Options Activity Suggests Tough Week For Halliburton, Clear Skies For JetBlue
by Option Review - December 6th, 2011 2:02 pm
Today’s tickers: HAL, JBLU, DELL & HL
HAL - Halliburton Co. – Shares in the Houston, Texas-based oilfield services provider dropped as much as 5.8% to $34.86 today on reports BP is accusing a unit of the Halliburton Co. of destroying evidence that could have shown the company is also at fault for the deadly explosion in the Gulf of Mexico last year. Options traders expecting the stock to remain under pressure this week placed short-term bearish bets on the stock. Weekly puts that expire at the end of the trading week attracted heavier-than-usual volume, with the Dec. ’09 $35 strike put trading more than 4,400 times against open interest of just 444 contracts. It looks like investor purchased the majority of the $35 strike weekly puts for an average premium of $0.53 each. In-the-money put buyers at this strike stand prepared to profit should the price of the underlying fall another 1.1% to breach the average breakeven point on the downside at $34.47 at expiration. Bears picked up put options at the lower Dec. ’09 $ 34 strike for an average premium of $0.31 each, as well. Approximately 2,700 puts have changed hands at the $34 strike as of 12:30 PM ET. Options implied volatility on Halliburton is up 5.7% at 50.55% in early-afternoon trade.
JBLU - JetBlue Airways Corp. – Investors initiating near-term bullish positions in JetBlue Airways this morning appear to have shown up relatively late to the party, however, late could be better than never as long as the price of the underlying stock continues to rise in the next couple of weeks. Shares in JetBlue Airways Corp. are up 1.7% today to stand at $4.78 as of 11:20 AM ET. The stock has rallied roughly 30.0% since AMR Corp. filed for bankruptcy on November 29. Some traders jumped into JBLU…
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DiggBears Paw At Calls And Puts On Cisco Systems
by Option Review - October 7th, 2011 3:58 pm
Today’s tickers: CSCO, DELL, JCI & RRR
CSCO - Cisco Systems, Inc. – Shares in the maker of routers and switches were on a tear this week, rallying as much as 9.3% over Monday’s open to a high of $16.76 on Thursday. The stock had been in positive territory to start the final trading session of the week, but have since slipped 0.30% to stand at $16.70 as of 11:50 am in New York. Activity in put options set to expire one week from today suggest some traders are positioned to see Cisco’s shares continue to lose ground in the near term. Meanwhile, longer-dated calls indicate investors expect shares to run up against resistance at the $17.00 and $18.00 levels through April 2012 expiration.
Investors predicting a near-term pullback in the price of the underlying purchased roughly 2,600 puts at the Oct. ’14 $16 strike for an average premium of $0.10 per contract. Put buyers profit at expiration next week should shares in Cisco Systems drop 4.8% from the current price of $16.70 to breach the effective breakeven point on the downside at $15.90. Looking out to the April 2012 contract, it appears traders are selling large blocks of call options. Investors may be selling the calls outright, or writing the contracts against long stock positions. The heaviest volume was observed at the April 2012 $18 strike, where more than 10,000 calls were sold for an average premium of $1.25 each. It looks like the largest single block sold 7,481 times. The investor responsible for the sizeable position keeps the $1.25 premium received on the trade as long as shares in Cisco fail to exceed $18.00 at expiration in April. Cisco’s shares last traded above $18.00 back in April 2011. Options implied volatility on the stock rose 14.7% to…
Options Player Plants Short Straddle on Health Management Associates
by Option Review - June 6th, 2011 4:15 pm
Today’s tickers: HMA, DELL, AWI & DISCA
HMA - Health Management Associates, Inc. – A sizable short straddle on the provider of health care services yields maximum benefits to the seller at expiration if the price of the underlying stock remains fairly stagnant in the next couple of months. Shares in Health Management Associates fell 1.75% this afternoon to $10.69 just before 12:30pm in New York. Options volume in the amount of 10,000 calls and 10,000 puts employed by the straddle-strategist is huge compared to overall previously existing open interest on HMA of 12,857 contracts. It looks like the trader sold the straddle outright, receiving $0.45 per contract on the sale of 10,000 calls at the August $11 strike, and taking in $0.90 per contract on the sale of 10,000 puts at the same strike. Gross premium pocketed on the trade amounts to $1.35 per contract, which the trader keeps in full if shares in HMA settle at $11.00 at expiration day in August. The investor may retain some portion of the $1.35 per contract as long as shares remain range-bound within the upper breakeven price of $12.35, and the lower breakeven point at $9.65, through expiration. Shares in the health care provider have traded above $9.65 since the end of February, and have not topped $12.35 since 2007. Of course, the options player need not hold the position through expiration to make the transaction worth his while. The effects of time erosion on options premium as well as lower volatility could be beneficial for the investor, and may allow him to buy back the straddle at an advantageous price at some point ahead of August expiration. Health Management Associates is scheduled to report second-quarter earnings after the closing bell on July 26, 2011.
