Ford Rally Fuels Bullish Options Activity
by Phil - March 17th, 2010 4:19 pm
Today’s tickers: F, EEM, DELL, UPS, IYR, JACK, WFC, CLX, SKX & LNC
F - Ford Motor Co. – The automobile manufacturer’s shares are once again trading at a new 52-week high after rallying 4.00% today to $14.02. Upward movement in the price of the underlying stock inspired bullish options trading activity. One investor initiated a plain-vanilla debit call spread to position for continued share price appreciation through expiration in September. The trader bought 5,000 calls at the September $15 strike for a premium of $1.03 per contract, and sold the same number of calls at the higher September $17.5 strike for $0.40 each. The investor paid a net $0.63 per contract for the spread, but could gain as much as $1.87 per contract if Ford’s shares surge 25% over the current price to $17.50 by expiration day. Nearer-term put activity clashes with the bullish move described in the September contract. It looks like investors purchased at least 18,600 put options at the April $13 strike for an average premium of $0.27 apiece. Perhaps put buyers are long shares of the underlying stock and are merely picking up cheap downside protection. But, it could also be the case that traders are buying the puts outright because they expect Ford’s shares to decline ahead of next month’s expiration day. If the latter is true, put-buyers amass profits if shares trade beneath the effective breakeven point on the puts at $12.73 by expiration.
EEM - iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF – Shares of the EEM, an exchange-traded fund that mirrors the price and yield performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets index, rose 1.55% during the session to $42.24. Despite the move up in share price, one investor employed a total of 60,000 option contracts on the fund to establish a bearish risk reversal in the January 2011 contract. It appears the options player shed 30,000 calls at the January 2011 $48 strike for a premium of $1.60 apiece in order to partially finance the purchase of 30,000 puts at the January 2011 $38 strike for $2.88 each. The net cost of the reversal amounts to $1.28 per contract. The massive size of the position may mean the trader is currently long an equivalent number of underlying shares of the fund. If this is the case, the transaction provides downside protection on that position should the EEM’s share price erode ahead of January expiration. Additionally, the…
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Bearish Put Butterfly Spread Materializes on Emerging Markets Fund
by Andrew Wilkinson - March 10th, 2010 4:13 pm
Today’s tickers: EEM, GE, PXD, STI, VLO, UPS, RF, NWL, HNT & FFIV
EEM - iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF – A contrarian options trader established a large-volume bearish put butterfly spread in the June contract this afternoon even though shares of the emerging markets exchange-traded fund, which looks for investment results that correlate to the price and yield performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets index (an index designed by MSCI as an equity benchmark for international stock performance), are trading 0.65% higher to $41.47 as of 2:30 pm (ET). The massive pessimistic play yields maximum benefits to its owner if shares of the underlying stock plummet more than 15.50% from the current price to $35.00 by June expiration. The investor enacted the butterfly by purchasing 20,000 puts at the June $31 strike for a premium of $0.24 apiece [wing 1] in conjunction with the purchase of another 20,000 puts at the higher June $39 strike for $1.41 each [wing 2]. Finally, the body of the butterfly spread involved the sale of 40,000 puts at the central June $35 strike for a premium of $0.58 apiece. The net cost of the ‘fly amounts to just $0.49 per contract. Therefore, the bearish player is positioned to reel in maximum potential profits of $3.51 per contract – total net profits of $7.02 million – should shares of the underlying fund slip to $35.00 by expiration day. Shares of the EEM must surrender at least 7% of their current value by June expiration in order for the investor to breakeven at $38.51. The transaction is a very efficient way for this investor to establish a pessimistic stance on the emerging markets fund because maximum potential gains trump maximum possible losses on the position. The parameters of the butterfly spread represent a reward-to-risk ratio of more than 7-to-1.
