Gap Inc. (GPS)

Update 5/19/2017: GPS had declined for six trading days prior to the earnings announcement, and declined again the day after earnings were published.

In the one day I was in the position, shares fell by 3.8%, or a -1,386% annual rate. The options position produced a 28.1% yield on debit for a +13,919% annual rate.

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GPS publishes earnings on Thursday after the closing bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time eight days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 45%, which is 2.9 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

GPS’s IV stands in the 41st percentile of its annual range and the 89th percentile of its most recent broad movement.

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Salesforce.com Inc. (CRM)

Update 5/19/2017: CRM rose sharply after earnings were published and then fell back for a partial retracement. I exited for a debit of  $3.17, or 28.8% of maximum potential profit.

Shares at exit had risen by 2.3% compared to my entry into the position the day beofre, or a +839% annual rate. The optoins position produced a 40.4% yield on debit for a +14,738% annual rate.

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CRM publishes earnings on Thursday after the closing bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time eight days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 34%, which is 2.2 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

CRM’s IV stands in the 61st percentile of its annual range and the 91st percentile of its most recent broad movement.

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Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT)

Update 5/19/2017: AMAT’s shares rose sharply after earnings were published and then took most of it back in an immediate retracement. I exited for a debit of  $1.64, or 29.6% of maximum potential profit.

Shares had risen by 1.9% at exit over my entry price a day earlier, or a +689% annual rate. The optoins position produced a +40.4% yield on debit for a +15,736% annual rate.

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AMAT publishes earnings on Thursday after the closing bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time eight days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 44%, which is  times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

AMAT’s IV stands in the 75th percentile of its annual range and the 89th percentile of its most recent broad movement.

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5/17 – 2:55 p.m. New York time

I entered six new positions today: AMAT, CRM, CPB, DE, FL and GPS.

I exited two positions: BABA and WMT.

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L Brands Inc. (LB)

Update 5/22/2017: LB rose after earnings were published and then quickly declined. The price appeared to be settling into a sideways pattern. I judged there was little likelihood of significant movement going forward and chose to take my money out of risk, exiting at 18.4% of maximum potential profit.

Shares showed a net rise of 2.0% over five days, or a +143% annual rate. The options position produced a 22.6% yield on debit for a +1,646% annual rate

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LB publishes earnings on Wednesday after the closing bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time 30 days hence, on June 16.

Implied volatility stands at 47%, which is 3.2 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

LB’s IV stands at the peak of both its annual range and its most recent broad movement.

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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT)

Update 5/18/2017: WMT gapped to the upside after earnings were published and then retreated a bit. I exited at $1.98, or 16.5% of maximum potential profit, below my 25%  target.

This was very much a gut feel exit, an approach I’m quite comfortable with, given the human brain’s excellent pattern recognition skills. It seemed likely to me, about 10 minutes after the opening bell, that a reversal to the upside, toward less profit, was imminent, although there was no rational basis that I could point to. The next 30 minutes provided my hunch to be correct.

At exit shares had shown a net rise of 1.8% over one day, or a +657% annual rate. The options position produced a +19.7% yield on debit for a +7,189% annual rate.

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WMT publishes earnings on Thursday before the opening bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time nine days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 21%, which is 1.5 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

WMT’s IV stands in the 53rd percentile of its annual range and the 98th percentile of its most recent broad movement.

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Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO)

Update 5/22/2017: CSCO gapped sharply to the downside after earnings were published, and then traded sideways for three days. I exited for a loss as the options approached expiration.

Shares declined by 7.0% over five days, or a -555% annual rate. Tue options position produced a 49.4% loss on debit for a -3,603% annual rate.

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CSCO publishes earnings on Wednesday after the closing bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time nine days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 22%, which is 1.6 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

CSCO’s IV stands in the 66th percentile of its annual range and the 94th percentile of its most recent broad movement.

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Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA)

Update 5/18/2017: BABA gapped sharply to the downside and then partially recovered. I judged it had gone about as far as it could in recovering for the near term, and I exited for a debit of $5.31, or 15.2% of maximum potential profit.

Shares showed a net decline of 2.9%  at the time I exited, or a -1,047% annual rate. The options position produced a 17.9% yield on debit for a +6,530% annual rate.

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BABA publishes earnings on Thursday before the opening bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time nine days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 34%, which is 2.4 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

BABA’s IV stands in the 63rd percentile of its annual range and the 98th percentile of its most recent broad movement.

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5/18 – 3 p.m. New York time

I entered four new positions today: BABA, CSCO, WMT and LB.

I exited four positions: JACK, SINA, URBN and TGT.

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Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN)

Update 5/17/2017: URBN fell for five days straight before earnings were published and fell again the day after. I exited at a debit of $1.26, or 40% of maximum potential profit.

Shares declined by -3.0% over one day, or a -1,086% annual rate. The options position produced a 66.7% yield on debit for a +24,333% annual rate.

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URBN publishes earnings on Tuesday after the closing bell.

I shall use the series of monthly options that trade for the last time 10 days hence, on May 26.

Implied volatility stands at 56%, which is 5.2 times the VIX, a measure of the volatility of the S&P 500 index.

URBN’s IV stands in the 78th percentile of its annual range and at the peak of its most recent broad movement.

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