DELL - Dell, Inc. – Shares in…
Bullish Player Takes Profits, Injects Fresh Optimism in Sanofi-Aventis Options
by Option Review - May 10th, 2011 4:45 pm
Today’s tickers: SNY, DELL, HTZ & GT
SNY - Sanofi-Aventis – The French drug manufacturer popped up on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner this morning after one strategist extended bullish sentiment on the stock. Shares in Sanofi-Aventis rallied earlier in the session, but currently stand 0.35% lower on the day at $39.55 as of 11:30am in New York. The vaccines division of the pharmaceutical company, Sanofi Pasteur, said today it has received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its intradermal microinjection delivery system of its influenza vaccine, Fluzone. The vaccine was previously approved for intramuscular administration, but Sanofi said it plans to have the Fluzone Intradermal vaccine available to U.S. healthcare providers in time for the 2011-2012 influenza season. The bullish options trader responsible for nearly all of the day’s volume appears to be taking profits off the table on a previously established long call position. It looks like the investor originally purchased 2,000 calls at the May $37 strike for an average premium of $1.025 back on April 14 when shares in SNY were hovering around $37.54. Since the calls were purchased, shares in Sanofi rallied as much as 8.6% to touch a new 52-week high of $40.75 last Wednesday. Although shares are currently off last week’s high, the bullish trader was still able to rake in substantial profits on the long calls stance, selling all 2,000 of the May $37 strike calls this morning at a premium of $2.45 apiece. Net profits on the sale amount to $1.425 per contract. Next, the trader extended bullish sentiment on the drug maker, buying 2,000 fresh calls out at the June $40 strike for a premium of $0.40 per contract. The investor profits on the new batch of call options if shares in SNY increase 2.15% over the current price of $39.55 to surpass the effective breakeven point to the upside at $40.40 by expiration in June.…
Dell Options In Demand
by Option Review - May 4th, 2011 4:19 pm
Today’s tickers: DELL, CAG, GPS & XLNX
DELL - Dell, Inc. – Strategists populating Dell options today are sending mixed signals on the PC maker ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report on May 17. Call buyers in the June contract appear to be gearing up for a rally in the price of the underlying shares, while ratio put spreaders are taking a more cautious stance on the stock. Shares in Dell are currently up 0.25% to stand at $15.84 as of 12:15pm. Options traders exchanged more than 9,800 calls at the June $16 strike on open interest of 3,774 contracts. It looks like nearly all of the contracts were purchased for an average premium of $0.63 a-pop. Investors long the calls profit if DELL’s shares rally 5.0% over the current price of $15.84 to exceed the average breakeven price of $16.63 by expiration day next month. Meanwhile, one or more put players initiated ratio spreads. Approximately 3,500 in-the-money puts at the June $16 strike were purchased for an average premium of $0.81 each, while 7,000 puts at the lower June $15 strike sold for an average premium of $0.37 apiece. Investors employing the spreads paid a net premium of $0.07 per contract, on average. The sale of twice as many of the lower-strike put options substantially reduced the cost of positioning for a pullback in Dell’s shares through expiration day next month. Traders may be using the put-play to hedge a long position in the stock, or may be positioning for shares to decline rather than rally as call buyers’ actions suggest. The parameters of the put spread, for outright bearish players, indicate maximum potential profits of $0.93 per contract if shares in DELL settle at $15.00 at expiration. But, if the position turns out to be not quite bearish enough, investors start losing money beneath a breakeven share price of $14.07.…
Big Bearish Bet on Dell Pops Up Ahead of Earnings After the Close
by Option Review - February 15th, 2011 4:33 pm
Today’s tickers: DELL, AKAM, NWL & EEM
DELL - Dell, Inc. – Bearish sentiment on the personal computer maker is building in options land this afternoon ahead of Dell’s fourth-quarter earnings report after the final bell. Shares in the tech company are currently down 1.5% to stand at $13.88 just after 12:30pm in New York. One big options strategist is well-positioned to benefit from limited downside movement in the price of the underlying shares through March expiration. The investor purchased a massive put spread, picking up 25,000 lots at the March $13 strike for a premium of $0.24 each, and selling the same number of puts at the lower March $12 strike at a premium of $0.08 apiece. Net premium paid to initiate the pessimistic play amounts to $0.16 per contract. The trader starts to make money in the event that Dell’s shares drop 7.5% from the current price of $13.88 to breach the effective breakeven point on the spread at $12.84 ahead of expiration day. Maximum potential profits of $0.84 per contract are available to the put player should shares in the name plunge 13.5% lower to trade below $12.00 in the time remaining to March expiration. Dell, Inc. options are popular ahead of earnings, with more than 137,000 contracts having changed hands in early-afternoon trade. Options implied volatility is up slightly by 3.0% to stand at 36.29% as of 12:40pm.
