Tech giant Apple Inc (AAPL) is currently trading at $527.40 down around $2.45 in today’s session after reporting a better than expected fourth quarter earnings. The announcement has failed to impress investors and initially sent the stock spiraling as low as $503 in the after-hours session. Despite reporting record iPhone sales earnings per share fell nearly 8.5% over the same quarter last year. AAPL also released guidance for Q1 of 2014 with revenues falling near the high end of their previous estimates. AAPL has been in the news in recent weeks as a new line of iPads and Macs were introduced last week and as activist investor Carly Ichan continues to pressure AAPL CEO Tim Cook for a $150 billion stock buyback. Margins continue to be a concern for AAPL investors as net margins on new product lines introduced last week remain unknown. With uncertainty and the possibility of a buyback or deal with carrier China Mobile it seems likely that AAPL will continue to trade in a range. We will look at a trade setup that can profit if AAPL trades in a range while still giving the stock room higher or lower. (more…)

Diana Shipping Inc (DSX) is a provider of shipping transportation services around the world. Their specialty is dry goods such as commodities and coal. The company’s stock is currently trading around $11.70 in a 52 week range of $6.93-$13.24. The stock has performing quite well this year adding gains of over 60% year to date and over 67% in the past 12 months. Bullish order flows in the options market suggest that this trend could continue as institutional traders are betting on more upside in DSX. Earlier in today’s session a trader bought 2,250 DSX Jun 16 calls for $0.50. This is a $112,500 bet that shares of DSX will trade above $16 on June expiration. While this trader is betting on long term upside in DSX we believe there is an opportunity for a swing trade in DSX stock. Using the Ichimoku Cloud we will identify a level of support and use that as a stop. (more…)

A trader bought 1,500 RBCN Nov 9 Calls for $0.60 (18.6 times usual volume) with stock at $8.89
A trader bought 1,600 CAKE Dec 47 Calls for $1.44 (2.7 times usual volume) with stock at $47.24
A trader bought 5,000 KORS Nov 8^th 77-82 Call Spreads for $2.10 (2.1 times usual volume) with stock at $76.98
A trader bought 2,789 RHI Dec 40 Calls for $1.15 (5.8 times usual volume) with stock at $39.53
A trader bought 2,050 DSX Jun 16 Calls for $0.50 (2.4 times usual volume) with stock at $11.69

A trader bought 5,250 SMH Feb 38 Puts for $0.95 (8.3 times usual volume) with stock at $41.12
A trader bought 1,400 MCHP Nov 41 Puts for $1.35 (2.2 times usual volume) with stock at $40.29
A trader bought 1,000 EJ Nov 7 Puts for $0.15 (4.8 times usual volume) with stock at $8.95
A trader bought 6,900 HUN Nov 20 Puts for $0.10 (2.3 times usual volume) with stock at $23.09
A trader bought 2,000 IACI Nov 55 Puts for $1.00 (6.1 times usual volume) with stock at $57.82

A trader bought 6,900 HUN Nov 20 Puts for $0.10 (2.3 times usual volume) with stock at $23.09
A trader bought 2,000 IACI Nov 55 Puts for $1.00 (6.1 times usual volume) with stock at $57.82
A trader bought 5,000 KORS Nov 8^th 77-82 Call Spreads for $2.10 (2.1 times usual volume) with stock at $76.98
A trader bought 1,500 RBCN Nov 9 Calls for $0.60 (18.6 times usual volume) with stock at $8.89
A trader bought 1,600 CAKE Dec 47 Calls for $1.44 (2.7 times usual volume) with stock at $47.24

Cheniere Energy, Inc (LNG) is a company engaged in a variety of liquid natural gas related businesses. The company’s stock is currently trading around $39.40 in a 52 week range of $13.85-$39.98. The stock has been extremely strong this year as shares of LNG have rallied nearly 110% year to date and over 146% in the past 12 months. Recent action in the options market is suggesting that this run will continue through next year. Yesterday a trader bought 12,500 LNG Mar 40-50 call spreads for $2.68 and sold 7,500 Mar 31 puts for a $1.00. This is an extremely bullish trade that indicates this trader’s high level of conviction in LNG. The short put component of this trade is extremely risky and suggests that this trader has a strong belief the stock will continue higher through March expiration. The stock is also looking very strong on a chart. Shares of LNG are trading well above the Ichimoku Cloud but are just off of their 52 week highs. The cloud is strongly upward sloping ion the future indicating the stock should remain in in bullish territory. We believe that the unusual option activity yin LNG coupled with its strong chart present us with an opportunity for a long term trade in LNG. We will look at a long term options trade that will allow us to use the inherent leverage of options to take a bullish view on LNG in a very capital effective way. (more…)

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) is a developer, publisher and distributor of video game software to be played on a variety of devices including consoles, personal computers and mobile devices. The company’s stock is currently trading around $24.45 in 52 week range of $11.90-$28.13. The stock has been outperforming the broader market this year posting gains of over 68%. The stock is also up over 105% in the past 12 months. EA is set to report their most recent quarterly earnings after the close today with analysts expecting EPS of $0.12 on revenues of $979 million. EA has been a strong earnings day performer over the past 6 quarters. The stock has rallied 5 of the past 6 earnings announcements with an average move of 7.4%. Although shares of EA are currently trading below the cloud we believe this strong historical earnings performance gives us a good opportunity to get long EA ahead of earnings. Currently the options market is implying a move of $2.00 higher or lower by November 1^st expiration. Using this implied move we can calculate an upside target of $26.50 for Friday’s close. Using this target we can now set up a trade.

Trade: Buying the EA Nov 1^st Weekly 25.5-26.5 Call Spread for $0.25
Risk: $25 per 1 lot
Reward: $75 per 1 lot
Breakeven: $25.75

A trader bought 2,500 RLGY Dec 50 Calls for $0.80 (2.3 times usual volume) with stock at $43.46
A trader bought 1,500 TRMB Nov 30 Calls for $0.50 (9.1 times usual volume) with stock at $28.72
A trader bought 10,000 MAS Jan 26 Calls for $0.25 (5.4 times usual volume) with stock at $21.06
A trader bought 18,965 XLP Dec 43 Calls for $0.44 (3.5 times usual volume) with stock at $42.52
A trader bought 10,000 PBR Jan 20 Calls for $0.21 (2.8 times usual volume) with stock at $17.31

A trader bought 969 HW Dec 9 Puts for $0.50 (7 times usual volume) with stock at $9.47
A trader bought 1,500 MOVE Nov 15 Puts for $0.20 (13.4 times usual volume) with stock at $17.29
A trader bought 2,500 DOLE Dec 12-10 Put Spreads for $0.07 (9.7 times usual volume) with stock at $13.69
A trader bought 1,000 ECL Nov 105 Puts for $2.30 (5.7 times usual volume) with stock at $104.34

A trader bought 10,000 MAS Jan 26 Calls for $0.25 (5.4 times usual volume) with stock at $21.06
A trader bought 18,965 XLP Dec 43 Calls for $0.44 (3.5 times usual volume) with stock at $42.52
A trader bought 10,000 PBR Jan 20 Calls for $0.21 (2.8 times usual volume) with stock at $17.31
A trader bought 1,000 ECL Nov 105 Puts for $2.30 (5.7 times usual volume) with stock at $104.34
A trader bought 1,500 MOVE Nov 15 Puts for $0.20 (13.4 times usual volume) with stock at $17.29