Earnings
COST announces earnings on Thursday after market close. With a background implied volatility of 21%, it doesn't meet my basic earnings play sniff test, but naturally that can increase running into earnings, so it may be worth keeping an eye on.
Preliminarily, the Oct 20th 158/170 short strangle currently pays 2.21 at the mid with break evens around the 1 standard deviation line for both sides. The defined risk version of that play, a 155/158/170/173 iron condor, brings in 1.00, with break evens wide of the expected on both sides. (I looked at using the Oct 13th expiry to take maximum advantage of any vol contraction post-earnings, but strikes where I would want to set up my tent were less than ideal).
Non-Earnings
Post-earnings, BBRY implied volatility remains fairly high at 46.25%, placing it in the upper one quarter of the where it's been over the past 52 weeks. Given the size of the underlying, the only play that makes sense from a nondirectional standpoint is a Nov 17th 11 short straddle, which is paying 1.24 at the mid with break evens at 9.75 and 12.25.
The generic drug maker TEVA's implied is at 51.31%, which is around the middle of its range over the past 52. It's not quite where I'd like to see it, and the Nov 17th 15/20 short strangle is only paying .80 at the mid with break evens short of the 1 standard deviation line In contrast, the Nov 17th 17.5 short straddle is paying 2.46 with break evens wide of the expected on both sides, but the comparable iron fly -- a Nov 17th 12.5/17.5/17.5/22.5 only pays 2.20, short of the one-quarter of the width of the longs I like to get out of those. For those looking to strategically acquire shares or to just sell directional premium, the 30 delta Nov 10th 16 short put is paying .52 at the mid with a break even of 15.48.
Toy maker MAT has the right rank/implied metrics here, but with earnings a mere 17 days out, the preference is wait to put on a play shortly before earnings to take maximum advantage of vol contraction.
Exchange-Traded Funds
These are my bread and butter trades, but there's little bread and no butter here. The highest implied volatility exchange traded fund is EWZ at 31.43%, but it's in the lower one-fourth of where it's been over the past year. GDXJ follows with 29.93%; XOP, 25.96%; GDX, 23.25%; and OIH, 24.21%, all at the bottom end of their ranges and, in any event, below 35% implied generally.
VIX et al.
VIX finished Friday at sub-10 levels and its "little buddies" (VXX, UVXY, SVXY) continue to be cannibalized by contango. Sit on your hands for any VIX "Term Structure" trade (the first /VX future trading at >16 is in April) and wait for a VXST/VIX ratio pop to greater than 1.15 (Friday finish: 83.6) to put on plays in VXX, UVXY, and/or SVXY.
COST announces earnings on Thursday after market close. With a background implied volatility of 21%, it doesn't meet my basic earnings play sniff test, but naturally that can increase running into earnings, so it may be worth keeping an eye on.
Preliminarily, the Oct 20th 158/170 short strangle currently pays 2.21 at the mid with break evens around the 1 standard deviation line for both sides. The defined risk version of that play, a 155/158/170/173 iron condor, brings in 1.00, with break evens wide of the expected on both sides. (I looked at using the Oct 13th expiry to take maximum advantage of any vol contraction post-earnings, but strikes where I would want to set up my tent were less than ideal).
Non-Earnings
Post-earnings, BBRY implied volatility remains fairly high at 46.25%, placing it in the upper one quarter of the where it's been over the past 52 weeks. Given the size of the underlying, the only play that makes sense from a nondirectional standpoint is a Nov 17th 11 short straddle, which is paying 1.24 at the mid with break evens at 9.75 and 12.25.
The generic drug maker TEVA's implied is at 51.31%, which is around the middle of its range over the past 52. It's not quite where I'd like to see it, and the Nov 17th 15/20 short strangle is only paying .80 at the mid with break evens short of the 1 standard deviation line In contrast, the Nov 17th 17.5 short straddle is paying 2.46 with break evens wide of the expected on both sides, but the comparable iron fly -- a Nov 17th 12.5/17.5/17.5/22.5 only pays 2.20, short of the one-quarter of the width of the longs I like to get out of those. For those looking to strategically acquire shares or to just sell directional premium, the 30 delta Nov 10th 16 short put is paying .52 at the mid with a break even of 15.48.
Toy maker MAT has the right rank/implied metrics here, but with earnings a mere 17 days out, the preference is wait to put on a play shortly before earnings to take maximum advantage of vol contraction.
Exchange-Traded Funds
These are my bread and butter trades, but there's little bread and no butter here. The highest implied volatility exchange traded fund is EWZ at 31.43%, but it's in the lower one-fourth of where it's been over the past year. GDXJ follows with 29.93%; XOP, 25.96%; GDX, 23.25%; and OIH, 24.21%, all at the bottom end of their ranges and, in any event, below 35% implied generally.
VIX et al.
VIX finished Friday at sub-10 levels and its "little buddies" (VXX, UVXY, SVXY) continue to be cannibalized by contango. Sit on your hands for any VIX "Term Structure" trade (the first /VX future trading at >16 is in April) and wait for a VXST/VIX ratio pop to greater than 1.15 (Friday finish: 83.6) to put on plays in VXX, UVXY, and/or SVXY.