Big Lots revised its second-quarter earnings outlook, exceeding analysts' estimates
Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG) announced that, due to continued demand, it expects second-quarter comparable sales to surge up to the mid-to-high twenties. Additionally, the company further revised its outlook and expects adjusted earnings per share to land between $2.50 and $2.75, coming in much higher than analysts' estimates. As a result, the shares of BIG are skyrocketing, last seen up 18.7% to trade at $40.17.
Big Lots stock has nearly quadrupled since hitting a 14-year low of $10.13 in mid-March. The security is now making its way back toward its May 29 two-year high of $42.33. Meanwhile, over the last three months, the equity's ascending 40-day moving average has acted as solid support on the charts, pushing BIG 213% higher during this time period.
Despite all of this, BIG's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.05 sits in the 78th percentile of its annual range, suggesting short-term option players have rarely been more put-heavy during the past 12 months.
Digging deeper, BIG's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 63% stands higher than just 18% of all other readings from the past year, implying that options can be had for a bargain right now. Plus, the equity's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) sits at an extremely high 98. This means Big Lots stock has tended to exceed option traders' volatility expectations during the past year.
Analysts, meanwhile, are divided regarding BIG. Of the eight in coverage, three rate it a "strong buy," four say "hold," and one says "sell." Meanwhile, the 12-month consensus price target of $39.57 is a 3.7% discount to current levels.