Consumer Services
Rite Aid Corp (RAD) $1.81 +3.71%
Rite Aid (RAD) adds 7 cents to $1.81 and early options trades on the drugstore chain included a buyer of 14,500 Apr 2 calls for 15 cents per contract on CBOE. Several smaller sweeps traded across multiple exchanges this morning as well, and data from ISE is also consistent with opening customer buyers. 22,461 Apr [...]
MGM Moves on Kerkorian Story
MGM is seeing a flurry of activity today on reports Kirk Kerkorian’s Tracinda is looking to raise its stake in the casino-operator to as much as 25 percent from 18.6 percent — LINK TO STORY. The stock is up 96 cents to $13.37 in brisk trading of 21.3 million shrares. Meanwhile, 42,000 calls and 24,000 [...]
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc (KKD) $15.04 +0.53%
Krispy Kreme shares traded as high as $15.33 briefly this morning, a new 52wk high and a level more than double the share price 3 months ago when the company last released earnings and spiked 23%. 1day 15 straddle is trading near 9% of spot, suggesting a move more in line with the median historical [...]
EBay Inc (EBAY) $52.28 +2.55%
shares took a hit yesterday, falling nearly $2 from the $52 range while IV lifted nearly 3pts to 30.7% in April and option volume exceeded 55K contracts, nearly triple the normal level for the name. Shares recovering a bit this morning, up 2.6% near 52.31 and option flow is 3x normal pace, with April 57.5 [...]
Dollar General Corporation (DG) $48.03 +0.57%
Seeing some interest in Dollar General (DG) late-Wednesday. The stocks is ticking hgher and is up 21 cents to $47.97. Recent options trades include a 1000-lot of Aug 50 calls for $2.85 when the market was $2.70 to $2.85 and, a few minutes prior to that, 2725 Aug 52.5 calls for $1.95 when the market [...]
Walgreen Co (WAG) $42.73 +4.12%
Walgreen’s (WAG) adds $1.78 to $42.82 after UBS upgraded the stock to Buy from Neutral. Recent options trades on the stock inlude an Apr 42 – 43 call spread, sold at 58 cents, 10000X. The activity probably rolls a position in Apr 42 calls (sold today at$1.60) opened on 2/6 for $1.03. The action at [...]
J C Penney Company Inc (JCP) $15.43 -1.39%
J C Penny call volume spiked on a 4way that traded on the CBOE a moment ago. Initiator bought 2500 May 17 calls for $1.02 and bought 5000 Jan 25 calls for .85 against a sale of 10k july 20c .79 and 2500 May 20 calls for 42cents. July sale is opening a new position, [...]
McGraw Hill Companies Inc (MHP) $48.62 +0.35%
McGraw Hills (MHP) adds 31 cents to $48.76 and a 13,650-lot of May 50 calls trades on the stock for $1.90. It probably covers one leg of a May – Aug 50 call spread opened early-March (see 3/1 color). At that time, May 50 calls were sold on MHP at $1.35 against Aug 50 calls [...]
Aeropostale Inc (ARO) $14.30 +1.71%
Notable pre earnings put buyers in Aeropostale early today. More than 5000 March 13 puts were bought in a number of sweeps with shares near 14.48 at an avg price of 23.4cents and the flow appears to add to purchases made last wk for 55cents. Earnings due tomorrow post close and straddle above 9% suggests [...]
News Corp New (NWSA) $30.35 -0.38%
News Corp (NWSA) slips 6 cents to $30.40 early-Wednesday and an interesting trade in the stock late-yesterday was a Jul 30 – 32 (1X2) call ratio spread, bought for even money, 20000X. It was an opening position and seems to be targeting a move to $32 through mid-July. Shares have already surged 65 percent off [...]
