Earnings Season Highlights

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A collection of noteworthy post-earnings reactions
Published on Jul 10, 2015 at 2:08 PM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Analyst Update

Analysts are weighing in today on streaming entertainment provider Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), search engine Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), and online auto concern TrueCar Inc (NASDAQ:TRUE). Here's a quick look at today's brokerage notes on NFLX, GOOGL, and TRUE.

  • NFLX is more than 1.7% higher at $681.46, after a morning statement from Morgan Stanley. The brokerage elevated Netflix, Inc.'s price target to $750 -- in record-high territory -- and underscored an "overweight" rating. This news follows yesterday's move from Nomura, which raised its price target to $750 from $600. Shares of the streaming media giant recently hit an all-time high, as traders applauded news of a stock split -- set for next week, just before the company reports earnings. The equity could receive some additional momentum from more upgrades, should the company report solid figures next week. Ten of the 27 analysts tracking NFLX still rate it a "hold" or worse. 
  • GOOGL is almost 2% higher this afternoon, with help from a shout out from CNBC's Jim Cramer and a price-target boost from Credit Suisse. The ratings house moved Google Inc's target to $700 from $690 -- in uncharted waters -- and issued an "outperform" rating. The upbeat attention has helped traders shrug off reports of escalating YouTube competition from Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB). Technically speaking, GOOGL is up 2.3% at $556.97, but is facing resistance at its 80-week moving average, located near $560. Along with NFLX, the company will enter the earnings spotlight next week.

  • TRUE rounds out our news trio this afternoon, thanks to a trio of price-target cuts. Craig Hallum cut TrueCar Inc's price target to $18 from $21, Cowen and Co. cut its price target to $14 from $19, and B. Riley slashed its target to $9.25 -- in record-low territory -- and offered up a "sell" rating. While the shares touched an all-time low of $9.81 earlier, they were last seen 5.5% higher at $10.60, with speculators apparently unconcerned about a break with AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN)
Published on Jul 10, 2015 at 2:23 PM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Stock Market News
When a technical glitch brought all United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL) flights to a halt on Wednesday, that was bad. Then, things got worse when -- later in the same day, a separate glitch halted trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Yesterday, the stakes were raised to a whole new level, when the government confirmed that over 22 million Social Security numbers were stolen in June; and today, TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NYSE:AMTD) just announced a "widespread" order-routing issue.

Amid this rash of technical glitches, cybersecurity stocks have been capitalizing. The PureFunds ISE Cyber Security ETF (NYSEARCA:HACK) -- a benchmark fund that includes 31 companies focused on data protection -- is up 0.2% today to trade at $31. What's more, the ETF has rallied more than 24% since opening for trading in mid-November, and as recently as June 22, hit an all-time high of $33.91.

Not surprisingly, call buyers have been flocking to HACK. During the last two weeks at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the ETF has seen nearly 2,900 calls bought to open, versus roughly 270 puts -- a more than 10-to-1 ratio.

One HACK component that's done particularly well is Palo Alto Networks Inc (NYSE:PANW), which has shot up 2% this afternoon to $178.38. The shares have more than doubled in value year-over-year, and are less than 4% from their record peak of $185 from late last month.

Not everyone's buying the hype, though. During the last two reporting periods, short interest on PANW soared over 21%, and now makes up almost 7% of the equity's total float. A capitulation among these bears could pave the way for a short-covering rally.
Published on Jul 10, 2015 at 3:28 PM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Stocks On the Move

U.S. stocks are following their global peers into the black, as traders cheer a rebound in China and hopes for a Greek debt deal. Among the sectors and stocks making notable moves on the charts:

National Bank of Greece (ADR) (NYSE:NBG) -- along with this trio of Greek shipping stocks -- is higher amid optimism that Greece will stay in the eurozone. At last check, NBG has added 14.3% to sit at $1.24.

Meanwhile, financials are among the industry winners today, with traders digesting the latest rate-hike predictions from Fed Chair Janet Yellen.

Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC) is 7.2% higher at $26.65, and just hit a four-year high of $27.09, amid reports that French billionaire Patrick Drahi could pursue the company.

Aluminum Corp. of China Limited (ADR) (NYSE:ACH) and VisionChina Media Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:VISN) are among the China-based stocks enjoying tailwinds. ACH is 7.8% higher at $10.32, while VISN has soared 15.6% to flirt with $11.55.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is up 2.9% at $123.50, attempting to end higher for the first session in six. However, the equity is still staring up at its 10- and 20-day trendlines, which have ushered the stock lower since late May. 

Airline stocks are higher, as oil futures fall after a downwardly revised forecast from the International Energy Agency (IEA). In addition, American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL) has spiked 4.2% to $41.35 on plans to slow its expansion ambitions.

Barracuda Networks Inc (NYSE:CUDA) has plummeted 19.3% to $31.58 on an earnings-induced round of negative analyst attention.

Gold is struggling in the wake of Yellen's midday speech. At last check, the SPDR Gold Trust ETF (NYSEARCA:GLD) was down a fraction of a point at $111.33, while the Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bull 3X Shares (NYSEARCA:NUGT) is fresh off a record low of $6.58, and was last seen 5% south of breakeven at $6.62.

Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ:HELE) has sunk 9.1% to flirt with $88.24, due to an earnings miss.
Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 8:02 AM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Overseas Trading
Asian equities settled in the green today on news Greece was nearing a bailout agreement with its creditors. Adding to the bullish bias was economic data out of China, which showed trade figures arrived above expectations -- with warnings that exports could encounter "relatively big pressure" down the road failing to sway investor sentiment. Against this backdrop, the Shanghai Composite extended last week's momentum, adding 2.4%. Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei jumped 1.6%, South Korea's Kospi tacked on 1.5%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled with a 1.3% win.

European benchmarks are in rally mode at midday, following reports Greece has been given a financial lifeline. Overnight, eurozone leaders hashed out a three-year bailout agreement for the debt-plagued nation, dodging a potential "Grexit" and "the social, economical and political consequences that a negative outcome would have brought," according to European Council President Donald Tusk. The deal now goes to national parliaments for approval. At last check, the French CAC 40 is up 2%, the German DAX is flirting with a 1.3% lead, and London's FTSE 100 is 0.8% higher.

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Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 9:25 AM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Analyst Upgrades

Analysts are weighing in today on iPad parent Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), fitness products maker Fitbit Inc (NYSE:FIT), and healthcare firm Edwards Lifesciences Corp (NYSE:EW). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on AAPL, FIT, and EW.

  • SocGen upgraded AAPL to "buy" from "hold," saying it expects the company to successfully launch its iPhone 6s smartphone in September. Separately, Canaccord Genuity published a report revealing that, among the top eight smartphone manufacturers, Apple Inc. earned 92% of the total profits. On the charts, however, the stock has struggled since hitting a record high of $134.54 in late April, retreating 8.4% to trade at $123.28. Understandably, traders have been piling on the bearish bandwagon at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). Over the last two weeks, AAPL's put/call volume ratio across those exchanges has edged up to 0.64, an annual peak. Ahead of the bell, the shares are up 1.3%.

  • No fewer than four brokerage firms started coverage on FIT with the equivalent of a "buy" rating -- echoing the prevailing trend. However, BofA-Merrill Lynch, Raymond James, William Blair, and Barclays each initiated coverage with the equivalent of a "hold" assessment. All things considered, the stock is pointed 1.3% higher ahead of the bell. The Wall Street rookie has had quite the run since publicly debuting in mid-June, rallying more than 38% to trade at $42.10. Amid this uptrend, options traders have been buying to open calls over puts by a more than 5-to-1 margin, per Fitbit Inc's 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 5.16.

