Bearish Player Targets Verigy Ltd. Put Options
by Option Review - March 2nd, 2011 4:32 pm
Today’s tickers: VRGY, AEO, FAST & XLK
VRGY - Verigy Ltd. – A sizable put spread on the maker of chip-testing equipment suggests one option strategist is prepared for shares in Verigy Ltd. to drop ahead of April expiration. Shares in Singapore-based Verigy are currently up 0.85% to stand at $13.03 perhaps after analysts at JPMorgan upgraded the semiconductor sector to ‘constructive’ from ‘cautious.’ Verigy looked to acquire LTX-Credence Corp. back in November in an all-stock deal that valued its takeover target at $500 million including net debt, but those plans may fall through as Japanese chip-testing equipment giant, Advantest Corp., extended its own offer to acquire Verigy at a substantial premium of $15.00 a share, up from an original bid of $12.50 a share, at the end of last year. The merger of Verigy and Advantest would form the largest manufacturer of semiconductor testing equipment in the world. Perhaps the put player populating Verigy today is prepared to see shares in the name drop if the deal with Advantest ultimately falls through in the next six weeks to April expiration. The investor purchased 5,200 puts at the April $13 strike for a premium of $1.00 each, and sold the same number of puts at the lower April $11 strike at a premium of $0.25 apiece. Net premium paid to initiate the spread amounts to $0.75 per contract. Thus, the trader starts making money should Verigy’s shares decline 6.00% to breach the effective breakeven price of $12.25 ahead of April expiration day. Maximum potential profits of $1.25 per contract pad the investor’s wallet in the event that shares in VRGY plummet 15.6% from the current price of $13.03 to trade below $11.00 by expiration next month.
AEO - American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. – Call options on the casual clothing retailer are…
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DiggOptions Fly at Fortune Brands, Inc.
by Option Review - December 8th, 2010 4:07 pm
Today’s tickers: FO, XLK, KFN & SLE
FO - Fortune Brands, Inc. – The holding company for firms engaged in the manufacture, production and sale of distilled spirits, home and hardware products and golf products popped up on our scanners in the first half of the trading session after one strategist initiated a sizeable stock and option combination play. Fortune Brands’ shares rallied as much as 2.10% to hit an intraday- and new 52-week high of $62.44 on news the firm’s Board of Directors approved in principle a plan that would ultimately result in the firm focusing exclusively on the distilled spirits business. The options trader populating Fortune Brands today appears to have purchased 500,000 shares of the underlying stock at a price of $61.30 as part of a buy-write or covered call strategy. The investor sold 5,000 in-the-money calls at the January 2011 $60 strike to receive premium of $3.10 apiece. Finally, the investor also purchased downside protection in the form of 5,000 puts at the lower January 2011 $55 strike at a premium of $0.65 a-pop. Buying up the put options cuts in to premium received on the sale of the calls, leaving the investor a net credit of $2.45 per contract. The rich premium pocketed by the investor effectively reduces the price paid to get long the stock from $61.30 to $58.85 a share. Thus, the buy-write strategist stands prepared to accumulate maximum potential gains of 1.95% if the shares are called away from him ahead of January expiration. The puts protect the value of the underlying in the event that shares in Fortune Brands slip lower by expiration day next month. But, if FO’s shares slide under $60.00 and the calls expire worthless at expiration, the investor may choose to hold onto the underlying position in order to capitalize on a potential rally that may be in store for FO in 2011.…
Bears Take a Bite Out of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Options
by Option Review - November 8th, 2010 5:09 pm
Today’s tickers: LVS, JPM, WNR, PFE, SLW, PCLN & XLK
LVS - Las Vegas Sands Corp. – Options strategists are initiating trades on the operator of casino resorts that suggest LVS shares could pull back further off recent highs. One big player wary of bearish movement in the price of the underlying shares purchased a large-volume ratio put spread in the January 2011 contract. Las Vegas Sands’ shares started the session in the red, but recovered this afternoon, and are currently up 1.65% at $52.84 as of 3:20 pm in New York. The put player purchased 20,000 contracts at the January 2011 $52.5 strike for a premium of $5.50 each, and sold 40,000 puts at the lower January 2011 $45 strike at a premium of $2.21 a-pop. Net premium paid to initiate the bearish spread amounts to $1.08 per contract. The investor responsible for the transaction is prepared to make money, or realize downside protection on a long position in the underlying shares, if LVS shares decline 2.7% from the current price of $52.84 to breach the effective breakeven point at $51.42 by January expiration. Maximum potential profits of $6.42 per contract are available to the trader if shares of the casino operator plunge 14.8% lower to settle at $45.00 at expiration. More than 216,000 option contracts have changed hands on LVS with 35 minutes remaining before the final bell. Options implied volatility on the stock is up 4.1% at 57.43%, the highest reading of IV since the end of July.
