Today’s tickers: TSLA, NYT & LO
TSLA - Tesla Motors, Inc. – Shares in electric vehicle maker, Tesla Motors, Inc., are taking a hit today, down 7.8% at $28.27 as of 11:05 a.m. ET, after the company lowered its third-quarter and full-year revenue estimates and said it plans to issue more stock. Options volume on Tesla is nearly twice the stock’s average daily volume this morning, with some strategists preparing for further declines in the price of the underlying. Near-term bearish positioning in the front month is heaviest at the Oct. $26 strike where upwards of 2,100 put options changed hands against open interest of 905 contracts. It looks like traders purchased most of these contracts for an average premium of $1.05 apiece. Put buyers stand ready to profit at expiration next month in the event that Tesla’s shares drop nearly 12% from the current price to settle below the breakeven point at $24.95. Bears also looked to the $28 strike put options expiring in October, buying around 800 contracts in the early going for an average premium of $2.01 each. The purchase of a 300-lot Oct. $29/$32 bear put spread on Monday prepared one strategist for an adverse move in the price of the underlying today. The trader appears to have purchased the spread for a net premium of $1.68 per contract yesterday afternoon, looking for a minimum 1.2% decline in the $30.70 share price at the time of the trade to the breakeven point at $30.32. Shares are currently trading well below the lower $29 striking price; maximum possible profits of $1.32 per contract are available on the strategy at October expiration as long as shares settle below $29.00. Finally, contrarian players positioning for a rebound in TSLA shares in the next four weeks picked up around 400 calls at the Oct. $29 strike for an average premium of $1.07 apiece. Call buyers stand ready to profit at expiration should the stock rally at least 6% over the current price to exceed $30.07.…
