3M announced upbeat third-quarter earnings and revenue
3M Co (NYSE:MMM) is in the spotlight this morning, after the blue-chip name reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and revenue. However, the company also lowered its full-year forecast due to supply chain and inflation issues. At last glance, MMM was up 0.4% to trade at $183.15.
Today's rise has MMM inching above recent pressure at the 40-day moving average, and eyeing its first close above this trendline since August. Meanwhile, familiar support at the $175 level provided a floor for the stock's October pullback. Year-to-date, MMM is up just 4.9%.
Analysts are exceedingly bearish on 3M stock, with 11 of the 12 in coverage carrying a tepid "hold" or worse rating. Plus, the 12-month consensus price target of $193.46 is a slim premium to the equity's current levels.
The options pits have been more pessimistic than usual as well. This is per MMM's 50-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which sits higher than 98% of readings from the last year. In other words, long puts are being picked up at a much faster-than-usual clip.
Today's options volume is running at double the intraday average. So far, 6,764 calls and 5,951 puts have crossed the tape. The weekly 10/29 187.50-strike call is by far the most popular, followed by the 177.50-strike put in the same series, with positions being bought to open at the latter.