JPM - JPMorgan Chase & Co. – Shares of the financial services firm fell 0.85% to $40.59 late in the trading session, but earlier today one cautiously optimistic investor initiated a delta neutral hedge using longer-dated put options in the June 2011 contract. It looks like the investor picked up…
Enormous Prints in Put Options on Tech. Select Sector SPDR Fund
by Option Review - October 27th, 2010 4:35 pm
Today’s tickers: XLK, ENR, IYR, ALTR, AVP, JCP & TQNT
XLK - Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund – One big options market participant traded a total of 524,600 put options on the technology SPDR ETF this afternoon. It looks like the party responsible for the massive transactions rolled a previously established debit put spread in the December contract forward to the longer-dated March 2011 contract. Shares of the XLK, an exchange-traded fund that mirrors the performance of the Technology Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index, are down slightly by 0.20% to stand at $24.19 as of 2:15 pm in New York. The XLK jumped to the top of our ‘most active by options volume’ scanner after the 112,300-lot December $23/$20 put spread was sold for a net $0.31 per contract. This spread appears to have been initially purchased for a net premium of $0.68 each back on October 7, 2010, when the price of the underlying fund was trading around $23.14. Today, the XLK-options player sold the massive spread in order to purchase an even larger one at the same strike prices in the March 2011 contract. The new put position involved the purchase of 150,000 lots at the March 2011 $23 strike for a premium of $0.96 each, and the sale of the same number of puts at the lower March $2011 $20 strike at a premium of $0.31 apiece. In isolation, the net cost of buying the longer-dated put spread amounts to $0.65 per contract and yields downside protection for the investor should shares of the XLK trade below the breakeven price of $22.35 by March expiration. Enormous trades such as these tend to be tied to stock. Perhaps this trader is augmenting the size of the put spread because he has increased his exposure to the technology sector. Around the same time the puts were bring traded, some 733,000 shares of the underlying were purchased for $24.12 each. We note, however, that at this time there is no way…
Whole Foods Strangled; Enormous Prints in Technology SPDR Put Options
by Option Review - October 7th, 2010 4:40 pm
Today’s tickers: WFMI, XLK, LCC, POT, BMC, TGT & BKE
WFMI - Whole Foods Market, Inc. – Shares of the operator of natural and organic foods supermarkets slipped 2.40% lower this afternoon to $35.31 as of 3:05 pm ET. The stock popped up on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner after one strategist initiated a short strangle in the November contract. It looks like the investor responsible for the trade expects shares in Whole Foods remain range-bound through expiration day next month. The trader sold 5,000 puts at the November $33 strike at a premium of $1.00 each, and shed 5,000 calls at the November $38 strike for premium of $0.92 a-pop. Gross premium pocketed by the strangle-seller amounts to $1.92 per contract. The trader keeps the full premium received as long as WFMI’s shares trade within the boundaries of the strike prices described through expiration. Short stances taken in both call and put options expose the investor to losses, however, should the price of the underlying stock fly upward or fall substantially in the next six weeks. The options strategist starts to lose money if shares rally above the upper breakeven price of $39.92, or should shares trade below the lower breakeven point at $31.08, by expiration day in November.
