Options Traders Don Aeropostale Options Ahead of Earnings
by Option Review - May 18th, 2011 4:05 pm
Today’s tickers: ARO, HSY, QLGC & HEK
ARO - Aeropostale, Inc. – Investors are initiating bullish positions on the teen retailer ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report on Thursday after the close. Shares in Aeropostale are up 1.25% at $21.41 as of 11:50am, rallying in sympathy with teen apparel company Abercrombie & Fitch Co. following ANF’s better-than-expected earnings report. One options strategist expecting Aeropostale’s shares to extend gains over the next few months sold 9,900 puts at the July $19 strike for a premium of $0.40 each, and purchased the same number of calls up at the higher July $23 strike at a premium of $0.75 apiece. Net premium paid to initiate the bullish play amounts to $0.35 per contract. The trader responsible for the transaction profits at expiration as long as shares in ARO surge 9.1% over the current price of $21.41 to exceed the effective breakeven price of $23.35. Of course, the investor could unravel the position ahead of expiration. He could exit the trade profitably should some catalyst – such as an earnings surprise to the upside – send shares and call premium higher, and put premium lower. The short stance in put options suggests the trader is willing to have shares put to him at $19.00 should the puts land in-the-money at expiration. While the investor runs the risk of having the stock put to him at expiration, it seems the financing received to reduce the cost of buying the calls is worth this risk as ARO’s shares have not traded beneath $19.00 since April 2009. Meanwhile, other bullish players engaged in plain-vanilla call buying, picking up some 3,200 calls at the July $26 strike for an average premium of $0.20 per contract. Call buyers make money if shares in Aeropostale jump 22.4% to top the average breakeven price of $26.20 at expiration in July. The clothing company’s shares were up above $26.20 as recently as April 21, 2011.…
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Investor Removes Comcast Strangle to Bank Profits
by Option Review - February 19th, 2010 4:33 pm
Today’s tickers: CMCSA, HSY, GLD, ORCL, XRT, ERTS, FXI, PFE, SII & JCP
CMCSA – Comcast Corp. – A large-volume short strangle established at the beginning of the month on the entertainment and communications services firm was unraveled today, yielding one investor a nice chunk of change heading into the weekend. Comcast’s shares are up 1% to $15.89 in afternoon trading. It appears the trader originally sold roughly 35,000 calls at the July $17 strike for a volume-weighted average premium of $0.74 apiece in combination with the sale of 35,000 puts at the July $14 strike for a premium of $0.74 each. The original transaction likely occurred on February 4, 2010, and yielded a gross premium of $1.48 per contract to the trader. Today the investor purchased-to-close the short strangle, buying back the calls at a reduced premium of $0.60 each, and buying the put options for $0.56 apiece. The trader paid a gross premium of $1.16 to close out the short stance. Therefore, the investor walks away with net profits of $0.32 per contract for a grand total of $1.120 million. It is important to note, however, that the trader left a great deal of money sitting on the table. Comcast’s shares are still trading within the boundaries of the $14/$17 strike prices required for maximum profit potential. The investor would have accumulated profits of $1.48 per contract – a total of $5.180 million – if CMCSA shares remained range-bound and if the trader held the position through expiration. Perhaps this individual unraveled the strangle in anticipation of greater volatility in the price of the underlying stock going forward.
HSY – The Hershey Company – Bullish investors satisfied sugar cravings this afternoon by devouring Hershey call options. Shares of the chocolatier rallied 2.70% to $39.88 today. Option traders picked up 1,600 calls at the March $41 strike for a premium of $0.47 apiece. The higher March $42.5 strike attracted greater volume with more than 5,300 calls purchased for a premium of $0.23 per contract. Higher-strike call buyers are positioned to accumulate profits if Hershey’s share price exceeds its current 52-week high of $42.25, attained back on July 23, 2009, by expiration next month. These optimistic individuals profit if shares increase 7.15% from the current price to surpass the effective breakeven point on the calls at $42.73.
