Will Paycom Software (PAYC) Continue to Outperform?

This week we are looking at another of the Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 List companies.  We use this list in one of our options portfolios to spot outperforming stocks and place option spreads that take advantage of the momentum.

Terry

Will Paycom Software (PAYC) Continue to Outperform?

PAYC has performed incredibly well this year and has significantly outperformed the markets since early August. These two analyst are expecting more upside for the stock – Why Paycom Software, Inc. (NYSE:PAYC) Looks Like A Quality Company and Is Paycom Software (PAYC) Stock Outpacing Its Computer and Technology Peers This Year?

From a technical standpoint, PAYC recently broke to record highs after climbing above resistance at $245. There is now a bit of a support confluence near the horizontal level as a rising trendline falls close to it. The stock shows strength via correlation as it has outperformed the broader markets and most of the stocks on the IBD Top 50 list. The chart below shows performance against the S&P 500 (SPY) which is marked by the gray line. Despite the index trading heavy this month, PAYC has not only manage to rally, but it has done so to new record highs which is impressive to say at the least.

PAYC Chart August 2019

If you agree there’s further upside ahead for PAYC, consider this trade which is a bet that the stock will continue to advance over the next five weeks, or at least a little.

Buy To Open PAYC 20SEP19 240 Puts (PAYC190920P240)
Sell To Open PAYC 20SEP19 250 Puts (PAYC190920P250) for a credit of $4.13 (selling a vertical)

This price was $0.02 less than the mid-point of the option spread when PAYC was trading near $249.  Unless the stock rallies quickly from here, you should be able to get close to this amount.

Your commission on this trade will only be $2.50 per spread (the rate charged by thinkorswim for Terry’s Tips’ subscribers).  Each contract would then yield $410.50 and your broker would charge a $1000 maintenance fee, making your investment $589.50 ($1000 – $410.50).  If PAYC closes at any price above $250 on September 20, both options would expire worthless, and your return on the spread would be 70% (798% annualized).

Changes to Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 This Week:

IBD Underlying Updates August 22, 2019

We have found that the Investor’s Business Daily Top 50 List has been a reliable source of stocks that are likely to move higher in the short run.  Recent additions to the list might be particularly good choices for this strategy, and deletions might be good indicators for exiting a position that you might already have on that stock.

As with all investments, you should only make option trades with money that you can truly afford to lose.

Happy trading,

Terry