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XOP

TRADE IDEA: XOP NOV 16TH 41 SHORT/MARCH '19 50 LONG PUT DIAGONALMetrics: Max Loss/Buying Power Effect on Setup: $636/contract Max Profit on Setup: $264/contract (41.54% ROI at max; 20.75% at 50% max) Break Even: 43.64 versus 43.58 spot Debit Paid/Spread Width Ratio: 70.7% Theta: .84 Delta: -54.75 Notes: I'm not going to put this setup on quite yet, as I would prefer that the price of the underlying be "at the top of the box" (~44.50), but always like to price potential setups out ahead of time and then tweak them a little bit as price of the underlying may dictate. I generally start out looking at these directional setups with the front month short option at the 30 delta and then adjust the back month long so that the break even is as close to the spot price as possible. Additionally, I like to pay less than 75% of the spread width, so that 70.7% debit paid/spread width ratio is a decent metric. You can naturally go shorter in time with the back month (which will result in a cheaper setup), but I like to give myself plenty of time to reduce cost basis in the setup over time with rolls in the event I don't get the movement I need to exit the trade fairly quickly. As far as trade management is concerned, look to take profit at 50% max, Roll the short put out on significant loss of value (usually 50%), and then recalculate your scratch/take profit targets ... .
AMEX:XOPShort
by NaughtyPines
1
OPENING: XOP SEPT 21ST 40/44 SHORT STRANGLE ... ... for a 1.31/contract credit. Probability of Profit: 62% Max Profit: 1.31 ($131)/contract Max Loss/Buying Power Effect: Undefined/6.68 ($668) Break Evens: 38.69/45.31 Delta: 3.65 Theta: 2.75 Notes: Giving myself more room to be wrong with a short strangle in the September cycle. Implied volatility remains so-so here at 24.7% (near the bottom of its 52-week range), so it might be more worthwhile to wait for higher implied. That being said, I'm basically working XOP as an "all weather core position."
AMEX:XOP
by NaughtyPines
OPENING: XOP SEPT 21ST 42 SHORT STRADDLE... for a 3.05/contract credit. Metrics: Max Profit: $305/contract Max Loss: Undefined: $848/contract on margin Break Evens: 38.95/45.05 Delta: -6.55 Theta: 3.31 Notes: Admittedly, the implied volatility rank and implied volatility metrics here aren't great (11 and 25, respectively) but the credit collected as a function of the buying power effect is decent (36%). As with the previous XOP short straddle cycle (see Post Below), I'll look to take profit quickly ... .
AMEX:XOP
by NaughtyPines
2
OPENING: XOP Aug $42 big lizardSold the XOP 100 17 AUG 42/45 'big lizard' for a credit of 2.90. The strategy is essentially short the 42 straddle with a long 45 strike call to limit the upside risk. The 'proft zone' 39.11-44.90 with almost no risk to the upside. I plan to manage a winner early to collect around $70-75 ( 25% of the initial credit ). Currently there's 46 days to expiry but I'd like to see this closed for profit before July is out. For the downside risk, if the XOP pullback is dramatic enough, I'd take assignment at 42 with a reduced cost basis around 39. I can then sell calls against the stock after to further reduce cost basis.
