Tag Archives: Bearish Options Strategies

Option Trade of the Week – Cry Me a Rivian

March 7, 2023

Dear [[firstname]],

Here is your Option Trade of the Week, as given to our Terry’s Tips Insider Members as part of their Saturday Report. I again stayed on the bearish side this week, as this market is looking very vulnerable, especially after today’s Congressional testimony from Jerome Powell.

However, as I did a couple of weeks ago, I’m revising the trade because the position has run away from the opening price. Because of a huge plunge in the stock price today, the trade is already up nearly 20% in just two days. Because I still believe in the premise of the trade, I’m changing the strikes to give you a similar entry credit … and, of course, profit. Good luck with it.

Before getting to the trade, I wanted to let you know that the Terry’s Tips portfolios are on a hot streak. The combined four portfolios are now beating the S&P 500, led by the Boomer’s Revenge portfolio, which is up a whopping 18% so far this year! That’s on top of the 33% gain during last year’s horrible market performance. Overall, our portfolios beat their underlying stock performance by an average of 22% in 2022.

Don’t get left behind. For our loyal newsletter subscribers, I’ve decided to keep the sale going that saves you more than 50% on a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips. For just $98, you’ll get:

A month of all trade alerts in our four portfolios, giving detailed instructions for entering and exiting positions.
Four to five (depending on the month) weekly issues of our Saturday Report, which shows all the trades and positions for our four portfolios, a discussion of the week’s trading activity and early access to our Option Trade of the Week.
Instructions on how to execute the 10K Strategy on your own.
A 14-day options tutorial on the opportunities and risks of trading options.
Our updated 10K Strategy white paper, a thorough discussion of the strategy basics and tactics.
Full-member access to all our premium special reports that can make you a wiser and more profitable options trader.

To become a Terry’s Tips Insider Member, just Click Here, select Sign Up Now and use Coupon Code D21M to start a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips for half off. You can cancel after a month but, of course, still keep all the valuable reports.

We look forward to having you join us! Now on to the trade …

Cry Me a Rivian

Electric car maker Rivian (RIVN) reported earnings on Tuesday after the bell that were mixed at best. The company narrowed its adjusted Q4 loss to beat the consensus estimate but missed considerably on revenue. Of greater importance, however, is RIVN’s expected 2023 production of 50,000 compared to the expected 60,000 units.

But on Friday, word “leaked” of a 62,000-unit goal discussed at an internal company meeting. The shares reacted with a 7.6% surge, but still closed the week lower. Although nobody knows for sure, this looks to me like a classic “buy the rumor, sell the news” scenario.

What is known, however, is that the stock was hit with a number of lowered price targets on the earnings news. Yet even with the reductions, the average target price is nearly double Friday’s close. That’s awfully optimistic for a stock that is down 70% from its 52-week high and 8% so far this year. Moreover, the EV space is getting more crowded, even as the dominant player – Tesla – is enjoying a resurgence.

On the chart, RIVN is trading toward the bottom of a two-month range that is being pressured by the declining 20-day (red line) and 50-day (blue line) moving averages. The short call strike of our bearish credit spread sits above these trendlines, so the stock will have to break through this double-barrelled resistance to move the spread into the money.

If you agree that RIVN will struggle with technical resistance following an uninspiring earnings report, consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $19 (green line) through expiration in 6 weeks:

Buy to Open the RIVN 14 Apr 18 call (RIVN230414C18)
Sell to Open the RIVN 14 Apr 16 call (RIVN230414C16) for a credit of $0.45 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.01 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Tuesday’s $14.64 close. Unless RIVN falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $43.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $200, making your net investment $156.30 per spread ($200 – $43.70). If RIVN closes below $16 on Apr. 14, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 28% ($43.70/$156.30).

Testimonial of the Week

I have been a subscriber for about a year. I autotrade in 2 different accounts, all your strategies. I read everything you write on Saturdays. I love your happiness thoughts and everything else. I usually do not communicate at all but I had to tell you how well my accounts with you are doing compared to everything else. You are awesome. Keep up the good work. Thank you. – Maya

Any questions? Email Terry@terrystips.com. Thank you again for being a part of the Terry’s Tips newsletter.

Happy trading,

Jon

Option Trade of the Week – Low Energy

February 22, 2023

Dear [[firstname]],

Here is your Option Trade of the Week, as given to our Terry’s Tips Insider Members as part of their Saturday Report. I stayed on the bearish side this week but opted for an ETF rather than a post-earnings trade.

