Telecom stocks are buzzing today following the monumental court approval of the merger between Time Warner (TWX) and AT&T (T). Sector peer T-Mobile Us Inc (NASDAQ:TMUS) is up 1.1% to trade at $58.73 after receiving some bullish analyst attention, as its own possible deal with Sprint (S) now shifts back into focus.
More specifically, Raymond James issued a price-target hike to $82 from $77, while Jefferies reiterated its "buy" rating. The analyst in coverage at Jefferies voiced antitrust concerns with the "horizontal" T-Mobile and Sprint merger, but noted that TMUS stock is attractive even if the deal doesn't happen.
On the charts, TMUS stock gapped lower following news of the Sprint merger in late-April, and since then had traded mostly in the $55-$58 region. And despite today's bounce, the equity is still staring up at its year-to-date breakeven level, located at $63.51.
In the options pits, there has been a large appetite for calls in recent weeks. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the equity's 10-day call/put volume ratio of 7.41 ranks in the elevated 82nd annual percentile, meaning TMUS calls have been bought to open at a quicker-than-usual clip.
Those looking to bet on TMUS stock's short-term price action may want to consider doing so with options. The equity's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 24% ranks in the 19th annual percentile, meaning low volatility expectations are being priced into short-term contracts -- a boon to potential premium buyers.