PANW hit a record high of $228.50
Palo Alto Networks Inc (NASDAQ:PANW) is trading at record highs today, earlier hitting a peak of $228.50, after news that the stock is replacing Dish Network (DISH) on the S&P 500 Index (SPX). According to J.P. Morgan Securities, PANW has a "better fundamental profile, which was a catalyst for inclusion," resulting from "increased focus on platform optimization and operating efficiency over the past few years."
Palo Alto stock had already been rallying on the charts before today's news, now on track for its eighth-straight daily gain. Year-to-date, the equity is up roughly 62%.
Options traders are chiming in, with many betting on even more upside. So far, 21,000 calls and 8,381 puts have been exchanged. The weekly 6/9 230-strike call is the most active contract, with new positions opening there.
Calls were more popular than usual leading up to today as well. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), PANW's 10-day call/put volume ratio of 2.36 ranks higher than 89% of readings from the last year.
It's also worth noting that short interest represents 6.9% of the stock's available float. It would take over five days for shorts to cover their bets, at PANW's average pace of trading.