Today’s tickers: JNPR, IACI, KMX & NWL
JNPR – Juniper Networks, Inc. – Investors are initiating diverse options strategies on the largest maker of Internet networking equipment today in the aftermath of an earnings miss that sent shares in Juniper Networks down more than 20.0% to a new 52-week low of $24.72. It looks like some traders are bracing for shares to extend losses, while other investors position for the stock to rebound. Meanwhile, investors holding previously established bullish and bearish positions on the stock may be throwing in the towel or taking profits off the table given the nosedive in the price of the underlying today. Call and put options on JNPR are by far the most active in the front month. Traders hoping to see shares recover are buying to open positions in out-of-the-money calls, with notable fresh interest building in the August $26 strike call. The closest to-the-money August $25 strike call chances hands more than 5,400 times by 1:30 pm ET, but trading traffic here is decidedly mixed as both sellers and buyers of the contracts made their mark. Calls at the August $28 strike are the most heavily traded, with upwards of 6,600 contracts having changed hands against open interest of 1,377 positions. Sellers of these options for an average premium of $0.18 a-pop cast doubt that Juniper’s shares will recover above $28.00 ahead of August expiration in a few weeks time. Open interest is substantial in deep out-of-the-money calls, which lost nearly all of their value overnight and today trade for a penny or two post-earnings. Near-term puts are active, as well. Buyers of the August $25 strike put paid an average premium of $1.12 each for some 1,500 contracts. Put buyers profit if shares in JNPR extend losses to trade beneath the lower breakeven price of $23.88 by expiration day next month. Finally, the heaviest put action up at the August $26 and $27 strikes may be the work of an investor taking profits on well-placed pre-earnings bearish positions.…