  • EW has tacked on 3.3% ahead of the bell, after receiving a round of bullish analyst attention. Specifically, RBC and and Northland Capital upgraded their opinions to "outperform" from "sector perform," and boosted their respective price targets to $185 and $170. Also upping their price targets were BMO (to $167) and Sterne Agee CRT (to $170). This positive attention follows Edwards Lifesciences Corp's $400 million purchase of CardiAQ Valve Technologies Inc. Longer term, the security has muscled 20% higher since touching its most recent low of $122.75 in early May to rest at $147.16. In the options pits, EW has racked up a 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 7.20 -- in the bullishly skewed 83rd percentile of its annual range.

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Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 10:01 AM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Analyst Downgrades

Analysts are weighing in today on tech titans ARM Holdings plc (ADR) (NASDAQ:ARMH) and Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE:JNPR), as well as oil-and-gas issue Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on ARMH, JNPR, and CHK.

  • ARMH saw its rating reduced to "underweight" from "neutral" at J.P. Morgan Securities, which also lowered its price target to $41.50 from $42.75 -- following the lead of Canaccord Genuity. Technically speaking, the stock has had a ho-hum 2015, up just 1.3% to trade at $46.90, after recently breaking lower from the $52-to-$54 range. Traders at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have been buying to open puts over calls at a rapid-fire rate amid this downtrend. Specifically, during the last two weeks, ARM Holdings plc has racked up a put/call volume ratio of 17.36 -- higher than any other comparable reading from the past year.

  • Nomura cut its price target on JNPR to $26 and reiterated its "neutral" opinion, which is business as usual among analysts. However, this is somewhat surprising, given the stock's 17% year-to-date lead at $26.12. In fact, Juniper Networks, Inc. recently took a bounce off its ascending 100-day moving average, which also supported the shares in March. While Nomura is skeptical, traders at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX are decidedly bullish. JNPR's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.77 outranks 95% of comparable readings from the last 12 months. In other words, speculators have bought to open calls over puts at a faster rate just 5% of the time in the previous year.

  • CHK has had a brutal year, plummeting almost 44% to trade at $10.98 -- including 3.5% this morning -- and touching a six-year low of $9.94 last week. Barclays, which is weighing in on a number of energy stocks today, cut its price target on Chesapeake Energy Corporation to $7 from $10, reflecting the equity's bearish technical trajectory -- and projecting a move to levels not seen since May 2003. There's plenty more negativity among analysts, too. In fact, 80% of brokerages consider the shares a "hold" or worse. However, additional price-target cuts may be in the cards, considering CHK's consensus 12-month price target of $14.50 stands at a significant premium to current trading levels.

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Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 10:11 AM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Buzz Stocks

U.S. stocks are off to a healthy start, thanks to news of a  three-year bailout agreement between Greece and eurozone leaders.  In company news, today's stocks to watch include entertainment giant Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), natural gas concern Markwest Energy Partners LP (NYSE:MWE), and biotech Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ANAC)

  • After recently telling Donald Trump he was fired, Comcast Corporation is back in the news thanks to a new streaming service and a bunch of little yellow guys. This past weekend, CMCSA announced that it is testing a new cable streaming service called "Stream." The new service will broadcast live TV from all of the major broadcasting networks including HBO -- offering thousands of on-demand movies and shows. The service will run $15 a month for CMCSA's Xfinity customers. And now for "Minions." CMCSA's Universal Studios latest movie notched a $115.2 million opening in North America this past weekend. This impressive performance falls just short of the $121.6 million logged by "Shrek the Third" in 2007. Thanks to this combination of news, the stock is up 1.1% at $63.91, and earlier touched an all-time high of $64.13. Despite steadily chugging higher along the support of its 10- and 20-month moving averages, the options pits are full of bears. CMCSA's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.24 is higher than 99% of the past year's worth of readings.
  • Marathon Petroleum Corp's (NYSE:MPC) master limited partnership (MLP) MPLX LP (NYSE:MPLX) announced that it will purchase Markwest Energy Partners LP for more than $15 billion. The market value of the MLP will be $21 billion and will add natural gas processing to MPLX's crude capabilities. MWE has gapped 9.8% higher to $65.65 on the news. 
  • Finally, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc has jumped 46.5% to $123.93, and earlier notched a record peak of $127.19, after announcing positive data from it Crisaborole skin ointmentANAC's chart is impressive, as the stock has skyrocketed more than sevenfold in the past year. Today' news could spark a nice short-covering rally, as more than 11% of the equity's float is sold short. It would take more than eight days to cover these bearish bets, and this morning's news is the kind that could send the naysayers scrambling.

