Today’s tickers: SFLY, SU & SHS
SFLY - Shutterfly, Inc. – Options volume on Shutterfly jumped this morning and shares in the online photo-sharing services provider jumped nearly 20% to a new 52-week high of $40.20 after the company posted higher-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue and forecast annual sales above average analyst expectations. Traders positioning for shares in Shutterfly to extend gains in the near term snapped up February expiry calls on the stock today. Upwards of 1,100 calls have changed hands at both the Feb. $40 and $42.5 striking prices as of 11:40 a.m. ET, and it looks like much of the volume was purchased in the early going at average premiums of $0.96 and $0.39 apiece, respectively. Call buyers may profit at expiration next week if SFLY’s shares increase another 1.9% and 6.7% to exceed average breakeven prices of $40.96 and $42.89. Bullish positions established ahead of Shutterfly’s fourth-quarter earnings report fetched hefty overnight paper profits forsome options players today. Traders who yesterday purchased around 300 calls at the Feb. $32.5 strike for an average premium of $1.88 each, today find these contracts have quadrupled in value, changing hands at a premium of $7.60 apiece, just before midday in New York. Roughly 250 calls were picked up at the Feb. $37.5 strike on Tuesday for an average premium of $0.37 per contract. Traders long the $37.5 strike call options today hold contracts that have increased eight-fold overnight to $3.10 each as of last check on Wednesday morning at 11:50 a.m. ET. Overall options volume on Shutterfly is approaching 10,600 contracts, a big jump versus the stock’s average daily options volume of around 1,140 contracts.
SU - Suncor, Inc. – Shares in Suncor, the largest Canadian energy company by market value, dropped 5.7% today to $32.55 after the company posted a first quarter loss on Tuesday after the close. Options volume on Suncor today is nearly five times greater than average, with more than 25,500 contracts in play on the stock versus average daily options volume of 5,670 contracts. The bulk of the volume is changing hands…
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