Macy’s Call Options On Trend As Shares Extend Rally
by Option Review - January 6th, 2012 1:52 pm
Today’s tickers: M, HLF, CSC & WSM
M - Macy’s, Inc. – The department store operator’s shares are on a tear following better-than-expected retail sales data out earlier in the week. Macy’s, Inc. shares tacked on another 2.6% today to secure a four-year high of $34.80. Trading in call options on the retailer is outpacing that of puts roughly 2.5 contracts to one, with overall volume up at 18,000 lots as of 12:45 PM in New York. Investors snapped up out-of-the-money calls in the front month, suggesting the stock may have more room to run in the near term. Call buyers looked to the Jan. $35 strike, picking up around 1,400 contracts for an average premium of $0.58 a-pop. Volume was heaviest up at the Jan. $36 strike where more than 4,200 calls traded against open interest of 1,463 contracts. Trading traffic in the calls was mixed, with buyers and sellers facing an average premium of $0.26 apiece. Finally, far out-of-the-money call options with a low probability of landing in-the-money at expiration attracted traders willing to pay an average premium of $0.09 apiece for roughly 2,000 contracts at the Jan. $38 strike. Investors long the $38 strike calls profit at expiration if shares in Macy’s jump 9.5% to top $38.09.
HLF - Herbalife, Ltd. – Shares in the provider of weight management products rallied 1.6% to $52.04 this morning, but the stock has underperformed some competitors since the start of the New Year. Weight Watchers shares are currently up 17.8% year-to-date, while Herbalife’s shares have lost 1.2% of their value in the same period. Though the stock is presently in the red for the new calendar year, activity in HLF call options suggests some traders are positioning for substantial gains in the name ahead of February expiration. Investors traded more than 2,000 calls at the…
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DiggThrilling Thursday – Can We Make Another Billion Today?
by Phil - June 2nd, 2011 7:42 am
Wheeeee!
$1,129,860,000! That’s how much money was made shorting 376,620 NYMEX contracts at $103 yesterday, as we planned! Congratulations to those of you who got your share playing along with us and, to the manipulators who got stuck with the bill – screw you bastards, we have your number and we’re going to ring it now! I called a cash-out at the $100 line in Member Chat as 2.9% was more of a drop than we expected in one day and we will re-load on the bounce as we cross back below the $100.50 line – as discussed in this morning’s Member Chat - assuming the Dollar has bottomed out at 74.35.
This isn’t complicated people – what’s the 2.5% line off of $103? $100.425. That’s where we’ll look for oil to consolidate but below that line we’ll be comfortable with our shorts again, looking for those next legs down to $98.88 (down 4%) and then $97.85, where we will once again look for a 20% retrace to $98.88 and then a nice short there when it fails. So come on – you can play along at home – don’t miss out on making the next $1.129Bn!
Meanwhile, what’s a 20% bounce off a $3 drop? 60 cents, right? Where did oil bounce to in the futures? $100.60? This is not rocket science folks… We teach these little tips to our Members every day at Philstockworld. Sure you may find it disturbing that the chart we drew up (above) in early April is hit almost to the penny on the NYSE yesterday (2 months later) as it halted right on our red line – but that just shows us that Bots are running this market (as we keep telling you) and it also means that we can rely on our ranges and that makes it EASY to make good trading decisions.