XLK - Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF – A massive debit put spread utilizing a total of 224,000 contracts on the Technology fund went through electronically this afternoon just after 2:00 pm in New York trading. The spread is perhaps the work of one big options market participant positioning for the price of the underlying shares to slide lower ahead of December expiration. Shares of the XLK, an exchange-traded fund designed to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Technology Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index, edged 0.17% lower to $23.14 by 2:50 pm ET. Companies represented in the Technology Select Sector Index are engaged in industries such as information technology, consulting, semiconductor equipment and products, as…
BP Shares Hemorrhage, Options Activity Explodes
by Option Review - June 9th, 2010 5:59 pm
Today’s tickers: BP, ALKS, MO, NFLX, APC, MDCO, LVS, TIVO, CAR, MDRX & XLK
BP – BP PLC – Options volume on beleaguered oil company, BP PLC, is fast approaching 750,000 contracts, fueling a more than 79.7% upward shift in the stock’s overall reading of options implied volatility to a 5-year high of 120.96%. Utter pandemonium erupted in BP options after the firm’s shares plunged 16.00%, crashing straight through the now defunct 52-week low of $34.15, to touch an intraday and new 5-year low of $29.13. Catalysts for the squall are not difficult to come by with analysts suggesting an increased probability BP will cut dividends to help pay for the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The first half of the trading day was relatively calm with shares increasing 1.62% over the opening price of $33.90 to an intraday high of $34.45. But, by noon time on the east coast, BP’s shares had already begun their descent. Options activity on the stock can easily be described as frenzied as volume continues to grow in both call and put options across multiple expiries. Investors are displaying a slight preference for put options, with roughly 1.35 put contracts exchanged to each single call option in play thus far in the trading day. Put buyers are out in full force, scooping up at least 1,600 of the bearish contracts at the June $17.5 strike for an average premium of $0.25 apiece. Buying interest in the front month is heaviest in now in-the-money puts at the June $30 strike where more than 43,000 contracts changed hands by 3:05 pm (ET). Investors buying these contracts now face an asking price of $2.85 apiece. Other pessimistic players cast doubts for a near-term recovery by selling call options. Less than 60 minutes remain in the current trading session. Option volume on BP has surpassed 710,000 contracts and continues to steadily rise.
ALKS – Alkermes, Inc. – A three-legged bullish options combination trade enacted on biotechnology company, Alkermes, Inc., this afternoon indicates long-term optimism by one savvy strategist today. Alkermes’ shares are up 1.10% to $11.00 as of 3:12 pm (ET), but earlier rallied more than 4.75% to touch an intraday high of $11.40. The bullish player essentially sold short a chunk of put options in order to finance the purchase of a debit call spread in the November contract. The trader picked up 5,000 calls at…
Technology Bull Boosts Optimism
by Option Review - December 10th, 2009 4:32 pm
Today’s tickers: XLK, EEM, XLP, WLP, DTV, AMAT & EEM
XLK – SPDR Technology Select Sector ETF – A massive calendar roll was initiated on the Technology Select Sector exchange-traded fund today. Shares of the ETF, which corresponds to the performance of publicly traded equities of companies in the technology sector, rallied nearly 0.5% to $22.29 during the session. One investor sold roughly 73,900 calls at the now in-the-money December 22 strike for a premium of 41 cents per contract. The trader likely purchased the options for 40-49 cents premium per contract back on September 18, 2009, when shares of the XLK were at $20.87. The closing sale of the original call position today was spread against the purchase of 73,900 fresh calls at the higher January 23 strike for 24 cents each. The calendar roll indicates the investor expects shares of the fund to reach a new 52-week high by expiration in January. Profits amass on the new bullish stance if shares rally above the breakeven price of $23.24.
EEM – iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF – A large-volume put spread traded in the June contract on the emerging markets fund this afternoon. Shares of the ETF stand 0.15% higher to $41.03 as of 1:45 pm (EDT). It looks like investors, who are likely long shares of the underlying, are purchasing long-term downside protection on the EEM. Approximately 49,000 puts were picked up at the June 38 strike for an average premium of 2.95 apiece, and spread against the sale of roughly 43,000 puts at the lower June 28 strike for 65 cents each. Perhaps put spreaders fear emerging markets could encounter a few speed bumps as the global economy continues to fight its way out of recession in 2010. Traders employing the put plays are protected if shares of the fund dip back down through $38.00 by expiration in June.
