in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Root Financial Partners LLC grew its stake in Zoetis by 66.5% in the first quarter. Root Financial Partners LLC now owns 258 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.80% of the company’s stock.

Zoetis Company Profile

Zoetis Inc (NYSE: ZTS) is a global animal health company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of products and services for companion animals and livestock. The company’s offerings include pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biologics, parasiticides and anti-infectives, as well as diagnostic instruments, consumables and laboratory testing services. Zoetis serves the veterinary community, livestock producers and other animal-health customers with products designed to prevent, detect and treat disease and to support animal productivity and welfare.

Zoetis traces its roots to the animal health business of Pfizer and became an independent, publicly traded company following a 2013 separation and initial public offering.