Also in Member Chat last night, I reviewed 8 short put ideas (bullish) that can net us over $3,000 in 15 days if we get a bounce and hold our "Must Hold" levels. This is the nice thing about hedging – we make money on the way up OR on the way down and, when we are trading in a range – like we hopefully will this summer – then we make money both ways on a regular basis! Let the market manipulators play their…
Call Options Fly Off the Shelves at AIG
by Option Review - December 27th, 2010 4:23 pm
Today’s tickers: AIG, CAT, DTV, WPI, PBR, DNR, V & M
AIG - American International Group, Inc. – The insurer’s shares rallied as much as 12.2% today to touch an intraday- and new 2-year high of $60.96 on news the firm secured $4.3 billion in bank credit lines. Mounting confidence in the insurance company along with the rising value of AIG shares inspired bullish options traders to purchase in- and out-of-the-money calls today. Weeklies were popular with options traders expecting to see shares end the year on a high note. Investors picked up more than 2,900 now in-the-money calls at the December ’31 $57.5 strike for an average premium of $0.93 each, and coveted upwards of 2,900 in-the-money call options at the higher December ’31 $60 strike at an average premium of $0.51 a-pop. Optimistic individuals also purchased some 1,300 call options at the December ’31 $65 strike for an average premium of $0.27 apiece. Options strategists looked to the January 2011 contract to place bullish bets, as well. Notable in-the-money call buying was observed here, as well as fresh interest in calls at the January 2011 $62.5 strike where more than 1,700 contracts were purchased for an average premium of $1.46 each. The sharp increase in demand for American International Group calls pushed the overall reading of options implied volatility on the stock higher by 25.2% to 50.30% in the final 15 minutes of the trading day.
CAT - Caterpillar, Inc. – It looks like some options investors expect the machinery maker’s shares to trend higher at the start of 2011. CAT-bulls are buying call options in the January 2011 contract this afternoon despite the 0.45% decline in the price of the underlying stock to $94.04. Options traders exchanged more than 7,200 calls at the January 2011 $95 strike by 3:10pm in New York trade. It looks like the majority, or approximately 5,300 of the call options, were purchased for an average premium of $1.58 a-pop. Call buyers make money if CAT’s shares rally more…
Regional Banking ETF Put Volume Pops During Afternoon Trading
by Option Review - December 17th, 2010 4:20 pm
Today’s tickers: KRE, CPN, PRGO, FITB, DPS, SMH & M
KRE - SPDR KBW Regional Banking ETF – A large-volume debit put spread initiated on the SPDR KBW Regional Banking ETF this afternoon suggests one options investor is wary that the significant run up in the price of the underlying fund since the start of December could reverse course next year. Shares of the KRE, an exchange-traded fund that tracks the performance of the KBW Regional Banking Index, are up slightly by 0.10% to trade at $25.18 as of 3:30pm. The strategist responsible for the put spread may be building up downside protection, or alternatively, could be taking an outright bearish stance on the regional banking sector through March 2011. Shares in the fund rallied 14.25% during December so far to reach a 6-month high of $25.59 this past Wednesday. The put-spreader picked up 19,000 put options at the March 2011 $24 strike for a premium of $0.81 each, and sold the same number of puts at the lower March 2011 $20 strike at a premium of $0.16 apiece. Net premium paid to initiate the spread amounts to $0.65 per contract. Thus, the investor is prepared to make money, or realize downside protection, if shares of the KRE fall 7.3% from the current price of $25.18 to breach the effective breakeven point on the spread at $23.35 by March 2011 expiration. Maximum potential profits of $3.35 per contract are available to the put-spreader should shares of the underlying fund plummet 20.6% lower to trade below $20.00 by expiration day next year. The fund’s shares have not traded below $20.00 in more than a year.
CPN - Calpine Corp. – A large chunk of call options were picked up on Calpine Corp. late in session by a bullish strategist positioning for shares to rally substantially ahead of January 2011 expiration. Shares of the independent power generation company are up 2.6% this afternoon to stand at $13.22 in the final hour of the trading week. Calpine was recently…
Put Sellers Target Dollar General Corp.
