Newsletter Article

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Insider Activity: Granite Construction (GVA)

Insider Activity: Granite Construction (GVA)

President and CEO, CFO buying shares this month. On Tuesday, August 20th, James Roberts, President and CEO ofGranite Construction (GVA), picked up 2,000 shares of the company, paying nearly $56,000 to do so. The increase in shares leaves him with just over 210,000 shares of the company. This is his second buy of the year, having picked up 3,000 shares on August 15th. The company’s CFO bought over 2,500 shares on August 12th and August 14th. A director also picked up 5,000 shares on August 7th. Before these recent buys, insiders at the company were sellers on average back in late 2017,...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Unusual Options Activity: ExxonMobil (XOM)

Unusual Options Activity: ExxonMobil (XOM)

Surge in September put buying.On Wednesday, over 5,000 contracts traded on the September 2019 $69.50 put options onExxonMobil (XOM). With a prior open interest of 260, this was a 19-fold surge in volume. With a current share price at $70, the options are just out-of-the-money. The option buyer could see a penny-for-penny move should the shares fall less than 1 percent from here. ExxonMobil shares have traded as low as $64.50 in the past year, so a drop to those lows within the next month could make the option worth as much as $5, about a 270 percent gain from its current price around $1....
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Unusual Options Activity: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Unusual Options Activity: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Surge in put-buying indicates drop by the month’s end. On Tuesday, over 4,700 contracts traded on an August 30th $123 put option onJohnson & Johnson (JNJ). The bet, with shares of the healthcare giant trading around $131, implies a 7 percent drop by the end of next week. The option, with a prior open interest of around 150, saw volume increase by 32-fold as a result of the surge in trading. The company could certainly see shares drop that quickly. In the past year, a number of claims have been made against the company and its myriad of products, leading to high-publicity lawsuits....
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Insider Activity: Lumber Liquidators (LL)

Insider Activity: Lumber Liquidators (LL)

Chief Legal officer makes six-figure buy.On Monday, August 19th, Michael Reeves, Chief Legal Officer atLumber Liquidators (LL), bought 14,900 shares, a stake that cost nearly $124,000. The buy increases his stake in the company by 50 percent. This is the third buy by insiders in 2019, including a 14,000 share purchase by the company’s CEO, Dennis Knowles on August 8th, at a similar price. Insiders have been inactive in the stock between 2015 and 2018, with no insider trades recorded. Lumber Liquidators sells hard-surface flooring, flooring enhancements, and accessories, from various hard...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Insider Activity: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WH)

Insider Activity: Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (WH)

CEO and CFO pick up shares of hotel chain. On Friday, August 15th, Geoffrey Ballotti, President and CEO ofWyndham Hotels & Resorts (WH), picked up 10,000 shares of the hotel chain, paying nearly $503,000 in total to do so. He was joined by David Wyshner, the company CFO, who picked up 2,000 shares, paying just over $100,000. Both executives are following up on a 10,000 share buy made on August 14th by director Ronald Nelson, who managed to pay just under $500,000 in total as well. Insiders have previously been sellers at the company at higher prices than where shares currently trade...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Unusual Options Activity: Apache Corp (APA)

Unusual Options Activity: Apache Corp (APA)

Bet on drop in natural gas operator in next month. On Monday, a staggering 33,000 contracts traded on the September 2019 $17.50 put option onApache Corp (APA). With 31 days to expiration and with shares currently around $20.60, it’s a bet that share will drop 15 percent in the past month. With a prior open interest of 101 contracts, this contract led the day Monday for volume relative to open interest with a 325-fold surge in volume—indicating a high-conviction trade. Apache Corp is an independent energy company that explores for, develops, and produces natural gas, natural gas liquid...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Unusual Options Activity: Tesla Motors (TSLA)

Unusual Options Activity: Tesla Motors (TSLA)

Large buy on extremely low-valued put option.It’s been a tough year operationally and for shares ofTesla Motors (TSLA). One trader is even betting on a further drop in shares in the next month, possibly as a result of a broad market decline, but also possibly because of company-specific issues. On Friday, over 40,000 contracts traded on a September 2019 $50 put option, expiring just over one month away. With shares around $220, the $50 strike would trade in-the-money only if shares dropped over 75 percent! With a cost of $0.04, or $4 per contract, the option is a cheap bet on a big perce...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Insider Activity: General Electric (GE)

Insider Activity: General Electric (GE)

CEO and director buy heavily following bearish report. On Thursday, August 15th, Larry Culp, CEO ofGeneral Electric (GE), bought 252,000 shares, paying just under $2 million. He was joined by director Paula Reynolds. She bought 10,000 shares, paying about $85,300 to do so. GE was one of the most actively-traded companies on Thursday, as a bearish report by analyst Harry Markopoulos (in conjunction with an unnamed hedge fund) stated that as much as $38 billion in wealth at the company may be improperly accounted for. General Electric shares have been out of favor in the past few years ...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Unusual Options Activity: General Electric (GE)

Unusual Options Activity: General Electric (GE)

Flurry of options activity following bearish report. A bearish report going into potential accounting issues released on Thursday led to many unusual options trades inGeneral Electric (GE). One notable trade was the December 2019 $5 put options. Those options saw a 47-fold increase in volume from 159 contracts to over 7,500. At a current price near $8, the options reflect a possible 37.5 percent drop in shares between now and mid-December. Many other put options on the company also saw a surge in volume on Thursday, as did some call options as well. Put options are a way for a trader ...
More
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Insider Activity: Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP)

Insider Activity: Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP)

Division president and director buy shares. On Wednesday, August 14th, two insiders bought shares at beverage giantKeurig Dr Pepper (KDP). They included Brian Loucks, the President of Keurig Appliances, who picked up over 18,550 shares, paying just over $525,000 to do so. He was joined by director Robert Singer, who bought 4,000 shares, paying just over $110,000. Corporate insiders have been buyers of the stock in the past year, although a major holder, Maple Holdings, has been a net seller. Keurig Dr Pepper is an international beverage company with a focus on carbonated soft drinks a...
More