Today’s tickers: RMBS, BIIB, IYF, OSK, GNW, XOP & S
RMBS– The latest from the rumor mill suggests that the memory chip maker may be the target of a buyout by Samsung Electronics for approximately $25.00 to $27.50 per share. Some analysts reported that such rumors are likely unfounded, and we should note also this is currently idle market chatter. Nevertheless, frenzied options activity was observed on the stock amid a more than 8% rally to $17.22. Option traders concentrated their efforts on out-of-the-money calls in the near-term September contract. Nearly 6,000 calls were picked up at the September 18 strike for about 68 cents each. The higher September 19 strike had 5,000 calls purchased for an average of 47 cents apiece. Finally, the most bullish investors looked as high as the September 20 strike to gather up more than 8,000 calls for 37 cents per contract. Rumors remain unconfirmed, but traders holding the call options are positioned to bank some serious profits if the buyout speculation proves accurate by expiration this month. – Rambus Inc. –
BIIB– The largest maker of medicines for multiple sclerosis announced that it has extended an unsolicited takeover bid, worth $356 million in cash, for its drug partner Facet Biotech Corporation. Shares of BIIB rose more than 2% during the session to the current price of $51.03. Perhaps the takeover bid inspired the bullish reversal strategy we observed in the April contract today. One investor appears to have shed 10,000 puts at the April 35 strike price for a premium of 90 cents apiece in order to partially offset the cost of purchasing 5,000 calls at the higher April 55 strike for 3.80 each. The net cost of the transaction amounts to 2.00 per contract. The investor responsible for the trade will begin to accrue profits if shares of BIIB rally approximately 12% from the current price to breach the breakeven point at $57.00 by expiration day. – Biogen IDEC, Inc. –
IYF-Shares of the IYF have moved slightly higher during the session, gaining less than 0.5% to arrive at the current price of $50.09. The ETF jumped onto our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner this afternoon after a large bullish reversal play was initiated in the November contract. We note that the transaction was tied to stock. The investor responsible for the trade shed 20,000 puts at the November 40 strike price for…