I’m doing something I rarely do with these trades for the free newsletter – I’m altering it because the trade has run away from the opening price. That is, it’s already up close to 20% in just two days. Because I still believe in the premise of the trade, I’m changing the strikes to give you a better chance for entry … and, of course, profit. Good luck with it.

Before getting to the trade, I wanted to let you know that the Terry’s Tips portfolios are on a hot streak. The combined four portfolios are now beating the S&P 500, led by the Boomer’s Revenge portfolio, which is up a whopping 23% so far this year! That’s on top of the 33% gain during last year’s horrible market performance. Overall, our portfolios beat their underlying stock performance by an average of 22% in 2022.

A month of all trade alerts in our four portfolios, giving detailed instructions for entering and exiting positions.
Four to five (depending on the month) weekly issues of our Saturday Report, which shows all the trades and positions for our four portfolios, a discussion of the week’s trading activity and early access to our Option Trade of the Week.
Instructions on how to execute the 10K Strategy on your own.
A 14-day options tutorial on the opportunities and risks of trading options.
Our updated 10K Strategy white paper, a thorough discussion of the strategy basics and tactics.
Full-member access to all our premium special reports that can make you a wiser and more profitable options trader.

Low Energy

Although there were plenty of earnings reports this week, there weren’t many tradeable choices. By that I mean stocks with options that have decent bid/ask spreads. So, we’re taking a week off from post-earnings plays and going with a powerhouse ETF, the SPDR Utilities ETF (XLU). This market-cap-weighted, $15 billion fund holds utilities companies included in the S&P 500, including NextEra Energy (NEE), Duke Energy (DUK) and Southern Co. (SO).

XLU has underperformed in 2023, falling around 3% compared to the 6.5% increase in the S&P 500. The slide has been guided lower by the 20-day moving average, although the ETF closed slightly above this trendline last Friday. But the 20-day re-asserted itself this week to continue XLU’s slide.

XLU’s top 10 holdings have a similar story, as one would expect. The average return in 2023 is -2.4%, with eight of the 10 in the red. Seven are trading below their respective 50-day moving averages. And eight of the 10 50-day moving averages are declining or rolling over.

This trade is based on XLU continuing its downtrend over the next several weeks. The nearest level of support rests at the 64.50 level (3.6% below Wednesday’s close), the site of bottoms in February and June of last year. The declining 20-day moving average (blue line) remains in play as resistance, which is below the short call strike of our spread (red line), meaning the ETF will have to pierce this resistance to move the spread into the money.

If you agree that XLU will continue to struggle under the weight of moving-average resistance, consider the following trade that relies on the ETF staying below $68.50 through expiration in less than 6 weeks:

Buy to Open the XLU 31 Mar 70.5 call (XLU230331C70.5)
Sell to Open the XLU 31 Mar 68.5 call (XLU230331C68.5) for a credit of $0.50 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.02 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Wednesday’s $66.94 close. Unless XLU falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $48.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $200, making your net investment $151.30 per spread ($200 – $48.70). If XLU closes below $68.50 on Mar. 31, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 32% ($48.70/$151.30).

Any questions? Email Terry@terrystips.com. Thank you again for being a part of the Terry’s Tips newsletter.

Happy trading,

Jon L

Option Trade of the Week – No Do-Over for Earnings

February 15, 2023

Dear [[firstname]],

Here is your Option Trade of the Week, as given to our Terry’s Tips Insider Members as part of their Saturday Report. It’s another post-earnings trade, this time on the bearish side. And you can now collect even more premium for this trade than when I first sent it out.

Before getting to the trade, it’s time for another plug to join Terry’s Tips as an Insider Member that lets you trade up to four portfolios. These portfolios use our proprietary 10K Strategy, which has generated average annual gains of 60% for the past five years in actual brokerage accounts (including all commissions). In 2022, our portfolios beat their underlying stock performance by an average of 22%.

And we’re off to a great start in 2023 … in fact, our portfolio based on IWM, the popular small-cap ETF, is up nearly 14% year to date.