GE - General Electric Co. – The diverse conglomerate’s shares are standing 0.30% higher on the day at $16.55 with one hour remaining in the trading session. General Electric’s shares have rebounded 6.30% in the past month since dipping to $15.57 on February 12, 2010, but one big options strategist is positioning for continued bullish momentum in the price of the underlying stock through expiration in May. The optimistic investor initiated a large-volume bullish risk reversal play by shedding 20,000 puts at the June $15 strike for an average premium of $0.37 apiece, spread against the purchase of 20,000…
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Qualcomm Strangle Suggests Range-Bound Shares Until October Expiration
by Andrew Wilkinson - February 24th, 2010 4:40 pm
Today’s tickers: QCOM, ETFC, CAL, SLB, AUY, EEM, ADSK, NFLX & JNPR
QCOM - Qualcomm, Inc. – Options activity on the digital wireless communications products and services firm indicates shares of the underlying stock could remain range-bound through October expiration. Qualcomm’s shares are down more than 2% to $37.72 with approximately one hour remaining in the trading session. Analysts at Credit Suisse maintain a ‘neutral’ rating on the stock, but slashed its target share price for QCOM to $40.00 from $45.00 and lowered its earnings guidance for 2010 and 2011. According to one options investor, Qualcomm’s shares are likely to trade within a certain range for the next eight months. The trader acted on the range-bound prediction by selling a strangle. The investor sold 10,000 puts at the October $35 strike for a premium of $2.30 each and shed 10,000 calls at the higher October $44 strike for a premium of $1.30 apiece. Gross premium pocketed by the strangler amounts to $3.60 per contract. The trader keeps the full amount of premium only if Qualcomm’s shares trade above $35.00 and below $44.00 through expiration. The premium received acts as a limited buffer against losses should shares swing above or below the strike prices described above. However, losses accumulate for the investor if shares rally above the upper breakeven price of $47.60, or if the stock falls below the lower breakeven point at $31.40 ahead of expiration day in October. Qualcomm’s share price exceeded the upper breakeven point as recently as January 21, 2010, when the stock traded as high as $49.00. Finally, shares have not traded lower than $31.40 – the lower breakeven price on the strangle – since December 5, 2008, when the stock dipped down to $29.33.
ETFC - E*Trade Financial Corp. – Shares of the financial services firm are down 0.65% to $1.54 in late afternoon trading, but options activity on the stock was initiated by bullish investors positioning for a rebound in share price. One optimistic individual established a ratio call spread in the October contract. The trader bought 5,000 call options at the October $2.0 strike for a premium of $0.18 each and sold 10,000 calls at the higher October $3.0 strike for about $0.04 apiece. The investor paid a net premium of $0.10 per contract for the transaction, but stands ready to accrue maximum potential profits of $0.90 per contract if E*Trade’s share price rallies to $3.00 by…
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Natural Gas Options Trader Enacts Bullish Risk Reversal
by Andrew Wilkinson - February 16th, 2010 4:32 pm
Today’s tickers: UNG, IP, EEM, CAH, TRA, UAUA, USO, WFMI, BRK.B & ANF
UNG - United States Natural Gas ETF – Shares of the natural gas exchange-traded fund, which mirrors the price and performance of natural gas, are down 1.85% to $9.67 with just under one hour remaining in the trading session. Options traders initiated bullish plays in the March contract despite the dip lower in the price of the underlying shares. It looks like one investor initiated a bullish risk reversal to position for a rebound in the price per UNG share by March expiration. The trader sold 8,250 in-the-money puts at the March $10 strike for a premium of $0.64 each in order to offset the cost of buying 8,250 calls at the same strike for $0.40 apiece. The trader pockets a net credit of $0.24 per contract on the reversal, which he keeps if shares of the fund trade above $10.00 by expiration day. Additional profits are available to the upside if and when the price per share exceeds $10.00 apiece.
IP - International Paper Co. – Global paper and packaging firm, International Paper Company, enticed bullish options traders to initiate optimistic positions in the March contract as shares of the underlying stock jumped 6% in late afternoon trading to $23.92. Plain-vanilla call buying took place at the March $25 strike where upwards of 10,000 contracts were purchased for an average premium of $0.45 apiece. Call buyers stand ready to accrue profits should IP’s shares rally another 6.40% over the current value of the stock to surpass the effective breakeven point on the calls at $25.45 by March expiration.
