Shares of BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. staged a powerful rebound on Friday, soaring 15.7% to close at $4.72. This surge helped recoup a portion of the steep losses suffered earlier in the week, though the stock showed little movement in after-hours trading. Trading volume was exceptionally heavy, with approximately 56 million shares changing hands.
Options Traders Bet on Further Gains
Market activity indicated strong bullish sentiment among options traders. Data revealed a notably low put/call ratio, signaling that purchases of call options, which profit from a rising stock price, significantly outnumbered bearish put positions. This heavy call buying suggests many traders are anticipating the rally to continue.
Shareholder Vote Looms as Key Catalyst
The immediate focus for investors is a special shareholder meeting scheduled for February 18. On the agenda is a proposal to authorize a major increase in the company's common shares, from 500 million to 1 billion. While such a move provides flexibility for corporate initiatives like acquisitions or employee compensation, it often raises investor concerns about potential share dilution, especially for a volatile stock like BigBear.ai.
The company has been active on the strategic front, recently announcing a partnership with Maqta Technologies, the digital arm of AD Ports Group, to develop AI-driven systems for customs and border operations. This follows the acquisition of certain CargoSeer technologies in January, aimed at enhancing cargo scanning and trade-risk management.
As markets reopen next week, traders will watch to see if Friday's momentum persists, with the shareholder vote and broader movements in AI and defense-tech stocks likely to drive near-term price action.