by Option Review - November 22nd, 2010 4:14 pm
Today’s tickers: DG, CBRL, M, TSN, NFLX & FUQI
DG - Dollar General Corp. – Shares in Dollar General Corp. rallied as much as 4.1% this afternoon to touch an intraday- and new 52-week high of $32.23 after fellow discount retailer, Dollar Tree, reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings this morning. Dollar General appeared on our scanners after bullish players sold out-of-the-money put options in the December contract. Put sellers are suggesting shares in DG are likely to trade above $30.00 through expiration day next month. Dollar General reports third-quarter earnings ahead of the opening bell on December 9, 2010. Options traders sold more than 14,200 puts at the December $30 strike to pocket an average premium of $0.18 per contract. Put sellers keep the full premium received on the transaction as long as DG’s shares exceed $30.00 through December expiration. More than 16,000 put options changed hands at the December $30 strike versus paltry previously existing open interest of just 7 contracts at that strike. Overall options volume of 16,535 contracts generated on Dollar General today is far greater than total existing open interest on the stock of 10,451 lots before today. Options implied volatility on Dollar General is down 8.5% to arrive at 23.88% in late afternoon trading.
CBRL - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. – Near-term call options are in demand on the operator of retail and restaurant concept chain, Cracker Barrel, this afternoon. Shares in Cracker Barrel jumped 3.00% to $57.77, a new 52-week high for the stock, by 3:45 pm in New York. It looks like call buyers populating CBRL today expect shares to extend gains following the firm’s first-quarter earnings report before the opening bell tomorrow. Bulls scooped up roughly 1,100 calls at the December $60 strike for an average premium of $0.735 per contract. Investors…
Cisco Put Sellers Shout loudest
by Option Review - August 12th, 2010 4:30 pm
Today’s tickers: CSCO, M, SPWRA & LEN
CSCO – Cisco Systems Inc. – A disappointing revenue forecast for the current quarter by computer giant Cisco late on Wednesday spawned more fears about the strength of global demand moving forward. Cisco’s shares fell pretty close to a 52-week low and stand 24% lower than an April peak. Options traffic was extremely hectic at 327,000 contracts. Atypical of a company in the aftermath of its earnings was a rise in implied volatility, which gained more than 10%. What stands out today is the put activity, where we’re noticing a preponderance to write premium. Investors are likely trying to take advantage of as much of a 13% share price decline to $21.00 on Thursday and used options expiring in the September contract to attempt a long entry to the stock. By selling puts at the $20.00 strike for 37 cents, investors are prepared to have stock in Cisco put to them at expiration in the event the stock trades south of the strike price. If not, they retain the premium in full as compensation for providing stock bears with the insurance. Of 12,000 contracts traded at that line, seven out of eight contracts were sold to the bid. The pattern was repeated in less daring fashion at the October $17.50 strike where an investor acted as a willing Cisco buyer through expiration in exchange for a 17 cent premium on 5,000 put options.
M – Macy’s Inc. – Despite its upbeat predictions for the remainder of the year when it topped earnings predictions on Wednesday, shares in Macy’s are caught in an otherwise weaker environment for retailers. Its shares are 1.2% lower at $20.26. Nevertheless one option investor took advantage of the current bout of weakness by targeting a call spread that will expire after next quarter’s earnings have been announced in November. The bullish play involved 20,000 call options spread evenly between the $21.00 and $24.00 strikes implying a maximum gain of $3.00 less the cost of today’s trade, which nets to 91 cents. The maximum gain of $2.09 would only occur in the event that shares in Macy’s rose 18.5% from present although on a simple breakeven basis the investor needs Macy’s shares to gain 5.5%.