For our loyal newsletter subscribers, I’ve decided to keep the sale going that saves you more than 50% on a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips. For just $98, you’ll get:

A month of all trade alerts in our four portfolios, giving detailed instructions for entering and exiting positions.
Four to five (depending on the month) weekly issues of our Saturday Report, which shows all the trades and positions for our four portfolios, a discussion of the week’s trading activity and early access to our Option Trade of the Week.
Instructions on how to execute the 10K Strategy on your own.
A 14-day options tutorial on the opportunities and risks of trading options.
Our updated 10K Strategy white paper, a thorough discussion of the strategy basics and tactics.
Full-member access to all our premium special reports that can make you a wiser and more profitable options trader.

No Do-Over for Earnings

Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO) – the developer of popular video games such as Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption – reported earnings this week that were not fun and games. The company fell short of expectations for earnings and revenue (more specifically, net bookings), citing gamers being more careful with their spending. To add more misery, TTWO lowered its revenue guidance for the fourth quarter and FY 2023. The company also announced cost-cutting measures, including dropping personnel.

Analysts were mostly disappointed in the report, responding with a series of lowered target prices (there was one increase). The new average target is still 17% above Friday’s closing price, so there’s room for more cuts. There were no rating changes, which seems at odds with the price moves. Given that 80% of covering analysts rate the stock a buy or better, you’d think there could be some downgrades based on earnings that could put pressure on the shares.

Despite the poor report, TTWO surged nearly 8% the day after earnings. But that brought the stock close to its declining 200-day moving average, a trendline it last traded above exactly one year ago. Moreover, it’s noteworthy that the shares sagged throughout the rest of the week following the earnings pop. This trade is thus based on the 200-day resistance holding over the next several weeks, as we are playing a call spread with the short call strike sitting above the trendline.

If you agree that TTWO will continue to struggle under the weight of the 200-day moving average (blue line), consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $117 (red line) through expiration in 7 weeks:

Buy to Open the TTWO 31 Mar 120 call (TTWO230331C120)
Sell to Open the TTWO 31 Mar 117 call (TTWO230331C117) for a credit of $0.85 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.05 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $111.10 close. Unless TTWO falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $83.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $300, making your net investment $216.30 per spread ($300 – $83.70). If TTWO closes below $117 on Mar. 31, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 39% ($83.70/$216.30).

Any questions? Email Terry@terrystips.com. Thank you again for being a part of the Terry’s Tips newsletter.

Happy trading,

Jon

Tarnished Goldman

January 24, 2023

Dear [[firstname]],

Here is your Option Trade of the Week, as given to our Terry’s Tips Insider Members as part of the Saturday Report. With earnings season underway, we’re back to our typical earnings plays with a return to the bearish side.

Before getting to the trade, there’s still time to jump on our huge discount offer to join Terry’s Tips as an Insider Member that lets you trade up to four portfolios. These portfolios use our proprietary 10K Strategy, which has generated average annual gains of 60% for the past five years in actual brokerage accounts (including all commissions). In 2022, our portfolios beat their underlying stock performance by an average of 22%.

We’re still running a special new-year sale that saves you more than 50% on a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips. For just $98, you’ll get:

A month of all trade alerts in our four portfolios, giving detailed instructions for entering and exiting positions.
Four to five (depending on the month) weekly issues of our Saturday Report, which shows all the trades and positions for our four portfolios, a discussion of the week’s trading activity and early access to our Option Trade of the Week.
Instructions on how to execute the 10K Strategy on your own.
A 14-day options tutorial on the opportunities and risks of trading options.
Our updated 10K Strategy white paper, a thorough discussion of the strategy basics and tactics.
Full-member access to all our premium special reports that can make you a wiser and more profitable options trader.

Tarnished Goldman

With earnings season now underway, we can focus on companies that have recently reported. Though the docket was sparse this past week, there were a few juicy names to choose from. One was Goldman Sachs (GS), which reported a miserable quarter before the week’s trading began on Tuesday.

Earnings plunged 66% from a year earlier on slower corporate dealmaking and 48% lower investment banking fees. Earnings per share came in at $3.32, far below the expected $5.56. FactSet noted it was the bank’s largest miss in years. Revenue also dropped and missed estimates.

The stock reacted by falling 6.4% on Tuesday, its second-largest one-day, post-earnings decline since April 2009. The week didn’t get any better for GS, as reports came in on Friday that the Federal Reserve is investigating whether the bank had the appropriate safeguards in its consumer business. The stock fell 2.5% on a day when stocks were higher.

