Today’s tickers: TGT, ALTR, BCSI & SHW
TGT – Target Corp. – Post-earnings options trading on Target this morning appears to be littered with profit-taking and fresh bullish positioning, among other strategies. Shares in the Minneapolis, MN-based retailer jumped 5.85% to an intraday high of $52.26 after the company posted better-than-expected second-quarter profits. The sharp rally in TGT shares has cooled somewhat, but the stock still stands 2.65% higher on the day at $50.68 as of 11:50 am in New York. In- and out-of-the-money call selling in the front month may be the work of traders taking profits off the table. It looks like investors sold more than 2,400 now in-the-money calls at the August $50 strike for an average premium of $1.94 this morning, and shed another 3,700 calls at an average premium of $0.34 each up at the August $52.5 strike. Substantial open interest in excess of 14,500 calls at each strike indicates traders could be selling-to-close positions. Alternatively, investors may be engaging other strategies such as covered call selling, or outright call selling ahead of expiration on the view that the options will expire worthless or nearly worthless on Friday as time erosion accelerates.
Longer-term activity in Target options suggests one strategist sees shares in the second-largest U.S. discount retailer soaring ahead of January 2012 expiration. It appears the bullish player purchased a call butterfly spread, buying 1,700 calls at the Jan. 2012 $57.5 strike, selling 3,400 calls at the $60 strike, and purchasing 1,700 calls up at the $62.5 strike, all at a net premium of $0.27 per contract. The butterfly spread positions the trader to make money should Target’s shares surge 14.0% in the next six months to surpass the effective breakeven price of $57.77 by January expiration day. Maximum potential profits of $2.23 per contract pad the investor’s wallet in the event that shares jump 18.4% over the current price of $50.68 to settle at $60.00 at expiration next year. The strategy selected greatly reduces premium required to…
