Options Bulls Brush Off Johnson & Johnson's Lowered Outlook

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) took over the earnings confessional earlier to report a second-quarter earnings and revenue beat, thanks in part to the double-digit sales growth of cancer drug Darzalex and Crohn's disease drug Stelara. However, the company slashed its full-year adjusted profit outlook, noting a stronger U.S. dollar is weighing on international sales. At last check, JNJ is up 0.4% at $174.96.

The equity took a step back after hitting an April 25, record high of $186.69, but bounced off the $167 region in mid-June -- its lowest level since March -- to reclaim support from its 180-day moving average. Over the past nine months, Johnson & Johnson stock has added 8.8%.

At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), JNJ's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 1.01 sits higher than 93% of readings from the past 12 months. This means long puts have been getting picked up at a much faster-than-usual pace in the last 10 weeks.

Today's options are more optimistic. So far, 5,969 calls and 2,991 puts have crossed the tape, or triple the intraday average. The most popular contracts are the 7/22 182.50- and 180-strike calls.