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Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 11:00 AM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Earnings Preview

Second-quarter earnings season unofficially got underway last week when aluminum giant Alcoa Inc (NYSE:AA) took its turn in the limelight. This week, financial firms will be in focus, with a number of notable names -- including JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC), and Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) -- stepping up to the mic. Here's a closer look at BAC, JPM, and WFC ahead of their respective results.

  • JPM is slated to unveil its quarterly report bright and early tomorrow morning. Ahead of the big event, the stock is up 1.4% at $67.97 -- thanks to well-received bailout news from Greece -- extending its year-over-year lead to 21%. Unlike Oppenheimer, option traders have been growing optimistic ahead of earnings, per JPM's 10-day International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) call/put volume ratio of 1.57, which ranks in the 76th annual percentile. Looking back over the past eight quarters, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has averaged a single-session post-earnings move of 1.6%, and this time around, the options market is pricing in a bigger 2.5% swing -- based on the security's near-term at-the-money (ATM) straddle.

  • WFC will also report tomorrow morning, and the stock's near-term ATM straddle is calling for a 2.1% post-earnings move -- more than the 1% the security has averaged over the past eight quarters. On the charts, WFC has added 12.3% since hitting a year-to-date low of $50.42 in mid-January. What's more, the stock tagged a record high in late June, but was more recently seen lingering near $56.63. Option traders have been rolling the dice on a post-earnings dip, though, buying to open puts over calls at an accelerated pace in recent weeks. Specifically, Wells Fargo & Co's 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX put/call volume ratio of 0.73 rests in the 62nd percentile of its annual range.

  • BAC is slated to step into the earnings spotlight Wednesday morning, and the stock's near-term options are pricing in lofty volatility expectations in the lead-up to the big event. Specifically, the security's 30-day ATM implied volatility of 23.2% currently ranks in the 77th percentile of its annual range. Meanwhile, over the past eight quarters, Bank of America Corp has averaged a 2.7% swing in the session subsequent to reporting -- slightly less than the 3% move the options market is expecting this time around (per BAC's short-term ATM straddle). In the options pits, long calls have been popular in recent weeks -- BAC's 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 4.63 ranks in the 66th annual percentile. Analysts have been upbeat, too, with 59% deeming the security a "buy" or better. Today, the stock is up 1.5% at $16.96, paring its year-to-date deficit to 5.2%.
Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 11:10 AM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Analyst Update

Analysts are weighing in today on coupon provider Groupon Inc (NASDAQ:GRPN), retailer Ascena Retail Group Inc (NASDAQ:ASNA), and electronic data storage provider Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX). Here's a quick look at today's brokerage notes on GRPN, ASNA, and STX.

  • Last week, Evercore ISE cut its price target on GRPN, a move mirrored by brokerage Macquarie this morning. The brokerage sliced its price target on Groupon Inc to $7 from $7.75. However, the analysts also issued an upgrade to "outperform" from "neutral," sending GRPN up 5.2% to $5.09. The stock is now on pace to end atop its 10-day moving average for the first time since mid-April. From a longer-term perspective, GRPN touched a two-year low of $4.74 just last week. As such, the security's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits at 22 -- in oversold territory, suggesting a short-term bounce may have been in the cards. 
  • ASNA gapped lower this morning after cutting its full-year earnings guidance, and is now down 14.1% at $14.05. In addition, the retailer's price target was cut to $18 from $20 at RBC.  We could see some bullish sentiment unwind in the option pits, as Ascena Retail Group Inc's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.13 is lower than 96% of the readings taken in the past 52 weeks. Brokerage houses are also optimistic toward ASNA, as five of the seven following the fashionista rate it a "strong buy." If any of this crew follows RBC's lead, we could see the shares fall further.