EEM - iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF – Shares of the emerging markets exchange-traded fund, which generally corresponds to the price of the MSCI Emerging Markets index that was created by MSCI as a benchmark for international stock performance, rallied 2.30% to $39.32 this afternoon. June contract options activity on the EEM suggests shares may stagnate near the current price through expiration in four months. It looks like options traders sold straddles in order to pocket premium on the sale of both calls and puts. Investors sold approximately 9,100 calls at the June $39 strike for an average premium of $2.95 apiece and sold 9,100 puts at the same strike for a premium of $2.65 each. Gross premium enjoyed by straddle-sellers amounts to $5.60 per contract. Investors keep the full $5.60 premium per…
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Fannie Mae Put Action Explodes in Afternoon Trading
by Andrew Wilkinson - February 5th, 2010 4:30 pm
Today’s tickers: FNM, EWZ, IYR, GILD, FXI, WLP, EEM, ARG, DWA & WMB
FNM – Fannie Mae – Mortgage-financer, familiarly known as Fannie Mae, jumped onto our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner after one investor went hog-wild with put options. Fannie’s shares slipped 3% during the trading day to $0.95 apiece. The investor appears to have traded 118,000 in-the-money put options at the March $1.0 strike for a premium of $0.15 apiece, spread against the sale of 118,000 puts at the January 2012 $1.0 strike for a premium of $0.40 each. Open interest of 156,689 puts at the March $1.0 strike indicate the trader could be buying-to-close a previously established 118,000-lot short put position initiated back in September of 2009. If this is the case, the investor is extending the short put position out to the January 2012 contract and expecting the government agency to ultimately survive the next couple of years. In this scenario, the trader keeps the $0.40 in premium on the sale of the fresh batch of put options if Fannie’s share price rallies above $1.00 by expiration in 2012. But, there are a other possible explanations for the trade. It is possible that the open interest at the March $1.0 strike is unrelated to today’s activity. In this second scenario, the trader is essentially predicting that shares will erode ahead of March expiration. If this is the case the trader sold 118,000 January 2012 $1.0 strike puts for $0.40 apiece in order to take a long 118,000-lot put stance at the March $1.0 strike for which he paid $0.15 each. The net credit received in this scenario amounts to $0.25 per contract and generates additional profits as Fannie’s shares continue to fall under $1.00. It will be interesting to see whether the open interest level at the March $1.0 strike changes to reflect the closing of a previously established long or short put position. Regardless of the direction of- or motivation behind- the transaction the large volume of the trading activity is certainly noteworthy.
EWZ – iShares MSCI Brazil Index ETF – A ratio put spread enacted on the Brazil ETF suggests we may continue to see bearish movement in the price of the underlying stock through expiration in June. Shares of the fund are down 3% to $61.80 as of 2:20 pm (EDT). The investor responsible for the transaction purchased 7,500 puts at the June $60 strike…
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Options Trader Plants Bearish Augury on Oracle
by Andrew Wilkinson - February 3rd, 2010 4:20 pm
Today’s tickers: ORCL, SKX, EEM, TM, ZION, DHI, BBBY, RL, MCD & MYGN
ORCL – Oracle Corp. – A massive bearish transaction on software manufacturer, Oracle Corp., paints a gloomy picture for Oracle investors through expiration in June. Shares are trading 0.15% lower on the day to $23.73 with just under two hours remaining in the trading session. The pessimistic portent is a bearish risk reversal transacted in the June contract on the stock. The trader responsible for the reversal sold 34,700 calls at the June $24 strike for an average premium of $1.37 each in order to offset the cost of purchasing 34,700 put options at the lower June $23 strike for $1.24 premium apiece. A net credit of $0.13 per contract pads the investor’s wallet as long as the June $24 strike call options remain out-of-the-money through expiration day. Additional profits, or downside protection on a long stock position, kick in if shares of the underlying trade under $23.00 ahead of June expiration.
SKX – Sketchers USA, Inc. – Street and fashion footwear design firm, Sketchers USA, received a vote of confidence by a bullish options player today despite the 4.25% decline in shares of the underlying stock to $28.54. The investor etched optimism into the July contract on Sketchers by utilizing the ratio call spread strategy. The trader purchased 1,500 calls at the July $30 strike for a premium of $3.00 apiece, spread against the sale of 3,000 calls at the higher July $40 strike for an average premium of $0.60 each. The net cost of the transaction amounts to $1.80 per contract. In the next six months to expiration, SKX-shares must rally 11.40% from their current value in order for the investor to breakeven at a share price of $31.80. Maximum potential profits of $8.20 per contract accumulate should shares explode 40% higher to $40.00 ahead of expiration in July.
