Chart Review: IBM Roundtrip Prints Potential Bottom; SolarCity Ready to Explode Again

International Business Machines (IBM) International Business Machines (IBM) experienced an unusually large post-earnings drop of 8.3% on April 19th. This was despite reaffirming its FY13 earnings guidance. After one more day of selling, it was off to the races. In less than a month, IBM had recovered all its post-earnings losses. The stock churned and … Read more

An Apple Bottom As Sentiment Finally Turns Southward (Put Buying Soars)

In previous pieces, I have noted how traders and investors continued to load up on call options on Apple (AAPL) despite its persistent decline off all-time highs (for example see “Bullish Earnings Trading Patterns and Sentiment Collide With Apple’s Recent Downtrend“). It seems sentiment has finally taken a dramatic turn commensurate with the dramatic turn … Read more

Some Trading Implications From SEC’s Charges of Insider Trading in H.J. Heinz

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 18, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) Traders sometimes copy the trading in options showing unusual trading activity under the assumption that someone (or some people) have privileged insight into an imminent big event or the short-term price … Read more

The Amazon.com Post-Earnings Trade Quickly Turns Bearish

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 3, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) {snip} Another Amazon.com (AMZN) earnings call, more unimpressive guidance (this time, Q1 guidance for $15.0 to 16.6B revenue below expectations and for operating income -$285 to 65M around expectations), an immediate … Read more

Renewed Headline Fears Generate Fresh Trading Opportunities in Monster Beverage

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 21, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) The negative news cycle has begun again on Monster Beverage Corporation (MNST), and it is creating fresh trading opportunities. On January 10th, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), “a public health … Read more