GLD – SPDR Gold Trust ETF – Shares of the gold exchange-traded fund,…
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Analyst Upgrade Fuels Bullish Option Plays on Iron-Ore Giant Vale
by Option Review - January 19th, 2010 4:36 pm
Today’s tickers: VALE, MBT, FXI, NWL, CSE, VZ, XLV, CBY, HSY & SYMC
VALE – Vale S.A. – Shares of the world’s largest producer of iron-ore surged 2.75% in afternoon trading to stand at $31.18 after the firm received an upgrade to ‘overweight’ from ‘equal weight’ with a target share price of $39.00 at Barclays Capital. Indications of like-minded optimism are apparent in today’s option trading patterns on the stock. It looks like one investor initiated a put credit spread in the March contract. The bullish transaction involved the sale of 5,000 puts at the March $31 strike for a premium of $1.67 apiece, spread against the purchase of 5,000 puts at the lower March $28 strike for an average premium of $0.66 each. The credit spread results in a net credit of 1.01 per contract to the investor, who keeps the full premium received if VALE’s shares trade above $31.00 through expiration in March. The width of the spread indicates maximum potential losses on the trade of $1.99 per contract if shares of the iron-ore maker slump to $28.00 ahead of expiration.
MBT – Mobile Telesystems OJSC – The Russian provider of wireless communication services appeared on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner this afternoon due to near-term bullish options activity. Optimistic option plays fit neatly with the current 3.5% rally in shares of the underlying to $52.25 today. Traders sold 2,500 puts at the February $47.5 strike for a premium of $0.70 per contract, while the same number of calls were purchased at the higher February $55 strike for about $1.05 apiece. Another chunk of 2,500 puts were shed at the March $40 strike for approximately $0.33 each. All three transactions indicate bullish sentiment on Mobile Telesystems. If the trades are perhaps the work of one individual, the three-legged combination creates a clear directional play. In such a case, the investor will have paid a net $0.02 per contract for the calls by selling short the put options as described above. The long call stance positions the trader – in this example – to accrue profits if shares of MBT rally another 5.30% to surpass the effective breakeven price of $55.02 by expiration next month. We note that shares of the firm traded as high as $55.71 on October 21, 2009.
FXI – iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index Fund – Shares of the FXI, which invests assets…
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Option Bulls Covet Coal-Calls on ACI
by Option Review - September 9th, 2009 4:27 pm
Today’s tickers: ACI, MGM, EWJ, HSY, YHOO, TIE & GLD
ACI - Far-term option bulls were not discouraged from establishing optimistic positions on the coal producer today despite the nearly 2% decline in shares during the trading session to $17.84. Investors looking for shares to rally significantly by the start of 2010 purchased 2,000 calls at the January 23 strike for an average premium of 70 cents apiece. ACI would need to rally 33% higher for individuals long these calls to breakeven at $23.70 by expiration. Option traders also picked up 2,000 calls at the April 2010 22 strike for 1.50 per contract. Finally, curious call spreads appeared in the January 2011 contract. The trades were a bit blurred but it seems likely that the activity represents a ratio call spread. If this is the case, the investor responsible for the trade purchased about 3,000 calls at the January 30 strike for 1.40 each. These contracts were spread against the sale of some 6,000 calls at the higher January 35 strike for 93 cents premium. The trader receives a net credit of 46 cents on the transaction. He will retain the full credit and add to that amount if shares rally higher than $30.00 by expiration. Maximum potential profits on the spread amount to 5.00 (excluding the credit received today), achieved in the event that shares of ACI surge a whopping 96% from the current price by expiration in January 2011. – Arch Coal, Inc. –
MGM - The casino operator attracted bullish bets by option traders today amid a more than 7.5% rally in shares to $10.13. Notable near-term call interest was apparent at the September 11 strike price where more than 7,100 lots exchanged hands. Approximately 5,500 of the contracts were purchased for an average premium of 23 cents apiece. Investors long the calls will begin to accrue profits if shares of MGM can rise 11% higher to surpass the breakeven point at $11.23 by expiration in less than two weeks. Traders clearly favored MGM calls over puts during the session as evidenced by the call-to-put ratio of more than 3-to-1 on the stock today. – MGM Mirage, Inc. –
EWJ - The EWJ jumped onto our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner this afternoon after one investor juggled massive chunks of calls on the stock. Shares of the exchange-traded fund are currently up 0.5% to $10.18. The trader…
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PepsiCo sees large put volume
by Option Review - April 28th, 2009 5:08 pm
Today’s tickers: PEP, XLY, ITT, PFE, HUM, HSY, ERTS & NTRS
PEP PepsiCo, Inc. – The global beverage, snack, and food company’s shares have rallied by more than 1% to stand at $49.75. PEP popped onto our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner after a large volume bullish transaction was observed in the October contract. One optimistic individual targeted the October 50 strike price and sold 30,000 puts for a premium of 4.20 apiece out of some 35,000 puts sold in total at the strike. There is no existing open interest at the October 50 strike, and thus, the trade represents short selling in anticipation that shares will rise beyond $50.00 by expiration in October. This could also represent a covered put strategy (short stock and sold puts) indicating the investor’s expectation that shares might fall further. At expiration if shares are below the strike the investor would have stock put to him at $50.00 but the premium from the puts effectively reduces that price to $45.80.
