Bullish Spreads Take Shape In Walgreen Options Ahead Of Earnings
by Option Review - December 15th, 2011 3:02 pm
Today’s tickers: WAG, CS, BMC & NOK
WAG - Walgreen Co. – Less than one week remains before Walgreen’s first-quarter earnings report, and a large options trade initiated on the stock this morning prepares one strategist to potentially enjoy big profits should the drugstore chain’s performance send shares skyward. Walgreen Co.’s shares today are up 1.0% at $33.94 in afternoon trade. It looks like the bullish player established a sizable call spread, buying at least 9,200 calls at the Jan. 2012 $35 strike and selling the same number of calls up at the Jan. 2012 $39 strike, all for a net premium outlay of $1.20 per contract. The investor may profit at expiration day next month as long as WAG’s shares rally another 6.7% to surpass the effective breakeven price of $36.20. Maximum possible profits of $2.80 per contract are available to the trader in the event that Walgreen’s shares soar 14.9% to exceed $39.00 at expiration in January.
CS - Credit Suisse Group – Call options on Credit Suisse are more active than usual today on news the financial services provider plans to merge operations of its investment banking and private banking units to lower costs. Shares in the second-largest Swiss bank rallied as much as 3.85% to $23.45 in the first half of the trading session. Fresh prints in Jan. 2012 contract call options indicate some investors are positioning for Credit Suisse Group’s shares to rise as the New Year gets underway. Traders exchanged more than 11,000 calls at the Jan. 2012 $25 strike against open interest of just 79 contracts. It looks like one trader generated much of the volume, buying 5,200 of the call options for an average premium of $0.90 a-pop. The investor stands prepared to profit should the Swiss bank’s shares surge 10.4% to top $25.90 at expiration next…
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DiggBullish Positions Take Shape Ahead Of Walgreen Co. Earnings
by Option Review - December 7th, 2011 2:16 pm
Today’s tickers: WAG, IO, HTZ & NBR
WAG - Walgreen Co. – Shares in the largest U.S. drugstore chain may rally sharply heading into the New Year, according to one options player dabbling in Jan. 2012 contract call options this morning. The buyer of a sizable bull call spread may be using the position to prepare for Walgreen’s shares to pop after the company reports first-quarter earnings ahead of the opening bell on December 21. The stock currently trades flat on the session at $34.01 as of 11:45 AM in New York. It looks like the trader purchased a roughly-3,000 lot Jan. 2012 $35/$39 call spread for an average net premium of $1.06 per contract. The investor stands ready to profit at expiration next year as long as shares in Walgreen Co. increase 6.0% to exceed the average breakeven price of $36.06. Maximum potential profits of $ are available to the call-spreader if the drug retailer’s shares soar 14.7% to trade above $39.00 at expiration in January. Walgreen’s shares last traded above $39.00 at the beginning of August.
IO - ION Geophysical Corp. – The provider of seismic solutions and equipment to the global energy industry rallied in sympathy with shares in Mitcham Industries (MIND), which jumped to a new 52-week high today after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings after the close on Tuesday. ION’s shares are up 1.8% to stand at $6.82 as of 12:20 PM in New York. At least one options trader is taking advantage of the positive day for ION’s shares by picking up bearish put options on the cheap. It looks like the investor purchased more than 3,000 puts at the Dec. $6.0 strike for a premium of $0.10 each. These same options would have cost the trader $0.50 each less than one week ago. The bearish position may yield profits…
Demand For PepsiCo Options Bubbles Over As Shares Fizzle
by Option Review - July 21st, 2011 5:56 pm
Today’s tickers: PEP, CAKE, GNW & WAG
PEP - PepsiCo, Inc. – Options traders flocked to PepsiCo to initiate bearish stances on the global food, snack and beverage company today, with shares in the Purchase, NY-based Company sliding as much as 5.4% to a session low of $64.79. Shares in the world’s largest snack-food maker fell after the company said profit growth this year will be lower than previously estimated. PepsiCo reported second-quarter earnings of $1.21 a share ahead of the bell this morning, which met average analyst expectations for the quarter. The full-year revision from the company spurred seemingly outright bearish players to its options. Investors appear to be selling calls in the front month, as well as in the September contract, to pocket available premium in the expectation that shares are unlikely to recover in the near term. More than 4,700 now in-the-money calls changed hands at the August $65 strike against paltry previously existing open interest of just 398 contracts. Investors sold the bulk of the options to pocket an average premium of $1.18 a-pop. Call sellers keep the full amount of premium as long as PEP’s shares slip beneath $65.00 by expiration day next month. Bearish sentiment spread to the August $67.5 strike where another 2,000 calls sold for an average premium of $0.38 per contract. Traders also sold the majority of calls exchanged at the September $65 and $67.5 strikes today. PepsiCo put options are on the move, as well. Investors selling some 1,500 of the August $62.5 strike puts at an average premium of $0.30 each appear to expect shares to maintain above that level through August expiration. Implied volatility on PepsiCo is down 6.8% to stand at 13.88% post-earnings.
