Call Traders Unfazed by Medtronic's Dismal Earnings Report

Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT) entered the earnings confessional this morning, but came up short of Wall Street's estimates. The shares of the medical technology and services company are down 1.5% to trade at $96.64, after posting fourth-quarter profits of 58 cents and revenue of $6 billion, both well below analysts expectations. The medical device company cited a delay in elective surgeries due to the coronavirus pandemic, and decided to withdraw its guidance due to ongoing uncertainty. 

Over the last three months, Medtronic stock has been consolidating between the $95-$103 levels, as it tries to dig out of a March 18, three-year bottom at $72.13. And while the shares are up 6% this quarter, they're running head-first into resistance at their 80-day moving average. 

Analysts are overwhelmingly bullish on Medtronic stock. Of the 24 in coverage, 19 sport a "buy" or better, with no "sells" on the books. Meanwhile, the 12-month consensus price target of $112.96 is a nifty 15.2% premium to last night's close. 

Medtronic's options pits are bubbling over today in response to the corporate report. In just the first hour of trading, over 4,200 calls have changed hands, six times the average intraday amount. Leading the charge is the June 105 call, so buyers of this option see a big rally from the equity in the next month.

The good news for options traders is that MDT sports attractively priced premium, per Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 23% which sits in the 33rd percentile of its annual range. This suggests that near-term options traders are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations.