Today’s tickers: TGT, DOW & ADSK
TGT - Target Corp. – Shares in Target kicked off the final trading session of the week in positive territory, but have since shed earlier gains to stand 0.50% lower on the day at $61.53 as of 11:10 a.m. ET. The big box retailer popped up on our market scanners in the early going due to heavy trading traffic in front month put options. Interest in the Feb. $60 strike puts has been increasing throughout the morning, with volume currently topping 12,100 lots versus previously existing open interest of 2,827 contracts. Most of the put options appear to have been purchased for an average premium of $0.36 apiece. The contracts make money, or provide downside protection, should shares in Target decline another 3.1% to breach the average breakeven point at $59.64 by February expiration. Target Corp. is scheduled to report fourth-quarter earnings before the opening bell on February 27th, nearly two weeks after February options expiration.
DOW - Dow Chemical Co. – Upside call options in play on Dow Chemical this morning look for shares in the largest U.S. chemical maker by revenue to rally to their highest level in more than a year during the next couple of months. Shares in the name today trade up better than 0.50% to stand at $34.62 as of 11:45 a.m. ET. The stock has rallied more than 25% off a mid-November, 2012, 52-week low of $27.45.Traders positioning for shares in Dow Chemical to extend gains picked up more than 7,400 calls at the Mar. $36 strike for an average premium of $0.54 each. The bullish options make money if shares in DOW rally another 5.5% to top the average breakeven price of$36.54 by March expiration. Shares in Dow Chemical last traded above $36.54 in July of 2011. Overall options volume in excess of 20,000 contracts in play on the chemical company as of midday in New York is significantly greater than the stock’s average daily volume of around 13,000 contracts. Trading traffic in options on the Midland, Michigan-based Company is on the…