EEM – iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF – An enormous bullish bet on the EEM today implies one investor is positioning for a 5%-11.25% rebound in global markets by March expiration. Shares of the emerging markets exchange-traded fund, which was developed by MSCI as an equity benchmark for international stock performance, dipped slightly lower by 0.20% during the current session to $39.55. Optimism on the fund came in the form of a large-volume call spread in the March contract. The trader responsible for the transaction purchased 60,000 calls at the March…
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Optimistic Trader Initiates Call Spread on ConocoPhillips
by Andrew Wilkinson - January 29th, 2010 4:29 pm
Today’s tickers: COP, EEM, DE, SIRI, JPM, FCX, T, PCS, MSFT & EK
COP – ConocoPhillips– Oil and gas company, ConocoPhillips, attracted an optimistic options player to the January 2011 contract today. Shares began the trading day on the up-and-up, but reversed direction in the latter portion of the session, falling slightly by 0.20% to $48.26. The long-term bullish strategist purchased a debit call spread to position for upside gains in the underlying share price by expiration next January. The spread involved the purchase of 5,000 calls at the January 2011 $50 strike for an average premium of $3.91 apiece, marked against the sale of the same number of calls at the higher January 2011 $65 strike for about $0.60 each. The net cost of the transaction amounts to $3.31 per contract. The investor responsible for the trade stands ready to accrue maximum potential profits of $11.69 per contract if COP’s shares gain 35% over the current price to reach $65.00 by expiration day. Shares must rise at least 10.5% from today’s price before the call-spreader breaks even on the transaction at $53.31.
EEM – iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF – Shares of the MSCI Emerging Markets exchange-traded fund fell less than 1% in afternoon trading to stand at $38.47. September contract options trading suggests one investor is positioning for continued downward movement in the price of the underlying stock by expiration. The pessimistic trader established a bearish risk reversal on the fund by selling 5,300 out-of-the-money call options at the September $45 strike for a premium of $1.35 apiece, spread against the purchase of the same number of put options at the September $33 strike for $1.77 each. The investor paid a net $0.42 per contract for the transaction. Profits to the downside accumulate only if shares of the EEM slump another 15.3% from the current price to breach the breakeven point at $32.58 by expiration in the next eight months. We note that the fund’s share price has remained above the $33.00-level since July 15, 2009.
DE – Deere & Co. – Shares of agricultural equipment maker, Deere & Co., are trading 1.80% higher to stand at $52.03 in the first half of the trading day. Notable options activity appeared in the January 2011 contract where one investor initiated a long-term protective play using put options. The trader established a put spread by purchasing 10,000 puts at the January 2011 $50 strike for…
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Investor Initiates Volatility Play on Alcoa Ahead of Earnings
by Andrew Wilkinson - January 11th, 2010 4:13 pm
Today’s tickers: AA, GLD, MGM, NXY, INTC, NDAQ, ANDS, F, EEM, MMR & MELI
AA – Alcoa, Inc. – A short straddle play on the largest U.S. producer of aluminum today implies one investor anticipates Alcoa’s shares will remain range-bound through January’s expiration on Friday. Alcoa’s shares appreciated 1% to a new 52-week high of $17.20 (as of 12:40 pm EDT) during the session. According to one Bloomberg article, the firm may report fourth-quarter profits of $0.06 per share today. The sold straddle strategy also indicates the trader expects lower volatility in the price per share. Perhaps this individual is taking advantage of the typical drop in option implied volatility, which tends to accompany earnings announcements. The investor sold 10,000 calls at the January $17.50 strike for a premium of $0.59 apiece, and sold 10,000 puts at the same strike for about $0.69 each. The gross premium pocketed on the trade amounts to $1.28 per contract. The full $1.28 premium is safe in the investor’s wallet if the contracts expire worthless at a share price of $17.50 on Friday. The short call and put positions established today leave the investor vulnerable to potential losses in the event that Alcoa’s shares swing outside of the breakeven boundaries. Losses accrue if shares edge beneath the lower breakeven price of $16.22, or if shares rise above the upper breakeven point at $18.78.