The stock’s 8.6% plummet last week pulled it below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages. The 50-day is rolling over into a decline for the first time in three months, while the 20-day appears poised to head lower as well. We are going with a bearish call spread, with the short call strike sitting between the 20-day (blue line) and 50-day (red line) trendlines. However, given the 50-day’s current path, it should fall below this strike and serve as a second potential point of resistance to keep the spread out of the money.

If you agree that GS will continue to struggle, consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $360 (green line) through expiration in 6 weeks:

Buy to Open the GS 3 Mar 365 call (GS230303C365)

Sell to Open the GS 3 Mar 360 call (GS230303C360) for a credit of $1.25 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.05 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $341.84 close. Unless GS falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price. The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $123.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $500, making your net investment $376.30 per spread ($500 – $123.70). If GS closes below $360 on Mar. 3, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 33% ($123.70/$376.30).

Any questions? Email Terry@terrystips.com

Testimonial of the Week

~ Maya

Any questions? Email Terry@terrystips.com.

Thank you again for being a part of the Terry’s Tips newsletter.

Happy trading,

Terry

Trade of the Week – Attention Shoppers

January 9, 2023

Dear [[firstname]],

Here is your Option Trade of the Week, generated by our trading team, for your consideration. We’re going with another ETF this week, but this time back on the bearish side.

Before getting to the trade, there’s still time to jump on our huge discount offer to join Terry’s Tips as an Insider Member that lets you trade up to four portfolios. These portfolios use our proprietary 10K Strategy, which has generated average annual gains of 60% for the past five years in actual brokerage accounts (including all commissions). In 2022, our portfolios beat their underlying stock performance by an average of 22%.

We’re still running a special new-year sale that saves you more than 50% on a monthly subscription to Terry’s Tips. For just $98, you’ll get:

A month of all trade alerts in our four portfolios, giving detailed instructions for entering and exiting positions.
Four to five (depending on the month) weekly issues of our Saturday Report, which shows all the trades and positions for our four portfolios, a discussion of the week’s trading activity and early access to our Option Trade of the Week.
Instructions on how to execute the 10K Strategy on your own.
A 14-day options tutorial on the opportunities and risks of trading options.
Our updated 10K Strategy white paper, a thorough discussion of the strategy basics and tactics.
Full-member access to all our premium special reports that can make you a wiser and more profitable options trader.

Attention Shoppers

With earnings reports non-existent, we’re sticking with ETFs again this week, this time on the bearish side with the retail sector. The SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) is a broad-based, equal-weighted index of around 100 retail stocks. No stock is worth more than 1.5% of the portfolio and the top 10 holdings are littered with small niche names, some of which I’ve frankly never heard of (Sally Beauty, Franchise Group, Leslie’s). Amazon and Costco, on the other hand, make up a mere 2.2% combined.

XRT had a rough 2022, losing about a third of its value. That puts it on par with tech stocks, which it is not, and trailing the broader market. Should we expect a rebound in 2023? I won’t hazard a guess. But we know the Fed will continue to raise rates to tame inflation. Many expect some sort of recession. The outlook appears muddy at best and bearish at worst.

XRT has staged a mini-rally to start 2023, gaining 3.8% in the first week. But the ETF is now bumping into its 50-day moving average. However, the 50-day hasn’t provided much resistance or support for the past several months. Of greater concern is the overhead 200-day moving average, which has been declining for more than a year. This trendline marked a top in August and kept XRT in check in November, allowing just two daily closes above it.

This bearish trade is a play on XRT once again faltering at the 200-day, which sits 3.7% above the Friday closing price. Note that the short call strike of our spread (red line) sits above the 200-day (blue line), meaning this resistance will need to be broken to move the spread into the money. Options traders have a similar outlook, pricing puts higher than equidistant out-of-the-money calls.

If you agree that XRT will fail to overtake the 200-day, consider the following trade that relies on the ETF staying below $66 through expiration in 6 weeks:

Buy to Open the XRT 17 Feb 69 call (XRT230217C69)

Sell to Open the XRT 17 Feb 66 call (XRT230217C66) for a credit of $0.85 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.05 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Monday’s $62.46 close. Unless XRT drops quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $83.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $300, making your net investment $216.30 per spread ($300 – $83.70). If XRT closes below $66 on Feb. 17, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 39% ($83.70/$216.30).

