Today’s tickers: TMO, ODP & LYB
TMO - Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. – Front month call buying on the provider of analytical technologies and laboratory products suggests at least one options player is positioning for the price of the underlying to extend gains in the near term. Shares in Thermo Fisher Scientific moved up sharply in the first three months of the 2012, climbing nearly 30.0% to $58.37 by the end of March. April showers washed away some of those gains, however, with the stock surrendering around 9.0% during the first two weeks of this month. Today’s 2.6% pop in the price of the underlying to $54.72 saw a pickup in near-term bullish action on the stock. One or more traders snapped up calls on TMO, with around 1,090 contracts changing hands at the April $55 strike against open interest of 254 positions. Most of the calls appear to have been purchased for an average premium of $0.50 apiece, thus positioning buyers to profit should Thermo Fisher’s shares increase another 1.4% to surpass the breakeven price of $55.50 by expiration next week. The Waltham, Massachusetts-based company is scheduled to report first-quarter earnings ahead of the opening bell on April 25th, the week following options expiration.
ODP - Office Depot, Inc. – The single-largest trade in Office Depot options this morning appears to be a vote of confidence in the office supplies retailer, initiated by an investor positioning for shares in the name to trade north of $2.50 through October expiration. Shares today rose 3.5% to stand at $3.23 as of 12:45 p.m. in New York. It looks like the strategist responsible for the bullish bet on ODP sold 2,500 puts at the Oct. $2.5 strike to pocket premium of $0.25 per contract. The trader keeps the full amount…
