UBER is in talks to acquire Postmates
The shares of Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE:UBER) were last seen up 3.6% trading at $30.70, after The New York Times and Wall Street Journal both reported that the ride-sharing company is in talks to purchase food delivery service Postmates. The acquisition would be worth a reported $2.6 billion. The rumors come just a few weeks after Uber's plans to buy Grubhub (GRUB) ultimately fell through.
Uber stock has risen roughly 10% for the quarter now, thanks to the easing of coronavirus-related lockdown measures. And while the shares have taken a 15% haircut in June, the pullback was contained by their 80-day moving average. Additionally, the stock has outperformed the broader S&P 500 Index (SPX) by more than 5% during the past three months.
Analysts are more than a little bullish on Uber stock. In fact, of the 24 in coverage, 22 rate it a "buy" or better, with no "sells" in sight. Meanwhile, the stock's consensus 12-month target price of $40.6, a 31.8% premium to current levels.
There's plenty of optimism in the options pits as well. This is per UBER's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.01 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio sits higher than 66% of readings from the past year, suggesting a healthier-than-usual appetite for long calls of late.
The good news for options traders is that premium can be had for a bargain right now. This is per the stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 59% -- in the 16th annual percentile, meaning short-term options are pricing in lower-than-usual volatility expectations.