The brokerage firm initiated coverage of LULU with a "buy" rating
Apparel retailer Lululemon Athletica Inc (NASDAQ:LULU) is attracting some fresh analyst attention this morning. More specifically, Goldman Sachs initiated coverage with a "buy" rating, and a price target of $447. The analyst in question predicted the sector will continue to grow and increase margins, and noted the brand is now expanding into new categories. At last check, the equity is up 2.6% to trade at $380.24.
The brokerage bunch was already overwhelmingly bullish towards Lululemon Athletica stock coming into today. Of the 22 analysts in question, 16 sport a "buy" or better rating, while only six say "hold."
The security has had a volatile run on the charts since hitting a Sept. 2, all-time high of $399.90. Shares are now attempting another rally towards those record levels, with solid support at the 10-day moving average, after a December run stalled out at the $387 mark. Year-over-year, Lululemon stock is up 21.5%.
A sentiment shift in the options pits could fuel additional tailwinds for the equity. This is per LULU's 50-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which sits in the 84th percentile of its annual range. In other words, long puts are getting picked up at a quicker-than-usual pace.
That shift seems to be already underway. So far today, 3,892 calls have crossed the tape, which is three times what is typically seen at this point. Most popular is the July 380 call, followed by the August 370 call, with positions being opened at the former.
Now may be the perfect opportunity to speculate on LULU's next move with options. The stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 25% stands in the 5th percentile of readings from the past 12 months, indicating options players are currently pricing in low volatility expectations.