A Firming Foundation for the Home Builder Stock Buying Season – Housing Market Review

Housing Market Intro and Summary In the last Housing Market Review, I described the growing calm in the housing market data that contrast with the sell-off in home builder stocks. That sell-off worked in sync with the general stock market. The rebound in October also worked in parallel with the general stock market. As a … Read more

The Coming Upward Pressure On Mortgage Rates In 2014

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 26, 2013. Click here to read the entire piece.) On Monday (November 25, 2013) the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported a fifth straight month of declining pending home sales. NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun projects that 2013 will end … Read more

Post-Earnings Selling Sets Up Opportunity In Lender Processing Services

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 26, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) I have followed Lender Processing Services (LPS) for a little over two years. It all started soon after LPS sold off swiftly in the wake of disclosures regarding “foreclosuregate” in late … Read more

The Comeback for LPS Continues Even After Earnings Disappoint

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 26, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) When Lender Processing Services (LPS) reported fourth quarter and full 2011 earnings on February 13, the company provided downside guidance on earnings and revenues. When the stock opened 6% lower, it … Read more

Call Volume Surges Again On Lender Processing Services

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 12, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Perhaps I should all the recent call option activity in Lender Processing Services (LPS) should not surprise me given a massive foreclosure deal between banks and federal and state governments arriving … Read more

Turn-Around Continues for LPS As More Call Buying Counters Increasing Short Interest

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on February 7, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Lender Processing Services (LPS) has gained 31% year-to-date. This jump follows the activity of intrepid traders/investors who loaded up on LPS June $21 call options in December – these call options … Read more

Shadow Inventory Has Become Less Relevant to the Housing Bottom Debate

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 23, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) Earlier this month, I argued that 2012 is the year to start betting on a bottom for housing in 2013 (see “Time to Buy the Dips in Homebuilders“). One of the … Read more

After LPS Plunges On New Legal Woes, Volume Soars in Call Options

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 29, 2011. Click here to read the entire piece.) In early November, I wrote that a turnaround finally seems to be materializing for Lender Processing Services (LPS). Regulatory and legal issues have long been a severe overhang for LPS, so … Read more

Shorts Retreat Ahead of Earnings Warning for Lender Processing Services, Puts Soar

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) After discovering that shorts ramped ahead of earnings for Research In Motion (RIMM), I decided to check in again on the short interest in Lender Processing Services (LPS)… {snip} Source: NASDAQ.com So LPS caught bulls … Read more