Health Care Equipment & Services
Aetna Inc (AET) $51.14 -0.62%
A few big prints in Aetna (AET) today are part of a position adjustment. Shares are down 29 cents to $51.17 and an Apr 47 – 50 put spread is bought on the insurance company for 63 cents per spread, 15,500X. 23,000 now traded on the day. Open interest in the 47 strike is 23100 [...]
Humana Inc (HUM) $68.22 -1.07%
Humana (HUM) drops another 68 cents to $68.28 and has now tumbled 15 percent in the past three weeks. Recent options trades on the managed care company include an Apr 65 – 72.5 put spread, apparently sold at $3.85, 2900X. 3,150 traded on the day and the flow probably rolls a position in Apr 72.5 [...]
Bearish Action in UnitedHealth (UNH), Humana (HUM)
United Healthcare (UNH) is up 60 cents to $53.65 and options activity in the stock today looks similar to the spread trade in peer Humana (see HUM color). An Apr 50 – 57.5 put spread is sold on the managed healthcare company at $3.78, 4200X. The Apr 57.5 leg probably closes (at $4.50 per contract) [...]
Boston Scientific Corp (BSX) $7.63 +0.07%
Boston Scientific (BSX) is flat at $7.62 and a 5000-lot of Mar 7 puts is bought on the stock for 7 cents per contract, to open. Timing is intersting, as the medical device-maker is hosting its Investor Day today.
Celsion (CLSN)….Crushed
On January 7, we noted Oncology drug maker Celsion had the highest 30 day implied volatility of all listed options. IV was an extreme 365% and the market was bracing for Thermodox results. The results were not so good, since CLSN is down 80%, or about $6.50 below last nights close. Remarkably, the 8 February [...]
Baxter International Inc (BAX) $67.78 +0.52%
Baxter International (BAX) adds 37 cents to $67.80 and an Apr 62.5 – May 72.5 bullish risk-reversal is bought on the medical supplies company for 50 cents, 14000X. 15000 traded on the day and appears to be opening activity, untied. The bullish combo is being initiated just a few days after the stock rose 1.8 [...]
Laboratory Corp (LH) $89.77 +1.25%
Laboratory Corp (LH) adds $1.08 to $89.74 and a 5000-lot of Mar 100 calls trades on the stock for 25 cents per contract on ISE. A customer bought, to open, according to ISEE data. 6,360 contracts now traded against no open interest and the flow will create the larget block of open interest in the [...]
Brookdale Senior Living Inc (BKD) $27.99 +3.32%
Shares of Brookdale Senior Living are up more thant 3.3% to 28 (and touched a new 52wk high earlier) and call volume is 17x normal with Feb 30 calls leading the flow. An opening buyer paid 45c for 11400 tied to 150K shares at 27.50, and with earnings on Feb 14, the buyer may be [...]
Cyberonics (CYBX) Slides on Bearish Blog Post
Cyberonics (CYBX), the Houston, TX medical instruments company, is down $3.64 to $44.64 in heavy trading of 3.5 million shares after theStreetSweeper (dot org) blog mentioned the company negatively in a piece titled Blowing the Whistle on Cyberonics – LINK. Shares are reeling and implied volatility in the options on the stock is ripping to [...]
WellCare Health Plans Inc (WCG) $45.69 -1.85%
Wellcare Health Plans (WCG) is down 74 cents to $45.82 and probing its mid-November 52-week lows of $45.90. Options flow on the Tampa, FL managed care company seems to reflect concerns about additoinal losses for the stock, as 6,900 puts and 45 calls traded on the ticker. Feb 40 puts are the most active. 5,099 [...]
