Put Options Change Hands On U.S. Bancorp
USB ? U.S. Bancorp ? Shares in the financial services provider yesterday rallied to the highest level since September of 2008, moving sharply higher during the final two hours of the session on Wednesday following the Fed?s announcement that it will reduce its asset purchases by $10 billion starting in January. The stock is off 0.50% on Thursday to stand at $39.92 just before 11:30 a.m. in New York trading.
Trading in the regular Jan ?14 $39 strike puts on USB near the start of the session suggests at least one options player is bracing for the price of the underlying to potentially edge lower during the next four weeks to expiration. It looks like one strategist purchased 5,000 of the Jan ?14 $39 puts for a premium of $0.41 per contract. The trade may represent downside protection to hedge a long position in the underlying shares or an outright bearish play that may be profitable in the event that shares in U.S. Bancorp pullback in the near term. The puts make money at expiration next month if shares in USB decline 3.3% from the current price of $39.92 to breach the effective breakeven point on the downside at $38.59. The 17 Jan ?14 expiry puts expire the week prior to the company?s fourth-quarter earnings release scheduled for January 22nd ahead of the opening bell.
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