Bull Buys Call Spread as Arena Pharmaceuticals’ Shares Soar
by Option Review - July 23rd, 2010 4:25 pm
Today’s tickers: ARNA, CQB, GAP, KWK, MCD & FL
ARNA – Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. – Shares of the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company shot up 10.7% today to an intraday high of $5.89, inspiring one options strategist to purchase a debit put spread in the October contract. Arena’s shares have increased significantly since an FDA advisory panel said it does not recommend rival Vivus’ obesity drug, Qnexa, receive FDA approval. The bullish options investor prepared for continued upward movement in Arena’s shares by purchasing 3,000 now in-the-money calls at the October $5.0 strike for a premium of $2.45 each, and selling the same number of calls at the higher October $7.0 strike at a premium of $1.45 apiece. The net cost of the transaction amounts to $1.00 per contract. Thus, the trader is prepared to make money should the biopharmaceutical firm’s shares rally 1.85% over the current price of $5.89 to trade above the effective breakeven price of $6.00 by October expiration day. The investor walks away with maximum potential profits of $1.00 per contract if Arena’s shares surge 18.85% to exceed $7.00 by expiration. In the nearer-term September contract, another bullish player opted to sell 2,700 puts at the September $2.0 strike to take in an average premium of $0.30 per contract. The put seller keeps the premium received on the transaction as long as Arena’s shares trade above $2.00 through expiration day in September. Options implied volatility on ARNA is higher by 14.1% to 101.05% as of 2:55 pm (ET).
CQB – Chiquita Brands International, Inc. – Call buying on the international marketer and distributor of bananas and fresh produce continues today with shares of the underlying stock trading higher by 3.15% to stand at $13.10 as of 1:20 pm (ET). Bullish traders started to buy November $12.5 strike calls yesterday afternoon as Chiquita’s shares rallied nearly 5.5% to end Thursday afternoon at an intraday high of $12.72. The company’s shares continued their ascension today, inspiring investors to build up bullish stances on the stock ahead of the second-quarter earnings report next Thursday. Investors purchased approximately 3,000 calls at the November $12.5 strike by 1:25 pm (ET) for an average premium of $1.73 apiece. Call buyers make money if Chiquita’s shares increase another 8.6% to surpass the average breakeven point at $14.23 by November expiration. Traders buying the calls on Thursday have a clear first-mover advantage because they paid an…
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DiggLam Research Options Draw Optimistic Crowd
by Option Review - February 23rd, 2010 5:24 pm
Today’s tickers: LRCX, AZN, BRCD, F, MTG, RSH & FL
LRCX – Lam Research Corp. – Contrarian option players initiated bullish trades on Lam Research Corporation today even though shares are trading 7% lower to $32.79. Investors sold nearly 5,000 in-the-money put options at the March $35 strike for an average premium of $1.71 apiece. Put-sellers are perhaps positioning for a rebound in the price of the underlying stock ahead of expiration next month. Traders keep the $1.71 premium per contract on the sale only if LRCX’s shares rally above $35.00 by expiration day. Short-put sellers receive the premium in exchange for bearing the risk that the puts land in-the-money at expiration and shares of the underlying stock are put to them at an effective price of $33.29 apiece. Optimism spread to the April $35 strike where 1,000 calls were picked up for an average premium of $1.15 apiece. Lam Research’s shares must jump 10.25% from the current value before call-buyers start to accumulate profits above the breakeven share price of $36.15. The increase in demand for options on LRCX today boosted options implied volatility on the stock about 11.1% to 37.54%.
AZN – AstraZeneca PLC – A bearish risk reversal was initiated on pharmaceuticals firm, AstraZeneca, today despite news the firm is raising its 2010 earnings outlook to $5.90-$6.30 per share up from $5.75-$6.15 per share. AstraZeneca improved its 2010 outlook after revealing plans to pay $783 million to settle a tax dispute with United Kingdom regulators. Shares were up earlier in the session, but are currently trading lower by less than 0.10% to $43.51. The pessimistic play involved the sale of 5,000 calls at the July $50 strike for a premium of $0.60 apiece, spread against the purchase of 5,000 puts at the lower July $40 strike for a premium of $1.35 each. The net cost of the reversal transaction amounts to $0.75 per contract. The investor responsible for the trade is perhaps hoping to accumulate profits to the downside should the stock trade beneath the breakeven share price of $39.25 by expiration in July.
