EXPE - Expedia, Inc. – Shares in online travel company, Expedia, Inc., are getting pummeled today, down as much as 27% during morning trading to a new 52-week low of $47.55, after the company yesterday reported second-quarter earnings and revenue that missed analyst estimates. Some options traders are bracing for further near-term declines in the price of the underlying shares, snapping up roughly 1,000 Aug $45 strike puts for an average premium of $0.64 apiece. The contracts make money at expiration next month if shares in Expedia drop 6.7% from today’s low of $47.55 to breach the average breakeven point on the downside at $44.36. The Sep $45 strike put options are also attracting fresh interest, with around 2,500 contracts in play versus open interest of just 50 contracts. It looks like most of the Sep $45 puts were purchased for an average premium of $1.20 apiece this morning. Meanwhile, trading traffic in the Jan 2014 calls suggests one trader may be positioning for shares in the name to rebound significantly by expiration next year. The strategist appears to have purchased a 1,500-lot Jan 2014 $54.48/$64.48 bull call spread at a net premium of $1.75 per contract. The spread starts making money if shares in Expedia rally 18% off today’s low to exceed the effective breakeven price of $56.23, with maximum potential profits of $8.25 per contract available on the position given a more than 35% upside move in the price of the underlying to $64.48 by expiration next year.
KO - Coca-Cola Co. – Activity in Coca-Cola Co. weekly put options on Friday morning indicates some traders are positioning for shares in the world’s largest beverage maker to extend declines during the next five trading sessions. Shares in KO are off 1.7% today at $40.15…
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