AKAM - Akamai Technologies, Inc. – A three-legged bullish options combination play on the provider of cloud optimization services caught our eye this morning. The strategist responsible for the transaction is positioning for Akamai’s shares to continue to rise ahead of March expiration. Shares in AKAM are currently up 1.2% at $42.60 just before 11:30am in New York. The stock took a big hit last week, falling as much…
Dell Call Options Active in Afternoon Trading
by Phil - October 12th, 2010 5:45 pm
Today’s tickers: DELL, AGU, EEM, GERN, SPY, IP, SFD & CHS
DELL - Dell, Inc. – Speculation that Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of Dell, Inc., may buy the computer company or pay a special dividend lifted shares of the world’s third-largest PC maker this afternoon and spurred demand for out-of-the-money call options. Dell’s shares rallied nearly 3.00% today to touch an intraday high of $14.14, but are currently up 1.50% at $13.94 as of 3:05 p.m. Options traders honed in on October $14 strike calls, exchanging more than 23,100 of those contracts by 3:00 p.m., versus previously existing open interest of 10,783 calls at that strike. It looks like roughly 11,800 of those call options were purchased at an average premium of $0.21 a-pop. Call buyers make money if Dell’s shares exceed the average breakeven price of $14.21 by October expiration on Friday. Other optimistic signaling on the stock involved the sale of some 2,100 in-the-money puts at the October $14 strike where investors received an average premium of $0.34 per contract. Options implied volatility is up 15.2% to stand at 41.52% with less than one hour remaining before the final bell.
AGU - Agrium, Inc. – Shares of Canada’s second-largest fertilizer producer rallied as much as 3.2% today to reign in an intraday high of $85.66 after corn futures jumped to a near two-year high. Agrium was upgraded to ‘sector outperformer’ from ‘sector performer’ at CIBC World Markets where analysts upped their target share price on the company to $100.00 from $70.00. One options trader was prepared for the bullish move in the Agrium’s shares and opted to book profits, as well as extend optimism on the stock in the November contract. It looks like the investor purchased 10,000 calls at the November $85 strike for an average premium…
Hartford Financial Services Group Call Options in High Demand
by Option Review - September 11th, 2010 7:30 am
Today’s tickers: HIG, EW, GENZ, AWK, STEC, DELL, HTZ, DBRN & OVTI
HIG – Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. – Call options on the insurance and financial services firm are flying off the shelves today with shares trading higher by as much as 2.95% to tie down an intraday high of $22.99. As of 2:20 pm ET, more than 14.1 calls have changed hands on HIG for each single put option in action on the stock thus far in the session. The sharp increase in demand for calls bumped up the insurer’s overall reading of options implied volatility 26.4% to today’s high of 56.57%. While some investors populating HIG are selling calls, the majority of calls traded were purchased by traders positioning for continue appreciation in the price of the underlying shares. Near-term optimists picked up roughly 7,500 calls at the September $23 strike for an average premium of $0.50 each. Call buyers at this strike make money if HIG’s shares rally above the average breakeven price of $23.50 by expiration day next Friday. Other bulls purchased some 4,600 calls at the September $24 strike for premium of $0.23 each. Another 2,800 calls were scooped up at the higher September $25 strike at an average premium of $0.16 a-pop. More than 10,800 calls changed hands at the September $26 strike versus previously existing open interest of just 3,300 lots. The vast majority of those calls, some 7,000 contracts, traded to the middle of the market at a premium of $0.12 apiece. Bullish sentiment on the insurance company spread to the October $24 strike where some 2,000 calls were coveted at an average premium of $0.76 each. Investors holding these contracts stand ready to accumulate profits if HIG’s shares jump 7.7% over today’s high of $22.99 to exceed the average breakeven price of $24.76 by October expiration. An additional 2,000 calls were picked up at the October $25 strike for premium of $0.70 a-pop. Traders long the calls make money if shares surge 11.8% to trade above $25.70 ahead of expiration day next month. Options traders exchanged more than 66,700 contracts on Hartford Financial Services Group by 2:30 pm ET.
