Sizable Call Spread Trades On Orexigen
by Option Review - July 22nd, 2014 4:55 pm
A large call spread initiated on Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (Ticker: OREX) on Monday morning looks for shares in the name to rally approximately 30% by September expiration. The September expiration is noteworthy as the company awaits the results of the FDA’s review of its resubmitted New Drug Application (NDA) for NB32, an investigational medication being evaluated for weight loss, after the review was extended for three months back in June. The upcoming Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date is September 11, 2014, according to a press release issued by the company. Shares in Orexigen today are up roughly 0.40% at $5.34 as of 2:15 p.m. ET.
The largest trade in OREX options today appears to be the purchase of a 10,000-lot Sep 5.0/7.0 call spread at a net premium of $0.72 per contract. The spread positions the investor to make money above an effective breakeven price of $5.72, with maximum potential profits of $1.28 per contract available on the spread in the event that OREX shares rally 31.0% over the current price to hit $7.00 at expiration. Shares in Orexigen last traded above $7.00 on June 10th.
Bears Plunder Nokia Call Options
by Option Review - June 1st, 2011 4:04 pm
Today’s tickers: NOK, DG, ESV & OREX
NOK - Nokia Corp. – When Nokia yesterday announced that it was no longer meaningful to offer a forecast into its murky future, investors abandoned the stock driving it into new lower territory. We noticed frenzied options activity as investors reaped what premium they could from fast-falling call options. The dire nature of Nokia’s warning has left option traders with little doubt that its shares will flounder further in coming weeks. Bearish option traders wrote off at-the-money $7.00 call options expiring in just three weeks’ time for just 20 cents each. The question facing option bears seems to be not whether the shares will rebound but how far they will sink in the days ahead. On Wednesday the picture weakened with shares sliding by a further 7% to $6.50 while it appears that call options are once again being sold, but this time at lower strikes. Investors appeared to turn their attention to the $6.00 strike where volume of 3,000 built by mid-morning. Open interest of a mere 300 lots confirms that new positions are being taken. We saw at least 1,000 contracts clear the prevailing 59-cent bid on our screens. Sellers also decimated the premium available on July $7.00 strike calls with some 9,000 contract being traded Wednesday where premiums have halved to just 18-cents on the day. Investors seem convinced that Nokia’s fortunes look dire.
DG - Dollar General Corp. – The discount retailer missed Wall Street’s expectation for earnings when it reported its first quarter data of 48 cents. The Street was hoping for 50 cents. The seller of all-fine-things-for-less-than-$10 said it took losses on certain slow-to-clear items and said that shoppers were constrained by rising gas prices. It nevertheless stood by its full year estimate and continues to revise store…
Call Buyers Flock to Cisco After Broker Upgrade
by Option Review - July 20th, 2009 5:50 pm
Today’s tickers: CSCO, TGT, LVS, DISCA, HGSI, OREX, EWJ & GE
LVS – Investors of the hotel and casino operator have enjoyed a more than 15.5% rally in shares of LVS to $9.95. The stock jumped after the firm announced plans to “apply for an initial public offering of shares in its Macau casinos in Hong Kong as early as next month”. Option traders hoping for a continued rally, were seen purchasing call options in the near-term August contract. The August 12 strike price had 1,700 calls bought for 40 cents apiece while the higher August 13 strike also had 1,700 lots coveted for about 26 cents each. The stock would need to improve 33% from the current price in order for August 13 strike call-buyers to profit at the breakeven price of $13.26.…