Visa, Inc. Call Options Fly Off the Shelves

Today’s tickers: V, AXP, GIS, HNZ, AFFY, REV, AA & ORCL V - Visa, Inc. – Frenzied call buying ensued on global payments network, Visa, Inc., this afternoon with the price of the underlying shares rallying as much as 8.76% to secure an intraday high of $83.79. Visa’s shares are currently up a more modest 4.90% to stand at $80.82 as of 3:10 pm (ET). The sharp rally in Visa’s share price likely stems from news that U.S. politicians reached an agreement on the regulation of interchange/”swipe” fees on credit and debit card transactions. Investors flooded the near-term July contract on Visa, Inc. to initiate bullish stances on the stock. Options traders expecting continued upward movement in the price of Visa’s shares by July expiration picked up approximately 6,800 calls at the July $85 strike for an average premium of $1.41 each. Investors long the July $85 strike calls make money only if shares of the underlying stock trade above $86.41 ahead of expiration day next month. Buying interest spread to the higher July $90 strike where some 4,300 calls were purchased at an average premium of $0.46 each. Call buyers at this strike price accrue profits if the firm’s shares surge 11.9% from the current price of $80.82 to trade above the average breakeven point to the upside at $90.46 by July expiration day. Finally, investors honed in on the July $95 strike to take ownership of 1,300 calls for an average premium of $0.19 per contract. Options players populating Visa, Inc. this afternoon displayed a clear preference for bullish calls on the stock by exchanging more than 2.3 call options to each single put contract in play thus far in the session. But, some optimistic individuals utilized puts to take a near-term bullish stance on Visa. Investors sold at least 1,400 puts at the July $80 strike to receive an average premium of $2.81 per contract. Put sellers keep the full premium pocketed on the transaction as long as Visa’s shares exceed $80.00 through expiration day next month. Investors short the puts are apparently happy to have shares of the underlying stock put to them at an effective price of $77.19 each in the event the puts land in-the-money at expiration. AXP - American Express Co. – The global payments company appeared on our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner this afternoon after one options strategist initiated a bearish put butterfly…