AMEX:XOP
by dime
THE WEEK AHEAD: NFLX, EBAY, IBM, XOP, EWZ, TLT/TBTWe're back into the thick of earnings season again ... . NFLX (rank 64/implied 52) pops the top on Monday after market close, so you're going to want to slap anything you want to do on before session end to take maximum advantage of a volatility contraction play. Pictured here is a 20 delta iron condor in the weekly with a buying power effect of 6.59 per contract, and a max of 3.41 (a smidge greater than one-third the width of the wings). Naturally, you'll have to adjust the strikes shortly before fill, since it's a mover. Look to take profit at 50% max ... . EBAY hits the bricks on Wednesday after market close. I'd rather have background implied at >50% (it's currently at ~33%), but it may be worth watching to see if it ramps up in the Monday through Wednesday sessions. IBM gets its party on on Wednesday after market close, too, but that background implied of 25% doesn't exactly get my motor running. On the exchange-traded fund front, there isn't much premium to be had, and what there is to be taken is to be found in the places where it's been over the past several weeks: Brazil (EWZ -- 33.5% background), and petro (XOP/OIH -- 30%). Me personally, I'm hand sitting on those until I can see the whites of September's eyes (it's still 68 days out). That being said, if you're willing to go a little more long-dated here: the XOP Sept 21st 43 short straddle is paying 4.36 with break evens at 38.64/47.36, theta of 3.12, and -7.82 delta; the EWZ Sept 21st 34 short straddle: 4.06 credit, 29.94/38.06 break evens, 2.9 theta, -6.74 delta. Other "Major Food Group" Directionals: TLT continues to bop annoyingly along horizontal support/resistance near 122.50 like a toddler kicking the back of your seat in economy class. My tendency has been to short on retrace in a tightening rate environment, with the preference being for more flexible, longer-dated setups like diagonals where I've got time to reduce cost basis, as opposed to using static one-off spreads where you could find yourself in the middle of a short-term risk off event that ruins your day. Inversely, TBT is holding on by its fingernails to 35.25. I could see pulling the trigger on either here -- a long-dated TLT downward put diagonal or covered short combo/a TBT upward call diagonal/covered long combo. (See TBT Upward Call Diagonal Post, below).
NASDAQ:NFLX
by NaughtyPines
4
TRADE IDEA: XOP SEPT 21ST/JUNE 21ST 41/45 COVERED SHORT COMBOAnother covered short "combo" setup (see Post Below) with the delta metrics of a covered put sans the buying power effect of short stock and plenty of time to work out and/or reduce cost basis ... . Metrics: Max Loss/Buying Power Effect: Undefined/~$1234 Max Profit: $514/contract (realized on finish below the short put) Break Evens: 46.14/no downside risk Delta: -75.86 Theta: 1.4 Notes: XOP at long-term horizontal resistance with oil at 74.21/bbl./long-term highs. Work as you would a covered put, rolling out the short put on significant decrease in value, to maintain delta, and/or to defend the combo. Would look to take profit and/or manage at 20% of the buying power effect ($247 profit), although taking profit at 10% of the debit paid wouldn't be bad either ... .
AMEX:XOPShort
by NaughtyPines
2
THE WEEK AHEAD: EWZ, EWW, CPB, BOXThis week: three candidates for directionals and one nondirectional premium selling play ... . CPB: Although timing could have been better to catch the absolute bottom in this, implied volatility rank and background implied volatility remain quite high in this underlying (61/35). Given price weakness coupled with high implied volatility rank, I would think that a bullish assumption directional would be the way to go, with the most straightforward strategy being via short put. Pictured here is a "Wheel of Fortune," at-the-money short put that's paying 1.85 at the mid with a break even of 36.15. The basic strategy is to take the short put all the way to expiry and, if assigned, proceed to cover at or above your cost basis and work it as you would any covered call. Naturally, if price finishes above 38, you walk away with the entire premium. Variations: 30 delta short put: Aug 17th 36, 1.05 credit at the mid, 34.95 break even. EWZ: The Brazil exchange-traded fund has absolutely been crushed, with price within 5% of its 52-week low. With a rank of 50 and background at 35, here's another play where you've got weakness coupled with volatility, so a bullish assumption play makes the most sense. The Aug 17th 32 "Wheel of Fortune" pays 1.65 with a break even of 30.35; the Aug 17th 30 delta short at the 30 strike, .87 with a break even of 29.13. EWW: If you're already in Brazil, EWW (rank 65/implied 27) is also at the bottom of a fairly long term range between 43 and 56. Wheel of Fortune: Aug 17th 46 short put: 1.75 at the mid, 44.25 break even; 30-delta: Aug 17th 44, .98 credit, break even at 43.02. BOX: With earnings 25 days in the rear view mirror and high rank and implied (76/53), I'd probably opt for a Plain Jane nondirectional: the Aug 17th 24/32 is paying 1.78 with a 69% probability of profit, break evens at 22.22/33.78 (wide of the expected on both sides), delta of .72, and theta of 3.34. Defined risk variation: Aug 17th 22/25/31/34 iron condor is paying 1.26 (I had to bring in both sides a smidge because the highest strike in Aug expiry is currently at 34 ... ). OTHER ACTIVE ALERTS: TLT, short on retrace at 122 (downward skip month put diagonal; horizontal resistance) or TBT, long on retrace at 36 (upward skip month call diagonal; horizontal support). XOP, short on retrace at 44.50 (downward skip month put diagonal; top of range).
