The pharmaceutical company is releasing a generic version of the contraceptive
The shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (NYSE:TEVA) are up 0.4% at $11.54 this morning, after the company announced plans to launch a generic version of Merck's (MRK) birth control device known as the NuvaRing®. According to data from IQVIA as of November 2020, vaginal ring contraceptives like the one Teva will produce have annual sales of over $837 million in the U.S.
The equity has had a volatile run on the charts of late. After pulling back to $9.65 to close out 2020, TEVA shot up the charts to trade as high as $11.90 by Jan. 13 -- its highest level since August. Over the last three months, the security has added 23%, while its 10-day moving average has already contained at least two pullbacks since the year started.
Meanwhile, the options pits are bullish, as per the security's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 22.17 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio stands higher than 99% of readings from the past year, indicating long calls are being picked up at a faster-than-usual clip.
As far as options are concerned, TEVA's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 56% sits in the low 9th annual percentile. This means low volatility expectations are being priced into near-term contracts -- a boon to potential premium buyers.