Insider Activity Report: Rockwell Automation (ROK)

Blake Moret, President and CEO of Rockwell Automation (ROK), recently bought 3,500 shares. The buy increased his stake by 5 percent, and came to a total cost of $992,758. This marks the first insider buy since May 2022. Otherwise, company insiders, particularly executives, have been regular sellers of shares. Most of those sales have occurred following the exercise of stock options. Overall, Rockwell Automation insiders own 0.2 percent of shares. The automation machinery manufacturer is down about 6 percent over the past ...
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Unusual Option Activity: Lyft (LYFT)

Ride-sharing company Lyft (LYFT) soared 35 percent on Wednesday after the company reported a major earnings beat. One trader is betting that shares will pull back from that extreme move in the coming months. That’s based on the April $16 puts. With 62 days until expiration, 24,164 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 356, for a 68-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $1.40 to make the bullish bet. Lyft shares recently traded ...
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Use the Silliness of Earnings Season to Your Benefit

Earnings season is often full of surprises. That means a company can report great results, but sell off as traders didn’t think they were good enough. Or a company could lose money, but not as much as expected. When that happens, shares often soar. This can happen across any sector. But a great company in a long-term uptrend will likely keep moving with that uptrend, even amid any earnings season silliness. The latest market overreaction has hit Marriott International (MAR). The hotel ...
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Insider Activity Report: Raymond James Financial (RJF)

Art Garcia, a director at Raymond James Financial (RJF), recently bought 879 shares. The buy is an initial stake for the director, and came to a total cost of $98,715. This marks the only insider buy over the past two years. Otherwise, company executives have been sellers of shares over the past two years. The biggest sales have come following the exercise of stock options, and have totaled as much as $5.2 million. Overall, Raymond James insiders own 9.8 percent ...
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Unusual Option Activity: Tesla Motors (TSLA)

Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Motors (TSLA) is down 10 percent over the past year, as the company’s sales have slowed. One trader sees a further decline in the weeks ahead. That’s based on the March 22 $140 puts. With 35 days until expiration, 22,675 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 365, for a 62-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.55 to make the bearish bet. Tesla shares recently traded for about $184, ...
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Continue to Stock Up on Market-Lagging Brands

Long-term investors still have a wide shopping list of great companies trading well off their highs. Many stocks outside of the big tech space make the grade. Especially companies that have strong brands. The past few years have shown that high inflation can weigh on a company’s profitability. But a great company can keep raising prices faster than they lose customers. In that situation, they’re set up well for long-term inflation, even if it slows back to lower levels. That also means ...
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Insider Activity Report: V F Corporation (VFC)

Bracken Darrell, President and CEO of V F Corporation (VFC), recently bought 65,360 shares. The buy increased his stake by 83 percent, and came to a total cost of $1,005,296. This is the first insider buy of the year. However, last year saw over a dozen insider buys, largely from directors, but also a 10,000 share buy from the company’s interim President and CEO. The last insider sale occurred in May 2022. In total, VFC insiders own 0.9 percent of shares. The ...
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Unusual Option Activity: Exxon Mobil (XOM)

Oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil (XOM) has seen its shares slide 13 percent over the past year, as energy prices have traded in a range. One trader sees shares trending lower through the middle of next year. That’s based on the June 2025 $125 puts. With 492 days until expiration, 5,204 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 113, for a 46-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $24.20 to make the ...
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