BRCD – Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. – The supplier of networking equipment forecast maximum 2010 earnings of $0.58 per share, which underwhelmed analysts expecting $0.60 per share. A plethora of analyst downgrades combined with the lower-than-expected 2010 profit forecast pummeled Brocade’s share price down 23.50% to $5.32 today. BRCD was downgraded to ‘hold’…
Just Another Manic Monday – Retail Edition
by Phil - November 16th, 2009 8:17 am
![[Growth and Deflation chart]](http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-BC020B_JECON_NS_20091115220414.gif)
Good morning!
Japan had a huge GDP beat (+1.2% for the Q, 4.8% annualized)) and they leaked it early (to oil executives!) but, strangely, deflation is accelerating at the same time. That’s great news for stimulus watchers as the government can continue to pump money into the economy, even while it’s growing and, of course, the carry trade can continue.
Despite the robust third-quarter report, Japanese officials said they were still concerned about the economy’s strength going forward, and didn’t intend to pull back plans for further spending to ensure continued growth.
"There is no change in the severe condition of the country’s economy," Naoto Kan, the deputy prime minister, told reporters after the report’s release. "We are concerned about whether the economy falls into a deflationary situation," he added.
The domestic demand deflator — a measure of changes in prices of goods and services, excluding exports and imports — plunged 2.6%, the fastest pace since 1958. It was the third straight quarter of falling prices.
Another sign of concern in the report: The contribution of private consumer spending to growth slipped in the third quarter, suggesting measures to convert Japan from export-led growth to domestic-demand-led growth were facing limits. In the third quarter, private consumer spending, rose 0.7%, compared with a revised 1% climb in the second quarter.
It’s all stimulus but there’s no sign stimulus is stopping so party on markets. Japan also got a huge benefit from the Chinese auto sales – more stimulus! The Nikkei itself isn’t thrilled and is up just 0.25%, barely hitting Friday’s high on a stick-save into the close but that didn’t stopping the futures from jumping up more than half a point and gold from hitting $1,130. I sent out an Alert to Members at 2:24 this morning saying:
"Once the Nikkei closes (2am EST) the Hang Seng will have an hour to themselves and that should top out our futures (the Hang Seng is up at 22,900 (+1.5%). The shorting move on gold futures is to short them as they cross below $1,130 with zero tolerance for holding gold above that line. The same can be done with the S&P futures at 1,100, the Dow at 10,316 and the Nas at 1,800 and you can even use the 2 out of 4 rule to short one of the laggards only AFTER two others break down to be a little…
Risk Reversal Pops Up on Biotech-Company, Life Technologies
by Option Review - November 3rd, 2009 4:08 pm
Today’s tickers: LIFE, FL, VTR, WFC, RRI, WFR, CAR, FRX, SWK, BNI & WFR
LIFE – Life Technologies Corp. – Biotechnology company, Life Technologies, popped up on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner this morning after one investor initiated a risk reversal in the December contract. Shares are relatively flat on the day at $47.58. The reversal is most likely the work of a bullish individual positioning for a rally in shares of LIFE by expiration next month. It appears the trader sold 5,200 puts short at the December 45 strike for an average premium of 1.30 apiece to finance the purchase of the same number of call options at the higher December 50 strike for 1.20 each. The investor receives a credit of 10 cents per contract on the transaction. The 10 cent credit is money in the bank as long as shares remain above $45.00 through expiration. Additional profits on the trade require the stock to surge to a new 52-week high of $50.00. Shares must rally 5% from the current price before the investor begins to accumulate profits. The 10,400 contracts exchanged in the spread represent about 23% of the total existing open interest on LIFE of 45,963 lots.
FL – Foot Locker, Inc. – A long-term bullish play in the January 2011 contract pushed the global retailer of athletic footwear and apparel onto our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner this afternoon. Shares are currently up nearly 1% to $10.25. It looks like the trader initiated a bullish risk reversal by selling 3,500 puts at the December 7.5 strike for 1.10 each, and by buying the same number of calls at the higher December 12.5 strike for 1.10 apiece. The investor put on the trade for free and hopes to see shares rise above $12.50 by expiration in 14 months. Profits begin to accumulate if the stock rallies 22% over the current price to surpass the breakeven point at $12.50. We note that shares of FL have traded beneath $12.50 since November 11, 2008.
VTR – Ventas, Inc. – Shares of the real estate investment trust edged slightly higher by less than 0.25% to $40.56 during the trading day. An investor expecting shares to appreciate by expiration in December put on a bullish risk reversal strategy. The trader sold 3,000 puts at the December 35 strike for 60 cents premium and simultaneously purchased the same…
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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
coordinator for PSW. She manages the Favorites backup site
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