  • Our last news morsel comes from Seagate Technology PLC. This morning, the company announced that it expects fiscal fourth-quarter earnings to come in short of expectations, due to lower-than-expected demand. As such, FBN Securities cut its price target on STX to $50 from $60, and J.P. Morgan Securities slashed its target to $45 from $54. This combination of news has not helped put an end to STX's recent slump. The shares are down 1.9% at $45.09, and earlier touched an annual low of $44.46.
Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 12:08 PM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Stock Market News
M&A Monday is in full swing, and we've already touched on some of this morning's headlines. However, a number of other companies are in the crosshairs amid the latest round of news and rumors, including Jarden Corp (NYSE:JAH), United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX), Platform Specialty Products Corp (NYSE:PAH), BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE:BWA), Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:MRVL), and Depomed Inc (NASDAQ:DEPO).

JAH has soared 4.6% at $54.72, and is fresh off an all-time peak of $55.75, after the consumer products company agreed to purchase Waddington Group for nearly $1.4 billion. Jarden Corp founder Martin Franklin cited Waddington's "strong cultural fit" and "compelling financial and strategic value proposition" as reasons for the acquisition. Meanwhile, the stock's sharp spike has vindicated analysts, 92% of which consider the shares a "strong buy."

Meanwhile, tech blue chip UTX has advanced 0.8% to flirt with $111.14, while Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) has jumped 1.9% to trade at $197.88. The intraday gains are being fueled by reports that LMT is the leading candidate to buy United Technologies Corporation's Sikorsky helicopter business, potentially for upwards of $8 billion.

Moving along, chemical maker PAH is up on news it will purchase U.K.-based rival Alent for roughly $2.1 billion, allowing the former to expand its portfolio and reduce costs. At last check, Platform Specialty Products Corp was 2.2% higher at $25.68. Also gaining is BWA -- currently up 1% at $54.13 -- after the auotomotive systems specialist agreed to buyout terms with privately held Remy International Inc., for just under $1 billion.

If that's not enough, unconfirmed M&A chatter is swirling around MRVL, boosting the shares 3.9% to trade at $13. This is bad news for recent short sellers -- in fact, short interest on Marvell Technology Group Ltd. soared nearly 35% during the latest reporting period. Finally, in the pharmaceutical sector, DEPO has tacked on 0.3% to trade at $30.24 -- and hit a record high of $30.45 -- after the firm adopted measures to protect itself from Horizon Pharma PLC's (NASDAQ:HZNP) hostile takeover bid.
Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 12:51 PM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Stock Market News

U.S. stocks are once again following their global peers higher, as speculators cheer a Greek debt deal and another surge in China. Among the names in focus are the Global X FTSE Greece 20 ETF (NYSEARCA:GREK), the National Bank of Greece (ADR) (NYSE:NBG), shipping issues Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ:SBLK) and DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), and Chinese Internet concerns JD.Com Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:JD) and E-Commerce China Dangdang Inc (ADR) (NYSE:DANG). 

Despite signs that Greece could avoid a "Grexit," GREK has surrendered its pre-market gains, down 3.9% at $10.82. Perhaps traders are jittery ahead of eurozone parliament votes. In any case, puts are crossing the tape at three times the average intraday rate, with buy-to-open action detected at the July 11.50 put. The puts will move deeper into the money the lower GREK sinks south of $11.50 this week, which represents the options' lifetime. Meanwhile, amid all the uncertainty surrounding Greece, short interest on GREK more than doubled during the last two reporting periods. 

