The Low Risk Pairs Trade on the S&P 500 Passes Its First Test

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 16, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) On December 1, 2013, I wrote a piece called “A Potentially Low Risk Pairs Trade Opportunity Using The S&P 500” where I used PowerShares S&P 500 Low Volatility (SPLV) and PowerShares … Read more

Elliott Management Packages Common Critiques of Juniper Networks Into One Urgent Proposal

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 14, 2014. Click here to read the entire piece.) Right on the heels of proposing to acquire Riverbed Technologies (RVBD) for $19/share, Elliott Management made fresh waves with a plan to restructure Juniper Networks (JNPR). Elliott calculates that its proposal … Read more

Time For Yet Another Pairs Trade As Juniper Networks and Cisco Systems Plunge

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 26, 2012. Click here to read the entire piece.) {snip} I became so comfortable with the JNPR side of the trade that I never blinked while accumulating a fresh JNPR position over the past two and a half months without … Read more

Pairs Trade Triggered As Cisco Soars to 17-Month Highs Versus Juniper

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 9, 2011. Click here to read the entire piece.) Juniper Networks (JNPR) is suddenly plunging again. In three days, JNPR has lost 17% and is retesting November’s lows. Source: FreeStockCharts.com Over this same period, rival Cisco Systems (CSCO) has essentially … Read more

Juniper Network’s Surge Triggers Adjustment to Pairs Trade Versus Cisco Systems

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) Juniper Networks (JNPR) has surged 24% since I wrote about the stock’s plunge to 2 1/2 year lows. At that time, I claimed it was time to trigger my idea to do a pairs trade … Read more

Juniper Networks Hits 2 1/2 Year Lows and Triggers Pairs Trade with Cisco

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) Two weeks ago, I described a potential pairs trade between Juniper Networks (JNPR) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) based on the ratio of their prices and relative valuations (see “Pairs Trade: Cisco Systems Is Catching Up … Read more

Pairs Trade: Cisco Systems Is Catching Up to Juniper Networks

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) Cisco Systems (CSCO) has steadily declined since reaching a peak in April, 2010. For much of this time, analysts and commentators seemed to focus on company-specific problems as the blame. It seemed competitor Juniper Networks … Read more

Microsoft and Intel Continue to Diverge

I was clearly far too early in restarting a pairs trade short Microsoft (MSFT) and long Intel (INTC). Over the past two months, the performance of MSFT has steadily improved, while Intel’s performance has steadily worsened. The MSFT/INTC ratio is now at 10 month highs. Source: stockcharts.com Typically, I would look at this divergence and … Read more

Goldman Sachs Vs. Deutsche Bank Redux

In the wake of the SEC’s charges of fraud against Goldman Sachs (GS), I recommended trying a pairs trade going short GS and long Deutsche Bank (DB). I was betting that either the SEC charges would blow over and DB would rebound sharply, or the gravity of the charges would intensify and GS would sell-off … Read more

Intel Still Cannot Catch A Break

The post-earnings selling in Intel (INTC) has become uncanny in its consistency. Four out of the last six earnings reports have resulted in selling even as INTC’s headline earnings news has generally been OK to good. Three of the four bouts of selling followed immediately after INTC opened its first post-earnings trading day higher. This … Read more