SPWRA – SunPower Corp. – A chunk of 20,000 put options was traded on SunPower earlier at the far-dated January 2012 expiration. Time and sales…
Buy-Write Strategist Positions for Halliburton Rebound
by Option Review - June 3rd, 2010 5:12 pm
Buy-write strategist positions for Halliburton rebound
Today’s tickers: HAL, RDC, CHK, AMAT, M, KR, HOLX, XLF, LVS & AVNR
HAL – Halliburton Co. – The provider of services, products, maintenance, engineering and construction to oil and natural gas companies around the globe was rated new ‘accumulate’ with a 12-month target share price of $28.00 at Madison Williams today. Perhaps the new rating inspired the bullish buy-write strategy initiated on the stock in the October contract this afternoon. Halliburton’s shares rallied 1.95% in morning trading to touch an intraday high of $24.14, but inched lower during the session to trade flat at $23.68 as of 2:55 pm (ET). The optimistic options investor enacted the buy-write strategy, or covered call play, by selling 2,500 calls at the October $28 strike price for a premium of $1.17 apiece. The investor likely purchased approximately 250,000 Halliburton shares around the same time for an average price of $23.35 apiece. The sale of the call options effectively reduces the price paid per share to $22.18 each. This strategy positions the investor to accrue maximum gains of 26.23% if HAL’s shares rally above $28.00 by October expiration. If the stock does surge through $28.00, the calls will likely be exercised and the investor will have the underlying shares called from him at $28.00 each, leaving the covered-call seller with significant profits in pocket.
RDC – Rowan Companies, Inc. – Shares of the manufacturer of equipment utilized in the drilling, mining and timber industries are lower by 3.90% to stand at $23.72 in late afternoon trading after the Obama administration extended a ban on offshore drilling. Rowan’s shares have recovered somewhat after plummeting 16.7% from an intraday high of $25.58 in morning trading down to an intraday low of $21.26 this afternoon. Bearish options traders scrambled to establish pessimistic positions in the June contract. Investors purchased 1,600 puts at the June $20 strike for an average premium of $0.41 apiece, suggesting some strategists are bracing for continued share price erosion ahead of June expiration. June $20 strike put buyers make money if Rowan’s shares slide 17.4% from the current price of $23.72 to breach the average breakeven point to the downside at $19.59. Investors also purchased 1,300 puts at the higher June $22.5 strike for a premium of $0.93 each, and picked up roughly 2,400 in-the-money puts at the June $25 strike for an average premium of $1.95…
Strangle Strategist Tightens Grip on JPMorgan
by Option Review - March 4th, 2010 4:15 pm
Today’s tickers: JPM, TIVO, RHT, UTX, CSCO, CI, BA, XRX, DIS, AKS & M
JPM – JPMorgan Chase & Co. – A long strangle enacted on JPMorgan today indicates one investor is expecting the firm to experience a significant shift in the price of its shares by June expiration. The investment banking and financial services giant realized a 1% rally in share price during the current session to $41.94. The investor initiated the strangle strategy by purchasing 9,000 calls at the June $46 strike for a premium of $1.06 apiece and by picking up 9,000 puts at the June $36 strike for $0.96 each. The net cost of the transaction amounts to $2.02 per contract. Strangle-players benefit from drastic moves in share price, but lose out if the value of the stock stagnates. In this specific trade, the investor profits if JPM’s shares rally above the upper breakeven price of $48.02 by expiration, or if shares trade below the lower breakeven point at $33.98, by June expiration. The trader is looking for increased volatility in the price of the underlying shares, but also may benefit from higher options implied volatility. Moves higher in options implied volatility corresponds with greater option premium on both calls and puts. Thus, the investor could potentially sell the strangle at a profit ahead of expiration day if combined premium on the trade exceeds the $2.02 per contract paid today. We note that JPM’s shares have not exceeded $47.47 in the past year, but did trade as low as $14.96 back on March 6, 2009.
TIVO – TiVo, Inc. – Shares of the innovator of digital-video recording services surged as much as 61.30% to an intraday high of $16.42, the highest price recorded for TiVo’s shares in at least five years. TiVo was named the victor today after a U.S. appeals court ruled that Dish Network Corp. and EchoStar Corp. are “still infringing its patent and should stop providing digital-video recording services.” Options traders had a field day with the news and exchanged upwards of 275,300 contracts on the stock by 3:10 pm (ET). Today’s options trading volume on TiVo represents just under 80% of the total existing open interest on the stock of 348,203 contracts. Investors populated the stock with a plethora of trading strategies. Some traders banked profits on the rally, while others employed the use of strangles. Plain-vanilla call buying and put selling…
Thrill-Ride Thursday – Retail Sales and Maybe Some Jobs?
by Phil - January 7th, 2010 7:50 am
Beware the data!
