Today’s tickers: CSTR, BCS & SWY
CSTR - Coinstar, Inc. – Shares in the provider of coin-counting and Redbox self-service kiosks are bucking the trend today, surging as much as 13.7% during the session to hit a new all-time high of $69.74, after the Company raised its 2012 earnings forecast. The down-day for U.S. equities has taken some of the wind out of Coinstar’s sails this afternoon, though the stock continues to trade 7.6% higher at $66.00 as of 12:25 p.m. on the East Coast. Options on the kiosk provider are far more active than usual, with volume up above 16,000 contracts in early-afternoon trade, versus the stock’s 90-day average volume of 2,012 contracts. Trading patterns are mixed, but there are some strategists positioning for the rally to continue next week. Out-of-the-money calls in the front month attracted bullish bets, with more than 2,060 contracts changing hands at the April $70 strike against 1,720 open positions. The $72.5 strike calls expiring next week traded more than 540 times, with much of the volume initiated by buyers shelling out an average premium of $0.44 apiece this morning. Traders long the $72.5 strike calls profit at expiration in the event that shares jump 10.5% to surpass the average breakeven price of $72.94. Barring that move, call buyers lose the full amount of premium paid if the options are out-of-the-money at April expiration.
BCS - Barclays PLC – Put options on Barclays are more active than usual, with shares in the financial services provider sliding 4.1% to $13.74 by midday in New York. The stock joined in on the broad market decline, pulling back on European concerns, China’s GDP reading and U.S. consumer confidence data, to snap the three-day rally in equities. The heaviest action in BCS options is in the…
