Stock Traders Purchase Large Volume of NextDecade Call Options (NASDAQ:NEXT)

NextDecade Corporation (NASDAQ:NEXT) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Thursday. Stock traders acquired 2,936 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 16% compared to the typical volume of 2,529 call options.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of NextDecade in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of NextDecade in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of NextDecade in a research report on Friday. Wall Street Zen downgraded NextDecade from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Saturday, October 24th. Finally, Zacks Research raised NextDecade from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $8.10.

More NextDecade News

Here are the key news stories impacting NextDecade this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Rio Grande LNG is reportedly ahead of schedule. NextDecade said it expects first LNG production from Train 1 in the second quarter of 2027, with project progress described as approximately one quarter ahead of schedule. Earlier production would improve the company’s path toward revenue generation and support investor confidence. NextDecade expects first LNG from Train 1 in Q2 2027 and targets Train 6 FID in second half of next year
• Positive Sentiment: Management is targeting additional expansion. NextDecade plans to make a final investment decision on Train 6 in the second half of 2027. The company also outlined a regulatory timeline for later Rio Grande LNG trains, potentially strengthening its long-term growth outlook. NextDecade offers regulatory timeline for latest Rio Grande LNG trains
• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter results exceeded expectations. NextDecade reported earnings of $0.54 per share versus the consensus estimate of a $0.71 per-share loss, marking a significant swing to profitability and helping drive the positive market reaction. NextDecade Provides Third Quarter 2026 Business Update
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity indicated increased bullish speculation. Traders purchased 2,936 call options, about 16% above typical volume. This may reflect expectations for further gains, but it does not necessarily represent long-term investment conviction.
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and financing remain important risks. NextDecade still faces the usual construction, regulatory and commissioning risks associated with a large LNG project. Its elevated leverage and weak liquidity metrics also leave the stock sensitive to cost overruns, delays or additional funding requirements.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NextDecade

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of NEXT. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of NextDecade during the second quarter valued at $179,608,000. Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in shares of NextDecade in the 2nd quarter worth about $14,415,000. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC boosted its stake in NextDecade by 12.4% in the 1st quarter. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC now owns 5,216,592 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,959,000 after purchasing an additional 574,080 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in NextDecade in the 2nd quarter worth about $3,613,000. Finally, Man Group plc bought a new position in NextDecade in the 2nd quarter worth about $2,895,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.74% of the company’s stock.

NextDecade Stock Up 1.7%

Shares of NASDAQ NEXT opened at $7.38 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 0.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.70. NextDecade has a 12-month low of $4.75 and a 12-month high of $9.24. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $6.86 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.94. The firm has a market cap of $1.96 billion, a PE ratio of -18.45 and a beta of 1.53.

NextDecade (NASDAQ:NEXT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The company reported $0.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.71) by $1.25. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that NextDecade will post -2.10 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About NextDecade

NextDecade Corporation is an energy company focused on developing liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and related carbon-management solutions. The company’s principal project is Rio Grande LNG, an LNG export facility located near Brownsville, Texas, on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Rio Grande LNG is designed to receive natural gas, process it into LNG, and export the product by ship to customers in international markets. The project is being developed in multiple phases and is intended to serve energy markets in Europe, Asia and other regions seeking access to U.S.