Put Spreader Prepares For Possible Market Rout

Today’s tickers: EFA, KMX & ONNN

EFA – iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund – A massive put spread on the EFA, an exchange-traded fund made up of stock in multinational companies such as Nestle, Novartis and BP, to name a few, suggests one big options player is prepared should equities stumble over the next few months. Shares in the index developed as an equity benchmark for international stock performance rallied 2.5% to $51.80 this afternoon as stocks across the board look to end the week on a positive note. The put spread initiated on the fund may serve as a life preserver for its owner if (when) the next negative headline from Europe rocks markets once more. The investor purchased 55,000 puts at the Jan. 2012 $49 strike for a premium of $2.27 each, and sold the same number of puts at the lower Jan. 2012 $43 strike at a premium of $1.07 apiece. Net premium paid to initiate the spread amounts to $1.20 per contract, or a total of $6.6 million. The spread positions the trader to profit in the event that shares in the ETF fall 7.7% to breach the effective breakeven point on the downside at $47.80 by January expiration. Maximum potential profits of $4.80 per contract are available on the spread – that amounts to a cool $26.4 million – should shares in the EFA tumble 17.0% over the next few months to trade below $43.00 at expiration. Shares in the fund slumped to a 52-week low of $45.45 as recently as October 4, but have not traded below $43.00 since May 2009.