NBG has also reversed course, and was last seen 2.5% lower at $1.18. During the past 10 sessions, traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have bought to open NBG puts over calls at a near-annual high clip. Today, NBG puts are crossing at three times the average intraday rate, with apparent buy-to-open action transpiring at the August 0.50 put. 

On the other hand, Greek shipping concerns DRYS and SBLK are higher at midday, extending Friday's gains. The former is up 12% at $0.60, and the latter has added 5.3% to wink at $2.71. Prior to today, DRYS sported a 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 32, and SBLK's RSI was at 30 -- in oversold territory. It's no surprise, as DRYS and SBLK have underperformed the broader S&P 500 Index (SPX) by 28 and 33 percentage points, respectively, during the past three months. 

Stocks in China surged again on Monday, and JD is among the beneficiaries gaining ground in New York. The equity is up 6.1% at $34.36, and on pace to end atop its 20-day moving average for the first time since mid-June. Speculators today are apparently buying to open JD's July 34 call -- the most active option thus far -- rolling the dice on a continued rally north of $34 through Friday's close, when front-month options expire. 

DANG is also soaring, though not necessarily due to the China rally. The stock was last seen 6.4% higher at $6.99, after the company said it's forming an independent committee to weigh a going-private offer.

Published on Jul 13, 2015 at 2:53 PM
Updated on Mar 19, 2021 at 7:15 AM
  • Intraday Option Activity

U.S. stocks are comfortably higher this afternoon, taking cues from their European and Chinese peers. More than 1,800 Nasdaq-listed stocks are higher at last check, compared to just over 700 losers. Healthcare stocks are among the leaders -- the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) is 1.5% higher at $378.30 -- including OHR Pharmaceutical Inc (NASDAQ:OHRP), ImmunoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMGN), BioLife Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:BLFS), and Celsus Therapeutics PLC (ADR) (NASDAQ:CLTX), which are following in the footsteps of Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ANAC). 

OHRP is more than 50% higher at $3.41, thanks to positive data on squalamine, the company's eye drop. The shares are on pace to end the week atop their 10-week trendline for the first time since late March, but have seemingly run into a speed bump in the form of their 20-week moving average.   

Against this backdrop, OHRP calls are flying off the shelves at 79 times the average intraday pace, and have outnumbered puts by a margin of more than 4-to-1. Specifically, traders are buying to open October 2.50 calls, on expectations for OHRP to extend its journey north of $2.50 through October options expiration. 

The preference for bullish bets represents a shift in sentiment for OHR Pharmaceutical Inc. The stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.62 stands higher than 82% of all other readings from the past year, suggesting near-term option traders are more put-biased than usual right now. 

IMGN has skyrocketed 14.7% to sit at $16.54, and earlier notched an annual high of $16.63, despite the lack of a clear driver. The stock's 30-day at-the-money implied volatility has soared 16.1% to 68.6% -- in the 79th percentile of its annual range -- and calls are running at twice the average afternoon clip, with bullish buy-to-open action spotted at the July 16 call. 

As with OHRP, today's affinity for long calls marks a change of pace for IMGN. On the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the stock's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 0.36 stands higher than 77% of all other readings from the past 12 months. Likewise, the equity's SOIR of 0.95 registers in the 89th percentile of its annual range. 

A short squeeze could add fuel to ImmunoGen, Inc.'s fire, though. Short interest accounts for 13.7% of the stock's total available float, representing nearly eight sessions' worth of pent-up buying demand, at the equity's average pace of trading. 

BLFS has advanced 6% to wink at $2.12, after the company offered upbeat second-quarter product revenue. The stock is on pace to topple its 20-day moving average for the first time since mid-June. The recent crop of shorts could be running scared now, as short interest more than tripled during the past two reporting periods.

CLTX was briefly halted ahead of the bell, but was last seen 21.2% higher at $0.59, after the firm agreed to buy privately held Volution Immuno Pharmaceuticals SA in an all-stock transaction. For more stocks making moves on Merger Monday, click here.

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