Options Traders Play the MCK, SPCE, and LYFT Stock Rallies

MCK and SPCE stocks have hit fresh highs

Josh Selway

Feb 10, 2020 at 3:19 PM

The shares of McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK), Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc (NYSE:SPCE), and Lyft Inc (NASDAQ:LYFT) are all trading higher today. In response, options trading has picked up on MCK, SPCE, and LYFT. Let's take a look at the data around the stocks.

MCK was last seen up 3.6% at $161.93, flirting with two-year high territory, while trying to break out of the $160 area that's acted as a magnet multiple times in recent years. This price action comes after the company launched an exchange offer to split-off its interest in Change Healthcare. The drug retailer is up 12.6% in the past month, and some options traders are placing major bets amid this rally.

So far, roughly 19,000 contracts of each the March 200 call and put have crossed, as one trader utilizes some type of advanced options strategy. This will make the strikes by far the leaders in open interest for McKesson, as the March 165 call's 3,691 contracts in open interest was leading coming into today. Data from the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) shows a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 4.24 for MCK, which ranks in the 94th annual percentile, showing unusual demand for long calls recently.

SPCE shares are spiking to fresh highs today, up 8.1% at $20.46 at last check. The shares has been on a strong ascent since the December lows near $7, and today calls are crossing at two times the expected pace. The most popular contract is the February 20 call, while new positions are opening at the February 21 call. More than six long calls have traded for every put during the past 10 days at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX.

LYFT stock is trading up 6.9% at $53.38, thanks to an upgrade out of Northcoast to "buy" from "neutral," along with a $60 price target. This has the security on pace for its best close since August, breaking out of congestion in the $48-$52 region. Calls are trading at roughly four times the average pace, and puts at roughly three times the average. Most popular is the February 45 put, and on the call side the weekly 2/14 58-strike.

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