Options Traders May Think Carnival Will Keep Sailing Higher
David Russell
June 28, 2023
Carnival is the top-performing member of the S&P 500 in June, and one big options trader may think it will keep sailing over the summer.
Check out this unusual options activity yesterday in the cruise-ship operator:
20,000 August 16 calls traded for $0.83.
20,000 August 20 calls traded for $0.14.
Volume exceeded open interest in both strikes, which suggests new positions were opened.
The transaction appears to be a vertical call spread, which can profit from a rally with limited cost. Buying calls fixes the price where investors can purchase a security. They can also be sold to generate premium and lower the cost.
Tuesday’s spread would have cost $0.69. It could expand to $4 if CCL closes at or above $20 on expiration. That’s a potential return of 480 percent from a 31 percent move in the underlying shares. (They were quoted at $15.28 at the moment of the trade.)
CCL rose 8.8 percent to $15.88 yesterday and is up 41 percent so far this month. The travel stock lost about 90 percent of its value between early 2018 and early 2020. It hit a 30-year low in October, and has worked steadily higher since on signs of travel demand improving.
The shares jumped to a new 52-week high on June 12 thanks to an upgrade by JPMorgan. The company also reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue on Monday.
Overall option volume was slightly above average in the stock yesterday, according to TradeStation data. Calls accounted for a bullish 75 percent of the total.
Options trading is not suitable for all investors. Your TradeStation Securities’ account application to trade options will be considered and approved or disapproved based on all relevant factors, including your trading experience. See Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Visit www.TradeStation.com/Pricing for full details on the costs and fees associated with options.
David Russell is Global Head of Market Strategy at TradeStation. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience as a financial journalist and analyst, his background includes equities, emerging markets, fixed-income and derivatives. He previously worked at Bloomberg News, CNBC and E*TRADE Financial.
Russell systematically reviews countless global financial headlines and indicators in search of broad tradable trends that present opportunities repeatedly over time. Customers can expect him to keep them appraised of sector leadership, relative strength and the big stories – especially those overlooked by other commentators. He’s also a big fan of generating leverage with options to limit capital at risk.
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let’s consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option’s Price Is Usually Called ‘Premium’ ...
Options are complex instruments that can swing sharply in value. Traders may find the moves confusing, so this article will help explain key "Greeks" -- some of the most important factors impacting the price of options. Greeks are Greek letters used in complicated...
Covered calls are one of the most common strategies for options traders. While many investors have heard of them, they may not realize that covered calls are highly versatile. This article will cover how the method can be bullish, neutral and even bearish. First,...
Leaving TradeStation
You are leaving TradeStation.com for another company’s website. Click the button below to acknowledge that you understand that you are leaving TradeStation.com.
This event is hosted on YouCanTrade. The information for this event is being provided for informational and educational purposes only.
You are leaving TradeStation Securities and going to YouCanTrade. YouCanTrade is an online media publication service which provides investment educational content, ideas and demonstrations, and does not provide investment or trading advice, research or recommendations. YouCanTrade is not a licensed financial services company or investment adviser and does not offer brokerage services of any kind.
TradeStation Securities, Inc. provides support and training channels hosted on YouCanTrade, its affiliate. Other than these support and training channels, any services offered by YouCanTrade are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by TradeStation Securities and it makes no representation regarding any YouCanTrade goods or services.
To acknowledge you are leaving TradeStation Securities to go to YouCanTrade, please click
This website uses cookies to offer a better browsing experience and to collect usage information. By browsing this site with cookies enabled or by clicking on the "ACCEPT COOKIES" button you accept our Cookies Policy. To block, delete or manage cookies, please visit your browser settings. Restricting cookies will prevent you benefiting from some of the functionality of our website.ACCEPT COOKIES