Unusual Options Activity Tue 1/30/24

The following options are exhibiting notable trading, potentially indicating changing sentiment toward the underlying stocks, and/or potentially representing positioning for increased volatility.

Bullish Call Activity:

• FGEN Mar 5 calls are seeing interest with the underlying stock up 8% (volume: 5210, open int: 10, implied vol: ~257%, prev day implied vol: 196%). Co is expected to report earnings late February.
• VTNR Feb 2 calls (volume: 8560, open int: 0, implied vol: ~152%, prev day implied vol: 110%). Co is expected to report earnings early March.
• AVTR Feb 24 calls (volume: 2150, open int: 430, implied vol: ~45%, prev day implied vol: 42%). Co is confirmed to report earnings February 14 before the open.
  

Bearish Put Activity:

• Communication Services SPDR (XLC) Feb 77.5 puts (volume: 7730, open int: 10, implied vol: ~34%, prev day implied vol: 30%).
• VIAV Feb 9 puts are seeing interest ahead of earnings Thursday after the close (volume: 5780, open int: 8290, implied vol: ~68%, prev day implied vol: 64%). 3190 contracts traded in a single transaction.
  

Sentiment: The CBOE Put/Call ratio is currently: 0.94, VIX: (13.40, -0.20, -1.5%).
February 16 is options expiration -- the last day to trade February equity options.

=Avantor (AVTR) reported earnings on Tue 5 Nov 19 (b/o)

 Avantor reports EPS in-line, misses on revs; reaffirms FY19 EPS guidance, lowers FY19 revs guidance

Reports Q3 (Sep) earnings of $0.15 per share, excluding non-recurring items, in-line with the S&P Capital IQ Consensus of $0.15; revenues rose 0.6% year/year to $1.5 bln vs the $1.53 bln S&P Capital IQ Consensus.

Co issues guidance for FY19, sees EPS of $0.55-0.58, excluding non-recurring items, vs. $0.57 S&P Capital IQ Consensus; sees FY19 revs of $6.02-6.08 bln (Prior $6.08-6.14 bln) vs. $6.09 bln S&P Capital IQ Consensus.

AVTR — is it a buy?

•  Nov 1:  Is AVTR a buy?

• 2 days later