Testimonial of the Week

Thank you again for being a part of the Terry’s Tips newsletter. Any questions? Email Terry@terrystips.com

Happy trading,

Terry

Cutting Back on Meds

November 28, 2022

Medical-device maker Medtronic (MDT) reported earnings this week that hardly impressed the Street. Quarterly sales and earnings fell from a year earlier, with revenue falling short of analyst expectations while profits met projections. The company also cut its full-year guidance, citing the usual supply-chain disruptions and a slower recovery in medical procedures postponed due to the pandemic.

MDT’s report was met with a couple of downgrades along with a heavy dose of target price declines. Nevertheless, the average price target sits above $94, about 19% higher than Friday’s close. That leaves room for more price target cutbacks.

The stock price has been sliding from more than a year, falling 42% from a record high reached in Sep. 2021. Since April, MDT has displayed a pattern of lower highs and lows with the 50-day moving average keeping a lid on brief rallies. The 50-day currently sits at $83, which is also the strike of the short call in our credit spread. This trade is thus based on the current downtrend continuing, with the declining 50-day providing resistance and keeping our spread out of the money.

If you agree that MDT will continue to trade beneath the 50-day moving average (blue line), consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $83 (red line) through expiration in six weeks:

Buy to Open the MDT 6 Jan 85 call (MDT230106C85)
Sell to Open the MDT 6 Jan 83 call (MDT230106C83) for a credit of $0.40 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.03 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $79.12 close. Unless MDT falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $38.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $200, making your net investment $161.30 per spread ($200 – $38.70). If MDT closes below $83 on Jan. 6, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 24% ($38.70/$161.30).

Down Goes Tyson

November 21, 2022

Down Goes Tyson

Tyson Foods (TSN) can’t seem to get out of its own way. The company reported earnings on Nov. 14 that missed estimates on profits but beat on revenue. Higher chicken prices squeezed gross margins, which were cut in half.

But TSN has other problems. The week before earnings, the company’s CFO was arrested for public intoxication and criminal trespass. This week, the company recalled 94,000 pounds of ground beef that reportedly contained a “reflective, mirror-like material,” whatever that means.

Analysts didn’t seem to like the earnings news, as the stock was hit with a few target price downgrades. Even so, the average price target is 24% above Friday’s close, which seems overly optimistic. Perhaps the options market is more in touch with TSN’s prospects, as out-of-the-money puts are priced higher than the corresponding calls.

The stock traded lower after earnings and throughout the week, falling nearly 3%. While hardly catastrophic, the more bearish development is the continued resistance provided by the 50-day moving average. The stock hasn’t closed a day above the 50-day since it crossed below it in early August. Moreover, recent rally attempts in the past couple of weeks were firmly rebuffed.

This trade is based on TSN continuing to trade sideways or lower beneath the weight of the 50-day moving average (blue line). Note that the short call strike (red line) of our credit spread lies just above this trendline, meaning that TSN will have to overcome this resistance to put our spread in danger

If you agree that TSN will continue to trade beneath the 50-day moving average, consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $67.50 through expiration in four weeks:

Buy to Open the TSN 16 Dec 70 call (TSN221216C70)
Sell to Open the TSN 16 Dec 67.5 call (TSN221216C67.5) for a credit of $0.50 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.02 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $65.52 close. Unless TSN falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $48.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $250, making your net investment $201.30 per spread ($250 – $48.70). If TSN closes below $67.50 on Dec. 16, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 24% ($48.70/$201.30).

ABBV Not Immune to a Pullback

October 8, 2022

Pharmaceutical giant AbbVie (ABBV) reported mixed results in its recent earnings report. While earnings beat the consensus estimate, revenue fell short. Notably, the company’s immunology portfolio, which includes popular TV-ad drugs such as Humira, fell short of expectations. ABBV’s CEO cited the usual (and seemingly generic) “economic headwinds” as hurting the company’s aesthetic business (ABBVIE makes Botox).

While analysts didn’t hit ABBV with any downgrades, there was a flurry of target price decreases. The average estimate is now $157, about 8% above Friday’s close. That doesn’t seem unreasonable, nor is the average analyst rating, which has been slipping into the buy-hold region.

