Too Many Options: $QCOM, $EBAY, $FDX, $PFE, $HLF

by Enis September 18, 2013 5:35 am • Commentary

Large Caps dominated options volumes.

  1. QCOM – Buyer of 10k of the Jan15 72.50 calls for 5.50, paired with selling 460,000 shares at $68.75.  QCOM hit a new 10 year high this month.
  2. EBAY – EBAY made a new 1.5 month high, up 2% today, though still far from filling in its July earnings gap.  Option volumes almost 3x normal volume.  Ratio risk reversal traded – seller of 3750 of the Nov 50 puts to buy 7500 of the Nov 57.5 calls to open.
  3. FDX – Stock reports earnings this morning at 7:30 am.  Weekly put volume was quite active, with the weekly 104, 109, 105, 110, and 107 puts all trading over 2k.  Mostly buyers initiating.
  4. PFE – Trader rolled 20k of the Sept 29 calls out to the Dec 29 calls, paying 0.62 for the privilege.  PFE has lagged the market since late April.
  5. HLF – HLF options volumes were almost 4x normal.  Calls were the most active as the stock actually hit a new all-time high today.  The Nov 70 calls traded almost 7k on the day.  Implied vol was higher across maturities on the breakout.