Today’s tickers: YHOO, LIZ & SFI
YHOO - Yahoo!, Inc. – Shares in Yahoo!, Inc. surrendered gains enjoyed earlier in the session, to trade 0.40% lower on the day at $15.56 just after 2:00 PM on the East Coast. The stock rose earlier in the day after All Things Digital reported that Yahoo’s Chairman and other board members are formally meeting with two private equity firms that have made bids for the Internet company. The report was followed by heavy bullish options activity on the stock in the April 2012 contract, where it appears one or more traders enacted massive three-legged bullish spreads to position for shares to rally. It looks like the investor or investors responsible for initiating the activity sold April 2012 $14 strike put options in order to partially offset the cost of buying the April 2012 $16/$20 call spread, all for an average net premium outlay of $0.30 per contract. Of the more than 44,000 option contracts that changed hands at each strike price, it appears most of the overall volume at each was tied up in the spread. The bullish position may be a profitable one at expiration next year if Yahoo’s shares exceed the average breakeven price of $16.30. Maximum potential profits of $3.70 are available to traders should the price of the underlying soar 28.5% to exceed $20.00 at April expiration day.
LIZ - Liz Claiborne, Inc. – A large three-legged options combination on Liz Claiborne this afternoon indicates one strategist is prepared for shares in the owner of a portfolio of premium retail brands to pull back. Shares in LIZ are currently down 1.3% to stand at $8.13 as of 1:50 PM ET. It looks like the investor received a net credit of $0.01 per contract on the sale of 10,000 calls at the April 2012 $9.0…
