
Unusual Options Activity: Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA)
Shares of cryptocurrency mining company Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) are down 77 percent in the past year, thanks largely to a decline in the price of Bitcoin. One trader is betting on a further decline through next year. That’s based on the January 2024 $2.50 puts. With 571 days until expiration, 11,496 contracts traded hands compared to a prior open interest of 288, for a 40-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $1.11 to make ...
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Keep Accumulating Industry Leaders While the Market Fear Continues
With the stock market in the throes of a bear pullback, many are looking to history as a guide for when the bear will end. While the answer varies, chances are stocks will remain weak for a few more weeks and even months as economic data continues to come in. That said, investors who start accumulating shares of great companies, particularly industry-leading companies, will end up with a strong portfolio performance on the market’s next rally higher. Among the big tech players, ...
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Insider Trading Report: Analog Devices (ADI)
Bruce Evans, a director at Analog Devices (ADI), recently picked up 3,650 shares. The buy increased his stake by 3.6 percent, and came to a total price just over $526,000. This marks the first insider buy at the company since last October. Company insiders, including c-suite executives and directors, have been regular sellers of shares of the semiconductor firm over the past three years, with only a few buys from insiders. Overall, insiders at the company own 0.4 percent of shares. Shares ...
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Unusual Options Activity: BP (BP)
Shares of oil and gas giant BP (BP) have slid in recent days. One trader sees the possibility for a rebound into the start of next year. That’s based on the January 2023 $31 calls. With 210 days until expiration, 6,511 contracts traded compared to an open interest of 125, for a 52-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $2.10 to get into the trade. The stock recently traded around $28, so shares would need to ...
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Buy Companies Doing This for Shareholders Right Now
There are two main ways companies can reward shareholders. One way is to pay a growing dividend from rising cash flows over time. Another way is to buy back shares when the company’s valuation is compellingly low. Some companies can do both, provided they don’t overpay to buy back shares. With many stocks down right now, a few companies are setting up for better returns when the market sentiment turns bullish again with increased buybacks. One company making a big buyback and ...
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Insider Trading Report: Tilly’s (TLYS)
Michael Henry, CFO at Tilly’s (TLYS), recently picked up 4,000 shares. The buy increased his stake by 16 percent, and came to a total cost of just under $29,000. This follows up on a 6,005 share buy from the director a few days before. This marks the first insider buy at the company since September 2020. Insiders were active buyers during the Covid selloff, and then have generally been sellers of shares in the past two years after shares rallied higher. Overall, ...
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Unusual Options Activity: Pinterest (PINS)
Shares of online board Pinterest (PINS) have shed 75 percent of their value in the past year. One trader sees the chance for a further decline in the coming few days. That’s based on the July 1 $15 puts. With 8 days until expiration, 19,778 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 116, for a 171-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.10 to get into the trade. The stock recently traded for around ...
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This Sector Gets Hit Hard in a Bear Market – and Tends to Lead in a Bull Market
Some sectors of the stock market perform differently at different times. Commodity producers and utilities have held up somewhat well in the current bear market, even as tech stocks have been hit hard. Another area hit hard has been financial stocks, particularly banks. These companies have had to contend with rising interest rates. Demand for mortgages has stalled, which tends to be a big source of business, as well as mergers and acquisitions for big banks. That said, valuations for a number ...
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