Today’s tickers: CTRP, MBLX & MFC
CTRP – Ctrip.com International, Ltd. – The travel service provider’s shares, which failed to join in on the stock market rally at the end of 2011 and beginning of the New Year, continue to buck the trend today, rallying 2.5% to $24.40, on a mostly down day for equities. Options activity in the front month suggests at least one strategist expects CTRP’s shares to extend gains in the near term. Shares in the provider of information on hotel reservations, airline tickets and packaged tours for business and leisure travelers in China tanked during the prior 12-month period, with the stock down more than 50.0% off the 52-week high of $50.57 set back in April. An upgrade of CTRP to ‘positive’ from ‘neutral’ with a 12-month target share price of $37.00 at Susquehanna may have helped spur bullish action in the options today. Volume is heaviest at the Jan. $26 strike where more than 2,800 calls changed hands against open interest of 620 contracts. The majority of the calls were purchased for an average premium of $0.29 each, implying potential profits for buyers if Ctrip.com’s shares rally another 7.75% to exceed the average breakeven price of $26.29 at expiration next week. The front month calls expire ahead of the Company’s fourth-quarter earnings release scheduled for February 13.
MBLX – Metabolix Inc. – Shares in Metabolix more than halved Friday on news Archer Daniels Midland Co. ended a joint venture with the plant-derived chemical producer. The already badly-bruised stock is now down more than 55.0% on the day at a record low of $2.65 as of 12:00 PM in New York. Put options on Metabolix are changing hands more than eight times for each single call option in…
