Unusual Options Activity: Apple (AAPL)

Trader bets on big move in shares by January. At least one trader is betting that Apple (AAPL) could move over 40 percent higher between now and January 2020. On Friday, over 5,390 options had traded on a January 2020 $275 call for the company. With shares trading around $192, that implies a 43 percent upside in shares in the next six months. The option contract previously had around 135 open contracts, so this move represents a about a forty-fold increase in option ...
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Insider Activity: Encana Corporation (ECA)

Insiders buying at hard-hit exploration company. On June 12th, multiple insiders picked up shares at Encana Energy Corp (ECA). These buyers include CEO Douglas Suttles, who bought 5,000 shares, paying over $24,000. CFO Corey Code bought 10,000 shares, paying nearly $50,000. And David Hill, EVP of Exploration, bought 10,000 shares as well. All told, these insider put over $125,000 of their own money to work in shares. Encana is a smaller player in the industry, but it’s doing just well in today’s hectic ...
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Unusual Options Activity: Western Digital Corporation (WDC)

Big option buy suggests huge upside for tech firm. Could shares of data storage company Western Digital (WDC) rally 50 percent between now and January 2020? One trader is betting so. On Thursday, over 16,600 options had traded on a January 2020 $55 call for the company. With shares trading around $36.50, that implies a 50 percent upside in shares in the next six months. The option contract previously had around 1,500 open contracts, so this move represents a ten-fold surge in volume ...
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Unusual Options Activity: New York Community Bank (NYCB)

Big bet on shares moving 10 percent higher over next four months. At least one trader is betting on a sizeable rally in shares of New York Community Bank (NYCB) between now and mid-October. On Wednesday, over 10,100 contracts traded on an October 18th $11 call option for the regional bank. With a prior open interest of 462 this represents a twenty-two-fold surge in volume. Shares currently trade around $10, implying an upside of $1 per share, or about ten percent, for ...
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Insider Activity: Martin Midstream Partners LP (MMLP)

CFO, COO, and General Council pick up half million in shares. On June 11th, a large cluster of insiders bought up shares of Martin Midstream Partners LP (MMLP). These buyers include CFO Robert Bondurant, who picked up 10,000 shares. General Council Chris Booth picked up 9,500 shares. And the company’s COO, Randall Tauscher, picked up 20,000 shares. All told, these insiders bought nearly $500,000 in shares. Martin Midstream is an energy company with a focus on transporting and storing petroleum products and natural ...
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Unusual Options Activity: Tesla Motors (TSLA)

Big bet that automaker's shares will decline this month. At least one trader is betting on a modest decline in Tesla Motors (TSLA) between now and the end of the month. On Tuesday, over 7,500 contracts traded on a June 28th, 2019 $210 put option for Tesla. With a prior open interest of 286, this represents a twenty-six-fold surge in volume. Shares currently trade around $217, implying a downside of $7, or about three percent, for these put options to move in-the-money ...
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Insider Activity: Occidental Petroleum (OXY)

Two insiders make a multi-million dollar buy in the oil giant. Two corporate insiders have just bought in over $2 million in shares of Occidental Petroleum (OXY). On June 10, CEO Vicki Hollub bought 37,460 shares, a commitment of over $1.8 million. SVP Marcia Backus bought 10,000 shares, putting down over $480,000. The buys come after shares have slid from $54 in the past month to $47 in recent days. Oil prices have been weak, particularly for this time of year when the ...
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Insider Activity: MGM Resorts International (MGM)

Hedge fund titan makes huge bet on the casino operator. One director just made a $75 million bet on the future of gambling. On June 7, director Keith Meister bought 2.8 million shares of MGM Resorts International (MGM). Meister, an activist hedge fund manager at Corvex Management, already owns over 18 million shares. The casino company saw shares rise last week along with the overall market, but around $27 per share, shares are still below their 52-week high of $32. Casino stocks are somewhat ...
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