The retailer's same-store sales rose 8.8% for the quarter
The shares of Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:OLLI) are up 2.5% at $88.14 at last check, after the company posted fourth-quarter profits of 97 cents per share, exceeding analysts' estimates. Ollie's Bargain Outlet's revenue also topped forecasts, with same-store sales rising 8.8% for the quarter. The company did add, however, that it will not be providing guidance for the current year.
Analysts are chiming in, with three price-target hikes out since OLLI's report, including one from Jefferies to $125. Meanwhile, RBC slashed its price target to $104 from $109. Now, OLLI's 12-month consensus price target of $96 sits at an 8.9% premium to current levels. There could be room for upgrades, though, with analysts split down the middle. Of the 10 in coverage, five say "strong buy," and five call the equity a tepid "hold" or worse.
Option traders have also taken a bearish stance, per OLLI's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 1.28 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which stands higher than 84% of readings from the past 12 months. This implies a healthier-than-usual appetite for long puts of late.
Drilling down to today's options activity, 656 calls and 625 puts have crossed the tape so far -- six times the intraday average. The March 80 put and the 100 call in the same monthly series are the most popular, both of which expire later today.
Today's pop has OLLI attempting to distance itself from two-week lows near the $85 level, which it touched during yesterday's session. A little lower , the 320-day moving average could come in as potential support, though a ceiling at the $96 region still looms. For the year, OLLI is up 7.9%.