FeedPosted Mar 19th 2010 2:00PM by Elizabeth Harrow (RSS feed)
Filed under: Options, Technical Analysis, Crocs Inc (CROX), Stocks to Sell
On Thursday, the shares of Crocs, Inc. (CROX) shuffled to a new 52-week high for the second time in as many sessions. The equity topped out at $8.47 on an intraday basis, marking its best price since July 2008. But with the stock hovering near a 20-month peak, can the shares continue to climb -- or are they due for a pullback?
If today's drop of more than 2% is any indication, it seems that CROX's positive momentum is cooling. The stock's Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 63, not far from overbought territory, so this modest retreat isn't terribly surprising.
Continue reading Can Crocs Continue Its Quest for New Highs?
Posted Mar 18th 2010 1:00PM by Elizabeth Harrow (RSS feed)
Filed under: Earnings Reports, Options, Technical Analysis
After the closing bell, SunPower Corporation (SPWRA) will take the spotlight to reveal its fourth-quarter earnings. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters are expecting the solar concern to report net income of 49 cents per share, down from its year-ago profit of 70 cents per share. Sales for the period are expected to arrive at $491 million.
SunPower has a solid history in the earnings spotlight, having exceeded Wall Street's consensus expectations in three of the past four reporting periods. Judging by a recent uptick in call buying, some traders appear to be anticipating another upside surprise.
Continue reading What's in Store for SunPower After Earnings?
Posted Mar 18th 2010 10:10AM by Connie Madon (RSS feed)
Filed under: Analyst Reports, Forecasts, Technical Analysis, Oil
Gordon Manning, technical analyst at National Australia Bank Ltd, foresees oil rallying to $88 per barrel.
Technical traders use support and resistance chart points to plot their trades. Resistance is an upside barrier that must be penetrated for prices to go higher. Support is a base line that must be breached for prices to go lower. Each day trader uses various formulas to calculate support and resistance for that day. Chartists do the same but for longer periods.
If you watched the price action of oil futures you noticed that prices are fluctuating between $80 and $83 per barrel. The first line of resistance then is at $83. If prices moved upward, through $83, then traders will look for the next level of resistance. In this case Manning sees that as the $88 level.
Continue reading Technical Analyst Sees Oil Rallying to $88 per Barrel
Posted Mar 16th 2010 1:00PM by Elizabeth Harrow (RSS feed)
Filed under: Coca-Cola (KO), Options, Technical Analysis
Are shares of The Coca-Cola Company (KO) poised for a technical breakout? One options trader seems to think so -- during the course of Monday's trading, a long strangle was opened on the blue-chip soda stock. In this two-legged spread, the direction of the stock's move doesn't matter -- only its magnitude.
Specifically, a block of 422 April 52.50 puts traded at the ask price of $0.68 around midday Monday. Simultaneously, a matching block of 422 April 55 calls changed hands at the ask price of $0.46. Implied volatility rose with each transaction, and open interest at both strikes rose overnight, confirming that these were newly opened positions.
Continue reading Option Player Strangles Coca-Cola Company
Posted Mar 11th 2010 12:40PM by Elizabeth Harrow (RSS feed)
Filed under: Management, Options, Technical Analysis, E*TRADE (ETFC)
On Wednesday afternoon, interim CEO Robert Druskin confessed that E*Trade Financial (ETFC) is headed back to the drawing board in its search for a permanent new leader. At an investor conference, Druskin explained that the online broker's preferred candidate for the position was no longer in the running. (He didn't identify the erstwhile candidate, but we can safely assume it was not Lindsay Lohan.)
Druskin's announcement yesterday confirmed a recent report in The Wall Street Journal's Deal Blog. In a post published March 2, a trio of reporters explained that "E*Trade directors were concerned that the [top candidate] might become distracted by a pending divorce, according to people with knowledge of the discussions."
Continue reading E*Trade Financial Hits a Snag in CEO Search
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