GLD – SPDR Gold Trust ETF – Shares of the exchange-traded fund, which mirrors the price of gold bullion, may be up more than 1.25% to $112.82 today, but option traders populated various contracts with bearish strategies. A hefty put spread appeared in the June contract. The transaction involved the purchase of 17,000 puts at the June $105 strike for a premium of $3.50 each, marked against the sale of 17,000 puts at the lower June $95 strike for roughly $0.52 apiece. The net cost of the pessimistic play amounts to $2.98 per contract. If the investor is holding a long position in GLD shares, the spread provides downside protection in case shares slip beneath the breakeven price of $102.02, by expiration in June. Additional bearish indications appeared in the September contract. One trader initiated a risk reversal by selling 5,000 calls at the September $130 strike for $4.55 each, spread against the purchase of 5,000 puts at the lower September $100 strike for $3.60 apiece. GLD’s shares must trade beneath $130.00 through expiration in…
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Yen ETF Options Play Suggests Eternally Cheaper Currency
by Phil - January 8th, 2010 4:24 pm
Today’s tickers: FXY, EEM, PEP, TEVA, TIF, UPS & X
FXY – Japanese Yen Shares – The exchange-traded fund, which seeks to mirror the price of the Japanese Yen, is trading more than 0.50% higher today to stand at $107.12 in the aftermath of employment data undermining the U.S. dollar. Options activity in the March contract this morning suggests the price of the Yen may decline in the next couple of months. One Yen-bear sold call options in the March contract in order to finance the purchase of a put spread. The investor sold 10,000 calls at the March $110 strike for a premium of $1.20 per contract. The put spread involved the purchase of 10,000 puts at the March $105 strike for a premium of $1.70 each, marked against the sale of the same number of puts at the lower March $100 strike for $0.40 apiece. The net cost of the three-legged combination trade amounts to just $0.10 per contract for the investor. Thus, from a pure options standpoint (assuming no underlying position in shares), the investor stands to accumulate maximum potential profits of $4.90 per contract in the event that shares of the FXY plummet to $100.00 by expiration in March. FXY’s share price must decline 2% to $104.90 before the trader breaks even on today’s transaction.
EEM – iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund – Shares of the emerging markets exchange-traded fund are up less than 0.50% today to $43.01. Near-term pessimistic sentiment clouded the February contract as one investor initiated a ratio put spread on the fund. It appears the trader purchased 5,000 puts at the February $40 strike for an average premium of $0.69 apiece, marked against the sale of 10,000 puts at the lower February $35 strike for roughly $0.17 each. The ratio spread results in a net cost of $0.35 per contract. The investor responsible for the spread is likely holding a long position in the underlying stock. In such a case, the value of the share position is protected if EEM’s shares decline 8.5% from the current price and breach the effective breakeven point at $39.65 by expiration next month.
PEP – PepsiCo, Inc. – Global beverage, snack and food company, PepsiCo, received an upgrade to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’ at Edward Jones today despite slight share price declines of less than 0.50% to $60.76. Bullish investors initiated a couple of different strategies using both call and put options…
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Caterpillar Optimist Buys Bullish Risk Reversal
by Andrew Wilkinson - December 21st, 2009 4:04 pm
Today’s tickers: CAT, EEM, CHK, AAPL, AA, UUP, MNKD, LVLT, CHTT, WTR & WAG
CAT - Caterpillar, Inc. – Near-term bullish options trading on the machinery manufacturer today suggests some investors are positioning for a rally in CAT shares by expiration day in January 2010. The stock edged 0.75% higher during the trading session to $57.56. One investor initiated a bullish risk reversal on Caterpillar by selling 6,000 puts at the January 55 strike for a premium of 95 cents each, spread against the purchase of 6,000 calls at the now in-the-money January 57.5 strike for 1.67 apiece. The net cost of the reversal play amounts to 72 cents per contract. The investor accumulates profits on the transaction if CAT’s shares rally above the breakeven price of $58.22 by expiration.
EEM - iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF – Shares of the emerging markets exchange-traded fund increased 0.10% today to $40.41. Option traders established long-term bullish and long-term bearish positions in the January 2012 contract during the session. A bullish risk reversal took place at the January 2012 40 strike where one trader sold 6,500 puts for 7.80 apiece to buy 6,500 calls for 7.50 each. The optimistic investor pockets a net credit of 30 cents per contract on the transaction. The full 30 cent credit is safe in the trader’s piggy bank if shares of the EEM trade at or above $40.00 through expiration in two years. The investor is positioned to accrue additional profits as shares increase above $40.00. The other transaction observed in the January 2012 contract appears to be bearish. The trade involved the sale of 10,000 calls at the January 2012 45 strike for a premium of 5.30 each, marked against the purchase of 5,000 puts at the January 2012 35 strike for 5.50 each. The investor takes in a net credit of 5.10 per contract due to the 2-to-1 ratio of calls sold to puts purchased. EEM’s shares must trade below $45.00 in order for the investor to keep the 5.10 credit.
CHK - Chesapeake Energy Corp. – Natural gas and oil exploration and production company, Chesapeake Energy Corp., experienced a 1.75% rally in the price of its shares to stand at $26.52 in afternoon trading. Some investors are anticipating a significantly higher share price for CHK by expiration in July 2010. Chesapeake-bulls bought roughly 4,000 calls at the July 30 strike for an average premium of 1.86 per contract.…
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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...
Ilene is editor and affiliate program
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