EW – Edwards Life Sciences Corp. – The provider of products and technologies created to treat advanced cardiovascular disease popped up on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner after one options player initiated a sizeable bearish transaction in the November…
Monday – Merger Mania Continues
by Phil - August 30th, 2010 8:22 am
It’s another busy Monday for M&A activity.
SNY announced a $18.5Bn CASH offer for GENZ ($69/share), INTC buy’s INNNY’s wireless unit for $1.4Bn in CASH and DELL and HPQ are still in a bidding war over PAR (and HPQ thinks their own shares are so cheap they are buying back $10Bn worth of them). The biggest winner in this weekend’s acquisition game is – ME! I live in northern NJ and, with the merger of CAL and UAUA going through, Continental is forced to diffuse some of their concentration at Newark airport and that ends up giving LUV 18 slots, bringing some much-needed additional competition to Newark, which has been pretty much dominated by Continental for years. LUV is a great buy at $11.13 and a fun way to play is the Jan $10/11 bull call spread at .60, selling the Jan $10 puts for .55, which is net .05 on the $1 spread with a 1,900% upside and your worst-case scenario is you own LUV at net $10.05 – what’s not to LUV?
Speaking of diffused concentration, the Glenn Beck rally was a bit of a disappointment with just 87,000 people showing up (Fox had a permit for 300,000 and keeps using that number as if that’s how many came while Beck himself has been claiming between 300,000 and 650,000 were there and Michele Backmann (R-Minn) claims it was the biggest rally ever held in Washington, with no fewer than 1M people in attendance). This has now backfired on Beck, Palin and the Tea Party as a "show of strength" becomes a show of apathy (to the people who can count, anyway) - it probably would have been smarter to hold the rally next weekend but Fox wanted to time the rally for the start of Jon Stewart’s vacation, although it didn’t stop him from commenting in absentia (where I hear Jon has a lovely bungalow). For a more "fair and balanced" view of the rally, see the very nice coverage from Reason TV.
During an interview on "Fox News Sunday," which was filmed after Saturday’s rally, Beck claimed that Obama "is a guy who understands the world through liberation theology, which is oppressor-and-victim – People aren’t recognizing his version of Christianity," Beck added. Beck’s attacks represent a continuing attempt to characterize Obama as a radical, an approach that has prompted anxiety among some Republicans,…
Bullish Options Combo Player Foresees Rally in Goldman Sachs’ Future
by Option Review - August 23rd, 2010 4:05 pm
Today’s tickers: GS, BA, RHT, DTG, DELL, ISLN & WHR
GS – Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. – A three-legged bullish options combination play initiated on Goldman Sachs this afternoon indicates one strategist is positioning for a sharp rebound in the price of the underlying stock by October expiration. GS shares, unable to hold onto gains realized earlier in the session, are currently down 0.65% to arrive at $147.27 just after 3:30 pm ET. It looks like the options optimist sold puts in order to partially finance the purchase of a debit call spread. The investor shed approximately 2,000 puts at the October $135 strike for an average premium of $2.74 each, purchased roughly the same number of calls at the October $150 strike for an average premium of $5.46 apiece, and sold about 2,000 calls at the higher October $160 strike at a premium of $1.89 a-pop. The average net cost of the transaction is reduced to just $0.83 per contract. Thus, the options player responsible for the trade is positioned to make money as long as Goldman’s shares rally 2.4% over the current price of $147.27 to surpass the average breakeven price of $150.83 by October expiration day. The trader may accumulate profits of up to $9.17 per contract if GS shares surge 8.6% to trade above $160.00 at expiration in a couple of months. Goldman Sachs’ shares last traded above $160.00 back on April 29, 2010.
BA – Boeing Co. – The second-largest U.S. satellite maker attracted the attention of one bullish options player this afternoon perhaps on news the firm expects to receive a minimum of $2 billion of orders for military communications satellites from a Defense Department contract announced in the previous week. Boeing’s shares slipped 1.95% to $63.34 in late afternoon trading, but the price erosion did not deter one trader from initiating a bullish risk reversal on the stock. It looks like the investor sold 7,000 puts at the October $60 strike for an average premium of $1.83 each in order to buy the same number of calls at the higher October $70 strike for premium of $0.95 apiece. The risk reversal was tied to the purchase of some 371,000 shares of the underlying at a price of $63.94 each. The responsible party received a net credit of $0.88 per contract on the reversal play. The investor is long the stock, short put…
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Philip R. Davis is a founder Phil's Stock World, a stock and options trading site that teaches the art of options trading to newcomers and devises advanced strategies for expert traders...
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