
Unusual Options Activity: Facebook (FB)
Shares of social media behemoth Facebook (FB) have rallied modestly in the past few days as the backlash against social media firms has started to recede. At least one trader sees shares heading fundamentally higher. That’s based on the June 2022 $320 calls. Over 9,400 contracts traded against a prior open interest of 193, for a 49-fold rise in volume. The option expires in 511 days. Shares trade near $272, and would need to rally about 17 percent for this trade ...
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Unusual Options Activity: Verizon (VZ)
Shares of telecom company Verizon (VZ) have been in a downtrend in recent weeks. However, one trader sees shares bouncing higher in the next month. That’s based on the February $57 calls. Over 21,050 contracts traded, a 152-fold rise in volume from the prior open interest of 138. With 29 days to expire, the trade is right at-the-money, as shares recently dipped under $57. The option buyer paid $1.24 on average. Shares of the telecom are down about 5 percent over ...
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Insider Trading Report: Owens & Minor (OMI)
Robert Henkel, a director at Owens & Minor (OMI), recently added 1,000 shares to his holdings. The buy increased his stake by 5 percent, and came to a cost just over $27,000. Over the past year, company directors have been buyers of shares, picking up over 100,000 shares by a number of directors. One company Vice President has been a seller of shares in the past year, at a lower price than where shares trade today. Overall, insiders own about 3 ...
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The Covid Crisis Has Created Pockets of Value in the Biotech Space
Healthcare companies have seen renewed interest in the past year due to the Covid pandemic. But as capital flooded into the space, some companies fared better than others. Those best prepared for developing a vaccine for Covid have had excellent returns, while companies working on other pressing healthcare issues have struggled. A number of firms working on prospective drugs and treatments look set to have an excellent year as Covid recedes. That could offer traders market-beating opportunities. Case in point? Gilead Sciences ...
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Unusual Options Activity: Coca Cola (KO)
Shares of beverage giant Coca Cola (KO) have been in a downtrend in recent weeks. At least one trader sees a potential for a further long-term decline. That’s based on the January 2023 $42.50 puts. Expiring in 730 days, the trade will move in-the-money if shares drop about 15 percent from their current price near $48.50. The trader paid about $4.33 on average to get into the trade. Traditionally seen as a defensive play in weak markets, Coca Cola has seen its ...
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Will Space Tourism Be 2021’s Top Trend?
Investors are interested in space tourism, with a number of companies close to offering passengers low-orbit flights as a prelude to possible space travel. With that news has come a powerful rally for a number of stocks, and a few early investors are starting to lighten up their holdings. Is this a sign of a danger to come in the space? That’s what some see following Mubadala Investment’s decision to sell part of its stake in Virgin Galactic (SPCE). The sovereign ...
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Insider Trading Report: Steel Partners Holdings (SPLP)
Gordon Walker, a Senior Vice President at Steel Partners Holdings (SPLP), recently doubled his holdings with a 70,182 share buy. The total cost came to just over $779,000. Insiders at the company have been active buyers in the past year, at prices as much as 50 percent lower than where shares currently trade. The last insider sale occurred in 2019. Overall, company insiders own over 25 percent of the company. Steel Partners Holdings is an industrial conglomerate fabricating various metals and ...
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The Affluent Play for This Trending Market Could be the Biggest Winner
While the pandemic created a number of unexpected challenges, it’s created a number of opportunities as well. Slashing interest rates to zero has led to an explosion in a number of areas, most notably real estate. While some markets are struggling, overall, housing prices are on the rise, and look set to continue to do so. Within that trend, an exodus of population from densely-populated cities to the suburbs is likely to increase demand for higher-end luxury-home building as well. That sounds ...
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