On the charts, ABBV’s earnings knocked the stock below its 200-day moving average, a trendline that has provided solid resistance to any rally attempts other than a brief spurt prior to earnings. This trade is thus a bet that the stock will continue to trade sideways as it has for the past six months, with the 200-day defining the upper rail of the trading range. Note that the short call of our spread is above the 200-day, so the stock will have to break this resistance to move the spread into the money.

If you agree that ABBV will continue to respect the 200-day (blue line), consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $150 (red line) through expiration in six weeks:

Buy to Open the ABBV 16 Dec 155 call (ABBV221216C155)
Sell to Open the ABBV 16 Dec 150 call (ABBV221216C150) for a credit of $1.98 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.02 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Monday’s $148.10 close. Unless ABBV falls quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $196.80. This trade reduces your buying power by $500, making your net investment $303.20 per spread ($500 – $196.80). If ABBV closes below $150 on Dec. 16, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 65% ($196.80/$303.20).

Schwab Tested

October 24, 2022

Schwab (SCHW) reported earnings on Monday before the open that set records for both earnings per share and revenue. Both numbers exceeded the consensus analyst estimates. SCHW attributed the great quarter to its “diversified financial model and a significant benefit from higher rates.”

Analysts didn’t appear moved by the record numbers, though. There were no upgrades (nor downgrades), and just one price target decrease. Perhaps that’s because analysts have been overly bullish on a stock that is down 16% this year. Plus, analysts have an average price target that is 19% above Friday’s close.

Despite the earnings success, the stock didn’t do much in a week where the S&P 500 climbed nearly 5%. The stock couldn’t even manage a weekly gain of 2%, keeping it mired in a trading range that has persisted since late July. On the chart, the shares are looking up at the 20-day, 50-day and 200-day moving averages, all of which are pointing lower.

This trade is based on SCHW continuing to struggle in gaining any momentum now that earnings is past. Heavy overhead resistance should keep the stock contained. That’s why we’re going with a call credit spread with the short call strike sitting just above the 200-day moving average (blue line). Note that the 20-day and 50-day trendlines sit between the stock price and short strike, too.If you agree that SCHW will continue to trade sideways, consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $75 (red line) through expiration in five weeks:

Buy to Open the SCHW 25 Nov 77 call (SCHW221125C77)
Sell to Open the SCHW 25 Nov 75 call (SCHW221125C75) for a credit of $0.50 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.03 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $70.32 close. Unless SCHW sags quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $48.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $200, making your net investment $151.30 per spread ($200 – $48.70). If SCHW closes below $75 on Nov. 25, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 32% ($48.70/$151.30).

Underspiced

Spice maker McCormick (MKC) reported earnings this week that had no sizzle. Revenue and earnings both missed expectations by more than a little. The CEO said that “supply chain challenges continued, and recovery of certain constrained materials has taken longer than expected.” I’m not sure what that specifically means, but it doesn’t sound good.

The stock reacted with a brief burst on Thursday, but eventually finished lower. This shouldn’t be a surprise, though, as the stock has been in a pronounced decline since mid-August. The downtrend has covered more than 20%, pulling MKC to its lowest level since the COVID crash in early 2020. Moreover, the descent has been perfectly contained by the 20-day moving average, which hasn’t allowed a single close above it since Aug. 23.

If you agree that MKC will continue to decline under the weight of the 20-day (blue line), consider the following trade that relies on the stock staying below $75 (red line) through expiration in six weeks:

Buy to Open the MKC 18 Nov 80 call (MKC221118C80)
Sell to Open the MKC 18 Nov 75 call (MKC221111C75) for a credit of $1.45 (selling a vertical)

This credit is $0.05 less than the mid-point price of the spread at Friday’s $73.44 close. Unless MKC sags quickly, you should be able to get close to that price.

The commission on this trade should be no more than $1.30 per spread. Each spread would then yield $143.70. This trade reduces your buying power by $500, making your net investment $356.30 per spread ($500 – $143.70). If MKC closes below $75 on Nov. 18, both options will expire worthless and your return on the spread would be 40% ($143.70/$356.30).

Tag Archives: Bearish Options Strategies

Option Trade of the Week – Cry Me a Rivian

Making 36%

Success Stories

Option Trade of the Week – Low Energy

Making 36%

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Option Trade of the Week – No Do-Over for Earnings

Making 36%

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Tarnished Goldman

Making 36%

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Trade of the Week – Attention Shoppers

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Cutting Back on Meds

Making 36%

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Down Goes Tyson

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