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Last Minute Facebook Earnings Play:
Over the past few weeks, I have suggested legging into calendar spreads at a price slightly above the current stock price for companies that would be announcing earnings about two or three weeks later. The underlying idea of these spreads is that, 1) in the days leading up to the announcement, the stock tends to drift higher as hope for a positive announcement grows and, 2) implied volatility (IV) of the option series that expires directly after the announcement date almost always soars because big moves in the stock often take place right after results are disclosed.
In my personal account, in the last few weeks, I have both told you about and used this strategy for SBUX, JNJ, and FB. In each case, I bought a slightly out-of-the-money call a few weeks out and immediately placed an order to sell the post-announcement same-strike call so that I would create a calendar spread at a credit.
In every case, I was able to complete the calendar spread at a credit which was large enough to cover the cost of the call I had bought as well as commissions on the trade ($1.25 per option at the commission rate thinkorswim charges Terry’s Tips subscribers). This means I not only made a small profit at the time, but I was guaranteed a much larger profit when the short calls expired. The closer the stock price ends up to the strike price, the greater that profit will be.
Last week, I also tried this strategy with Time Warner (TWX), another company I like. I bought 27 May 16 76 calls when TWX was trading at $75.50, paying $2.31. I immediately placed a good-til-cancelled order to sell 6 May 16 76 calls for $2.39. This was executed the following day, and I now own a calendar spread that is guaranteed to make me a profit. TWX announces on May 4 before the open and I will close out the calendar two days later when the 6 May 16 calls expire.
There is something wonderful about owning an option spread that is guaranteed to make a profit. The only question mark is how big that profit will be.
FB announces after the close tomorrow, April 27. It is too late to leg into a calendar spread like I did for the above 4 companies, but it is not too late to take advantage of some huge IV advantages. IV for the 29 APR 16 series has soared to 82 (it was “only” 52 a week ago). IV for the 17 JUN 16 series is only 34. These IVs make the FB calendar spreads exceptionally cheap right now, at least to my way of thinking.
With FB trading about $109 today, these are the calendar spreads I have placed:
Buy to Open FB 17 JUN 16 105 puts (FB160617P105)
Sell to Open FB 29 APR 16 105 puts (FB160417P105) for a debit of $1.58 (buying a calendar)
Buy to Open FB 17 JUN 16 110 puts (FB160617P110)
Sell to Open FB 29 APR 16 110 puts (FB160417P110) for a debit of $1.52 (buying a calendar)
Buy to Open FB 17 JUN 16 115 calls (FB160617C115)
Sell to Open FB 29 APR 16 115 calls (FB160417C115) for a debit of $1.52 (buying a calendar)
These prices are a little more than the mid-point of the bid-ask range for the calendar spreads. You should be able to get these prices.
On Friday when the short options expire, an at-the-money calendar spread with 49 days of remaining life (as these are) should be worth over $5, or more than what I paid for all three spreads. If the stock is $5 higher or lower than a strike, the calendar should be worth over $2.50, well more than what any of the spreads cost.
I think these are good trades to make and am hoping for a $110 price for FB on Friday near the close. If that comes about, I should more than double my investment in less than a week.
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Terry
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