The options market is price in a 7.6% post-earnings move for Ambarella Inc (AMBA)
With the company slated to announce first-quarter results after today's close, Ambarella Inc (NASDAQ:AMBA) was last seen 2.7% lower at $91.99. Looking back, though, the shares have seen monstrous gains, almost tripling in value over the past 12 months, and touching a record high of $95.67 just yesterday. Even so, traders haven't exactly been rushing to grab the stock's calls.
AMBA's Schaffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) stands at 1.12, meaning put open interest outnumbers call open interest among options expiring in three months or less. Moreover, this reading is higher than 69% of similar marks from the past year, pointing to a stronger-than-usual preference for short-term puts over calls.
For now, the stock's near-term at-the-money straddle is pricing in a 7.6% swing in either direction. This would be a larger after-earnings move than AMBA is used to, as it's averaged a 4.3% shift in the session following its last eight trips to the earnings confessional -- six of which have been to the upside.
Additionally, for those looking to purchase the equity's options ahead of tonight's event, front-month contracts are fairly priced, from a volatility standpoint. This, based on AMBA's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 58%, which lands in the 51st percentile of its annual range.
A look at the brokerage bunch shows mixed feelings. Half of those covering Ambarella Inc (NASDAQ:AMBA) say it's a "strong buy," while the other half says it's a "hold" or worse. It's also worth noting that the equity's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) is docked at 78, well into overbought territory. As such, some of the recent put activity -- specifically, those purchasing out-of-the-money strikes -- could be a result of shareholders protecting paper profits against an unexpected pullback.