XLY Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR – Shares of the ETF have risen by about 0.5% to $22.60 as the ticker edged onto our ‘most active by option volume’ market scanner this afternoon due to one investor who established a ratio put spread in the June contract. It appears that this trader is looking for downside protection on the fund and so bought 12,500 puts at the June 22 strike price for 1.30 apiece spread against the sale of 25,000 puts for 65 cents at the June 20 strike price. The put spread was initiated at no cost the trader given the premium of the respective puts. If shares should decline all the way to $20.00 by expiration this individual will have reeled in the maximum profit of 2.00 possible on the trade. Profits will begin to amass to the downside at any share price below $22.00. Despite carrying a net short put position below a share price of $20.00 losses would not accrue unless shares slipped beneath $18.00, but would rise penny-for-penny thereafter.
ITT ITT Corporation – Shares of the multi-industry company engaged in the design and manufacture of engineered products have remained relatively flat for the day and currently stand at $40.73. ITT appeared on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner after one investor initiated a sold straddle in the July contract. It appears that the straddle was…
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AutoNation benefiting from shifts in consumer trend
by Option Review - March 9th, 2009 5:29 pm
Today’s tickers: AN, GD, HSY, MSFT & NOK
AN – AutoNation Inc. – Shares of the automotive retailer have lifted 6% today to $10.33, a price that represents a more than 160% increase over the 52-week low of $3.97 established just as the broad market reached its weakest point for 2008 in November. AutoNation continues to thrive in this depressed economic environment, whereas the big four automakers are left struggling in vain to avoid the descent to bankruptcy. AN has captured a sweet spot in the auto industry given that consumers continue to require automobiles for transportation purposes, but are currently without the means to purchase new vehicles. And so AutoNation welcomes cash-strapped consumers to its franchises, while big-auto laments the loss of customers, which it so desperately needs. Interestingly, CEO Mike Jackson, reported that demand for highly fuel-efficient autos and hybrid vehicles has fallen off a cliff given the decline in the price of gasoline, and now AN’s lots are chock-full of the cars. Perhaps if gasoline prices rally and consumers once again remember the long-run cost savings hybrids accrue, the hybrid vehicles will once again fly off the shelves. AN popped onto our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner today after some interesting trades were established in the March and April contracts. At the March 10 strike price, 10,000 puts were sold for 40 cents each while at that same strike, 5,000 calls appear to have been purchased for 90 cents apiece. It also looks like these two trades were connected to the purchase of 2,500 calls at the April 10 strike price for 1.45 per contract, as well as the purchase of 2,500 calls at the April 12.5 strike for 45 cents each. We believe that the puts were sold as a vehicle to finance the purchase of calls as this investor seeks further upside on AN. The March 10 calls are already in-the-money as of today, but shares would need to rally by an additional 21% in order for the April 12.5 calls to land in-the-money by expiration. The investor appears to feel confident that the shares will remain above $10.00 at expiration.
GD – General Dynamics Corp. – Over the course of the last six months, shares at defense contractor, General Dynamics have fared badly falling from around $95 to $35 per share. You can blame the broad macro environment or you can focus on…
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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.