The first thing you will hear this morning is that COST had a 9% rise in sales, with International sales up a whopping 25%. What you are less likely to hear is that COST sells a lot of gasoline, which has doubled in price since last December and, excluding inflation in gas prices, same-store sales are up just 2%, a tremendous miss of the 7.9% expected. Out of the 25% increase in International sales, 15% is attributable to currency exchange so up 10% is the real number.
This is nothing against Costco, I like that company, but it’s a caution sign to look carefully at the retail numbers we’re going to be seeing today as there are several outside factors that are skewing the results drastically – to the point where the numbers, whether good or bad, are almost meaningless. It’s also good to keep in mind that we are comping sales to the WORST CHRISTMAS EVER so anything less than double digit gains over last year is still pretty sad.
Mish did a good job yesterday of pointing out the statistical nonsense known as the Non-Farm Payroll Report, where "Birth/Death" model revisions that were as much as 356,000 a month last year (January) make the data beyond useless for any kind of serious analysis. Nonetheless, analyze it they will and if we manage to avoid posting our 24th CONSECUTIVE month of losses, surely they will be pouring champagne on CNBC and acting like Capitalism has once again triumphed over evil (evil being people without money who still want to live with dignity).
Speaking of dignity – if you know 100 people in Nevada then, statistically, 3 of them went bankrupt this year, up 61% from last year as our economy "recovers". In Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, just 2 of your 100 friends filed while California, surprisingly "only" had one in 66 households file for bankruptcy so you can go almost a whole day and not run into someone who lost everything in California – too bad the same can’t be said for the State overall! California needs $21Bn over the next 18 months to keep the lights on. This doesn’t seem so bad, GMAC is losing $13Bn this quarter and we’re bailing them out but if we bail out CA then NY, NJ and 47 other states will come knocking to the tune…
PSW Rewind of 2009 – The First Quarter
by Phil - January 1st, 2010 2:42 pm
Thursday’s close was very exciting, wasn’t it?
Well it sure was for us as my 10:01 Alert to Members was a play on the DIA Jan $103 puts at .56. Thanks to the late afternoon dip, they finished the day at .90 (up 60%) after peaking out at .95, a very nice win to close off the year. That was the only Alert trade all week as this market has been too tough to call and we don’t make trades just for the hell of it. I had been sniping at DIA puts all week expecting a pay-off but Thursday it finally came together.
Of course, I also strongly advocated hedging on Thursday morning and listed 4 trade ideas in the morning post to hedge ourselves against the possibility of just such a drop so don’t say you haven’t been warned. Whether there will be follow-through on Monday or a full reversal remains to be seen and, even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you here because this is a review – predictions are another article entirely.
We treaded very cautiously into last year because our PSW Holiday Retail Survey was not looking very pretty so it was no surprise to us, on Dec 26th, when we got some horrific retail reports. These are, of course, the same reports that we "beat" this year – but not by much. Dec 29th was Monday and Israeli jets attacked Hamas targets in the Gaza sending oil flying up to $48 a barrel. That gave us a nice commodity rally into the close of the year but January 2nd was a Friday and we decided (fortunately) to take the money and run on our long plays, holding open our main cover of SKF Jan $120s at $4.35, which hit $80 later in the month (up 1,732%) and USO Feb $32 puts at $3.40, which hit $10.50 in the Feb dip (up 208%) so, on the whole, not too differently positioned than we are now, coming into the new year. Visually 2009 looked a little like this:
January – Waiting for Obama, or Something, to Change
We began January much the same way we ended December with my Wed Jan 7th comment being: "We call it "Testy Tuesday" for a reason and our 5% rule was tested twice during the day but the market failed to…
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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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