XLP – Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR – The XLP ticker symbol launched to the top of our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner today after a huge chunk of call options changed hands. Shares of the fund, which replicates the total return of the Consumer Staples Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index, gained 0.5% during the trading day to $26.90. Approximately 106,000 call options traded at the January 27 strike for an average premium of 32.5 pennies per contract. Open interest of 116,354 contracts at…
Popular Bank Shares Surge as Option Player Stakes a Claim
by Option Review - September 16th, 2009 9:25 pm
Today’s tickers: BPOP, LNCR, EEM, XLK, XL, PALM, LIZ & MI
BPOP - The ‘popular’ bank popped up on our screens this afternoon after a large-volume risk reversal was established on the stock. The massive trade was likely the work of an investor with knowledge of commercial banks as approximately 60,000 contracts were exchanged on BPOP amid a more than 12% rally in shares of the underlying to $2.60. It appears the trader purchased 30,000 now in-the-money October 2.5 strike calls for an average premium of 33 cents apiece. He funded the purchase of the calls by selling 30,000 puts at the January 2.5 strike for 43 cents each. The investor received a net credit on the transaction of 10 pennies per contract. The motivation is perhaps that this individual is swimming with the rising tide of financial names today and expects a far larger rally lifting shares towards $3.75-resistance level. If this is the case, he is likely to exercise the calls by October’s expiration and take delivery of the underlying shares to ride with the stock’s upward momentum. Even if the move continues somewhat, it would likely reverse the structure of this trade to his advantage. – Popular, Inc. –
LNCR - The provider of oxygen and respiratory therapy services attracted option bulls today with shares of the firm standing more than 13% higher for the session to $29.85. Option implied volatility on LNCR exploded 50% higher from a low of 32% this morning to an intra-day high of 48%. The burst in volatility is likely due to increased investor demand for calls on the stock as well as greater uncertainty regarding future price movements in shares of Lincare. Perhaps the rise in uncertainty stems from news that Deutsche Bank raised LNCR’s target price from $33.00 to $38.00 today and maintained their ‘buy’ rating on the stock. Investors gobbled up 2,200 September 30 strike calls for an average premium of 31 cents. The contracts will expire worthless unless shares breach the $30.00-level to land in-the-money by Friday. Bullish sentiment spread to the October 30 strike where traders coveted 2,400 calls for about 71 cents premium. Investors long the calls will begin to amass profits if shares rally through the breakeven point at $30.71 by expiration in October. – Lincare Holdings Inc. –
EEM - The emerging markets exchange-traded fund jumped higher on our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner…
Tech Back in Demand as Call Buyers Line Up at XLK
by Option Review - September 11th, 2009 4:39 pm
Today’s tickers: XLK, RF, NBR, MCD, KEY, MGM, HBAN & LVS
XLK - The tech-sector exchange-traded fund attracted a hoard of call buyers this afternoon amid a less than 0.5% decline in shares during the session to $20.62. Traders expecting upward momentum in the price of the stock looked to the December 22 strike price where approximately 35,000 call options were purchased for an average premium of 43 cents per contract. Investors will turn a profit on the calls if shares of the XLK rise 9% from the current level to surpass the breakeven price of $22.43 by expiration in December. – Technology Select Sector SPDR –
RF - Investors exhibited near-term bearish sentiment on RF today by piling into put options on the stock. Shares of Regions Financial have slipped 1% lower today to stand at the current price of $5.54. The heaviest volume was observed at the September 5.0 strike where about 31,000 puts look to have been purchased for an average premium of 11 cents apiece. More pessimistic traders looked to the lower October 4.0 strike to get long of 3,100 puts valued at 10 cents per contract. Perhaps traders exhibiting such behavior are long shares of the underlying stock. If this is the case, the put action was inspired by traders seeking downside protection through expiration next Friday and through October’s expiration day. – Regions Financial –
NBR The largest onshore drilling firm edged onto our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner today due to call action in the October contract. Investors were apparently not discouraged from taking bullish stances on the stock even though shares are currently lower by about 1% to $18.84. Approximately 6,000 calls were coveted at the October 20 strike for an average premium of 95 cents apiece. Traders long the calls are hoping to see shares rally about 11% higher by expiration so that they may begin to garner profits above the breakeven point at $20.95. – Nabors Industries Limited –
MCD - Traders hungry for calls – or perhaps a Big Mac – placed bullish bets on the golden arches using options despite a 1% decline in the price of its shares to $54.36. Nearer-term optimism was observed at the October 60 strike where approximately 4,500 calls were pocketed for an average premium of 12 cents per contract. Perhaps the continued rise in unemployment has helped fuel bullish sentiment on the fast…
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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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