CAKE - The Cheesecake Factory, Inc. – Options trading patterns on the…
Bulls Take the Wheel, Initiate Recovery Plays Using Ford Options
by Option Review - November 23rd, 2010 4:06 pm
Today’s tickers: F, TOL, BRCD, LOW, NUAN, WAG & IFF
F - Ford Motor Co. – The automaker’s shares edged 2.45% lower this afternoon to $15.80, but investors expecting to see Ford rebound and rally in the next few months initiated bullish plays using put and call options expiring in February 2011. It looks like one trader purchased a bull call spread, while another investor put on a bullish risk reversal. The call spreader picked up 5,000 contracts at the February 2011 $16 strike for a premium of $1.24 each, and sold the same number of calls at the higher February 2011 $20 strike for a premium of $0.20 apiece. Net premium paid to establish the spread amounts to $1.04 per contract. Thus, the responsible party is prepared to make money should shares in Ford Motor Co. surge 7.85% over the current price of $15.80 to surpass the effective breakeven point at $17.04 by February expiration. The call-spreader could end up walking away with maximum potential profits of $2.96 per contract if Ford’s shares jump 26.6% to trade above $20.00 by expiration day next year. The other bullish play in the February 2011 contract appears to be the work of an investor selling 1,990 February 2011 $15 strike puts at a premium of $0.69 each in order to purchase the same number of February 2011 $18 strike calls for a premium of $0.50 a-pop. The transaction results in a net credit of $0.19 per contract, which the investor keeps as long as shares in Ford exceed $15.00 through expiration. Additional profits start to accrue for the trader should shares rally 13.9% to trade above $18.00 before the contracts expire. The net credit received by the investor provides limited downside protection should shares continue to head south. The investor will face losses, however, if Ford’s shares trade below the effective breakeven price of $14.81 in the next few months to expiration.…
Contrarian Player Plants Bull Call Spread on Seed Maker Monsanto Co.
by Option Review - September 29th, 2010 6:23 pm
Today’s tickers: MON, EWZ, XLB, HPQ, V, BCSI & SLB
MON - Monsanto Co. – Shares of the maker of genetically modified seeds seemed to be recovering at the start of the current session following Tuesday’s horrendous performance wherein the stock fell as much as 9.80% from an intraday high of $52.64 to a low of $47.50. MON’s shares managed to rebound 4.50% off Tuesday’s low of $47.50 to briefly touch an intraday high of $49.62, although the rally proved to be short-lived and shares are down 1.00% at $48.25 as of 3:15 pm ET. Though MON was unable to keep hold of earlier gains, one contrarian player is optimistic that Monsanto’s shares will reverse course and head back up by November expiration. The investor purchased a call spread, buying 5,000 calls at the November $55 strike at a premium of $0.85 each, and selling the same number of calls at the higher November $60 strike for a premium of $0.27 apiece. Net premium paid to establish the transaction amounts to $0.58 per contract. Thus, the investor is ready to make money should Monsanto’s shares surge 15.20% over the current price of $48.25 to surpass the effective breakeven point on the spread at $55.58 by November expiration. Maximum potential profits of $4.42 per contract are available to the bullish player if MON’s shares jump 24.35% to trade above $60.00 by expiration day.
EWZ - iShares MSCI Brazil Index ETF – Investors are placing near-term bearish bets on the Brazil fund this afternoon by selling calls to finance the purchase of put spreads in the October contract. The large pessimistic plays could be the work of traders hedging long positions or the mark of outright bearish bettors expecting the price of the underlying fund to slip lower ahead of expiration next month. Shares of the EWZ, an exchange-traded fund designed to replicate the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the Brazilian market – as measured by the MSCI Brazil Index, rallied…
CVS’s Sympathy Rally Inspires Bullish Options Activity
by Option Review - September 28th, 2010 4:25 pm
Today’s tickers: CVS, DRIV, AVP, WAG, ADBE, PHM & COP
CVS - CVS Caremark Corp. – The better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings report from Walgreen Co. this morning helped CVS’s shares higher during the trading session. Shares rallied as much as 3.365% to rein in an intraday high of $31.64. The increase in the price of the underlying stock inspired one options player to extend bullish sentiment on the stock by initiating a calendar roll. It looks like the investor purchased 10,000 calls at the November $30 strike at a premium of $1.11 each back on September 17, 2010, when shares were trading around $29.72 each. The surge in shares since the purchase bumped up premium on those now in-the-money calls, which the investor sold today for a premium of $2.09 apiece. Net profits on the sale amount to $0.98 per contract. Next the investor renewed optimism on CVS by purchasing a fresh batch of 10,000 calls at the higher January 2011 $32 strike at a premium of $1.64 a-pop. Profits on the new position are available to the trader if CVS’s shares jump 6.3% to surpass the effective breakeven price of $33.64 by expiration day in January.
DRIV - Digital River, Inc. – It looks like an investor expecting Digital River’s shares to remain range-bound through November expiration sold a strangle in the second half of the trading session. Shares of the provider of a variety of marketing solutions and services increased more than 5.50% this afternoon to touch an intraday high of $33.34. The strangle-strategist appears to have sold 2,500 calls at the November $35 strike for a premium of $1.35 each, and sold the same number of puts at the lower November $28 strike at a premium of $0.525 apiece. Gross premium pocketed on the transaction amounts to $1.875 per contract. The trader keeps the full amount of premium received on the strangle play if DRIV’s shares trade within the boundaries of the strike prices described through expiration day. The short positions in both call…
Trade War Tuesday – China, Japan and US at Odds
by Phil - September 28th, 2010 8:20 am
War does not determine who is right, only who is left. – Bertrand Russell
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, Japan and China are at it again. We discussed the "fishing’ incident last week and Japan has released the Chinese captain who rammed one of their Coast Guard vessels. Now shippers in several Chinese cities said customs officers have stepped up spot inspections of goods being loaded onto ships bound for Japan and being imported from the country. Traders said officers in some cases were taking the highly unusual step of looking at every item in a container instead of following normal practice of examining a small sample. The heavy searches, which can add costly delays to shipments. For it’s part, Tokyo wants China to pay restitution and now China’s navy is moving into disputed waters.
China is fighting a trade war on two fronts as they are threatening to retaliate against US businesses operating in China if Congress passes legislation intended to force a revaluation of the Yuan. The House of Representatives is set to consider legislation this week that would let companies petition for higher duties on imports from China to compensate for the effects of a weak yuan. Forcing China to raise the value of its currency may create 500,000 jobs in the U.S., most in manufacturing at above-average wages, according to C. Fred Bergsten, director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. China’s currency, which is undervalued by as much as 25 percent, is the most important trade issue facing the U.S., he said in testimony last week.
So we are pressuring China to strengthen their currency, which would make our currency relatively weaker. One would think the dollar couldn’t get much weaker than it is now (see Dave Fry’s chart). We’ve been shorting GLD (buying GLL) and TLT, expecting a dollar bounce off these levels but if we fail here – we’re going to have one very ugly chart.
Of course a 10% drop on the dollar could be just the ticket for the markets – since our stocks are priced in dollars. That makes them look pretty good compared to cash that’s sitting on the sidelines (or tied up in notes) that’s lost over 10% of it’s buying power since June.
That’s right, JUNE! As people who travel to…
M&A Monday – Goldman’s Golden Goose
by Phil - September 27th, 2010 7:18 am
Hope springs eternal at Goldman Sachs.
This morning our favorite Banksters goosed the EU markets by upping targets on international mining operators Kazakhmys, Lonmin and BHP and that got the European markets off to a flying start out of the gate, despite the fact that UBS had just DOWNgraded the same sector on Friday. UBS said on Friday that the sector is facing difficult times concerning potential growth with government rulings on mineral leases and the proposed supertax on mining profits in Australia set to hinder metal-based stocks.
We also have a lot of M&A activity, also courtesy of GS, who are leading the resurgence this year with 225 deals to date worth $401.6Bn, accounting for about 20% of all activity going through Goldman’s sticky fingers. In a sign of the times, however, GS only generated $961M in revenues as an M&A advisor as they cut a lot of discounts in order to land the top spot in dealmaking. Although outdealt by GS, MS, Rothchild, JPM and DB all made more in fees than the Uncle Lloyd show.
In a sign of the end of times, GS’s London Headquarters has been taken over by lenders after the owner fell into receivership. GS’s landlord, Antedon, is an offshore real estate firm that bought the building for $500M at the top of the market in 2007 and GS has locked up the building through 2026 at what seems to be not enough money to keep Antedon liquid – it would be very interesting to trace the web of deals that led to this massive default.
Meanwhile, the consortium of Irish investors that own GS’s other London building are also bailing out, this action is coinciding with what Ireland’s Independent says is a campaign by Wall Street Hedge Funds to short sell Irish Government Bonds. US hedge funds Groveland Capital and Corrientes Advisors are thought to have taken major positions against Irish debt. Giant €60bn asset-manager Pictet also revealed that it had earlier bet against Irish government bonds. JP Morgan is also thought to have taken a bearish position on Irish debt. The International Monetary Fund estimated that up to €3bn of Ireland’s debt was being targeted by speculators through the uses of derivatives.
So, plenty of reasons to be cautious this week although it will be hard to cut through the fluff as our hedge fund heroes…
Bullish Players Gorge on Apple Calls
by Option Review - June 22nd, 2010 4:06 pm
Today’s tickers: AAPL, APC, GE, CCL, EMC, RAH, EEM, WAG, FTR, OMX & JPM
AAPL – Apple, Inc. – Bulls sank their teeth into Apple call options today in order to position for continued appreciation in the price of the underlying through August expiration. The iPhone maker’s shares increased as much as 2.10% during the trading session to secure an intraday high of $275.97 perhaps on news the firm sold 3 million iPads in the first 80 days since the product was introduced to the U.S. marketplace. Apple optimists expecting shares to surpass yesterday’s new 52-week high of $279.01 purchased 1,100 calls at the August $280 strike for a hefty premium of $14.64 apiece. Investors long the calls are positioned to profit if Apple’s shares rally 6.75% over today’s intraday high of $275.97 to trade above the average breakeven point at $294.64 by August expiration. Bulls anticipating more significant share price gains by August expiration purchased approximately 2,500 calls at the higher August $290 strike for an average premium of $9.70 each. Investors long the August $290 strike contracts make money if the iPod maker’s shares surge 8.6% to exceed the average breakeven price of $299.70 by expiration day. Finally, uber-bulls bought 2,000 calls at the higher August $300 strike for an average premium of $7.38 a-pop. Traders holding the August $300 strike calls stand ready to accumulate profits as long as Apple’s shares jump 11.4% to trade above the average breakeven point on the calls at $307.38 by expiration day in August. Nearly 200,000 option contracts changed hands on Apple, Inc. by 3:00 pm (ET), with call options trading 1.35 times to each single put option in play.
APC – Anadarko Petroleum Corp. – Shares of the independent oil and gas exploration and production company which holds a 25% stake in BP’s leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico dropped 4.35% late in the session to stand at $41.56 as of 3:15 pm (ET). Despite the decline in the price of the underlying today one optimistic option strategist positioned himself to one day bask in the light at the end of the tunnel by enacting a bullish debit call spread in the November contract. APC’s shares plunged 53.4% from a high of $74.14 on April 20 – the day the leak was triggered – down to a 52-week low of $34.54 on June 9, 2010. Since bottoming out on…
Testy Tuesday – Waiting For the Fed
by Phil - June 22nd, 2010 8:33 am
Wheee, that was fun!
In yesterday’s 9:40 Alert to Members I said: "I have to go with my gut initially and stick to our plan, which is roll up the USO and DIA short plays (rolling the open puts to higher strikes)." We took two brand new short plays – one a TZA complex insurance spread that pays 100% for every nickel TZA is over $6.05 at July expiration (up to $8) and one ordinary DIA put that doubled up for the day and we took that money and ran, of course. That’s two weeks in a row we nailed it on our Monday Alerts and, as I said last week – no need to play further, just go on vaca and come back next week!
We went into the close more or less neutral other than our oil shorts, which we stuck with although we’ll keep tight stops on them if oil holds $77.50 and the market starts recovering. We got exactly the bounces off resistance we were looking for and today we find out if they were bullish pullbacks or the top of our predicted bounce zones (listed on the charts):
So holding the bounce lines we predicted way back in the crash is going to be critical. We don’t mind a bit of consolidation under those 50 dmas (red lines) while the 20 dmas (blue lines) catch up but if we fail those blue lines it will certainly be time to pull in our bullish horns and put on our bear costume. What makes investing tricky in this kind of market is that, as we were reminded in May (twice) and June (once, so far), these markets are INSANE and we can drop 500 Dow points at the drop of a hat so we MUST have our disaster hedges on at all times in order to take any bullish long-term positions and we, unfortunately, still can’t reconcile committing more than 25% of our cash to long-term positions at this time.
Staying mainly in cash is kind of annoying but also prudent. We end up day-trading a lot and I just put up a very important post on managing short-term trades that’s a must read for Members. The nice thing about having a ton of cash is we can do "stupid option tricks" – plays that are margin intensive but relatively safe like selling XLF July $14 puts for…
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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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