C
by NaughtyPines
THE WEEK AHEAD: XLE, XOPWith this quarter's earnings pretty much in the rear view mirror, there isn't much single name to play here, particularly since we start right back up again with earnings around the July monthly. Consequently, if you're going to play single name, you may get caught in a volatility expansion running into earnings, so if you absolutely can't resist the urge to pay single name, pay attention to when the next earnings announcements are for the underlying you're playing and take profit aggressively to avoid being "expanded" running into the announcement. All that being said, there isn't much volatility in single name underlyings at the moment anyway: ORCL (earnings in 17 days), XOM, DIS, CAT, and MSFT round out the top five, but all have background implied volatility at or below 25% and lie in the lower half of their respective 52-week ranges. As far as exchange-traded funds are concerned, there's no surprise there: energy and/or petro is where the volatility lies at the moment, with USO, XLE, and XOP in the top 5 (the others are FXE and XLU), with their ranks/background coming in at 63/30, 39/21, and 36/34, respectively. Pictured here is an XLE July 20th 70/80 short strangle that is slightly skewed to the downside, since I think that is where the risk lies. Here are the metrics: Probability of Profit: 70% Max Profit: $113/contract Max Loss/Buying Power Effect: Undefined/$1175/contract Break Evens: 68.87/81.13 Delta: -9.81 Theta: 3.00 As a potential defined risk alternative, consider an iron fly in the smaller XOP: the July 20th 34/41/41/48 has risk one to make one metrics, is worth a 3.51 credit, and will pay better than the XLE short strangle at 50% max, assuming that price stays within your break evens of 37.49 and 44.51 long enough for you to extract 25% max (.88 profit) out of the trade.
AMEX:XLE
by NaughtyPines
THE WEEK AHEAD: HPQ, COST, XOP, OIH, EWZ, IWMHPQ announces tomorrow after market close; COST on Thursday after market. Neither underlying's rank/implied vol metrics are particularly compelling, however, with the former's implied at 29.6%, the latter at 23.5%. Even so, the 68% probability of profit, ~20 delta COST June 15th 188/207.5 short strangle's paying 2.31; managed early (<50% max), that could make for a nice winner. The only thing that makes remote sense in HPQ is a short straddle, with the June 15th 22 paying a paltry 1.29; early management at 25% max would yield a .32 winner. As far as non-earnings single name plays are concerned, here are the top five underlyings ranked by background implied volatility: TSLA (47.8%; rank 31.1%), P (47.5%; rank 1.4%), RIG (46.2%; rank 11.1%), X (43.2%; 19.9%), and TWTR (40.5%; 15.2%). TSLA, with the highest background implied of the bunch, is paying out 9.38 for the 69% probability of profit July 20th 235/325 short strangle camped out at the 17 delta strikes, with its defined risk counterpart, the 225/235/325/335 paying 2.57 at the mid, with a less than ideal payout of less than one-third the width of the wings. In the exchange-traded fund arena: XOP, OIH, and EWZ round out the top-implied volatility symbols, coming in at 34.8%, 31.8%, and 31.5%, respectively. The XOP July 20th 37/45 short strangle is paying 1.24 with a probability of profit of 68% with break evens at 35.75/46.25; the 41 short straddle -- 3.97 with break evens at 37.03/44.97. With the short strangle, I'd be shooting for 50% max (.62); the short straddle, 25% max (.99). The EWZ July 20th 37 short straddle* is paying 3.47 with break evens at 33.53/40.47; the corresponding iron fly with the longs camped out at ~10 delta -- the 31/37/37/43, pays 3.14 with risk one to make one metrics (max loss of 2.86 versus 3.14 credit received). Lastly, a directional short idea in IWM, pictured on the chart. The setup is a Poor Man's Covered Call or "downside put diagonal." Here are the metrics: 7.23 debit, max loss on setup: 7.23, max profit on setup: 4.77/contract, break even on setup: 161.77, debit paid/spread width ratio: 60.25%. Max profit is realized on finish below the short at expiry, but I'd look to take profit early at 20% of what I put the trade on for (.2 x 7.23 = 1.44), rolling the short put out "as is" on significant decrease in value. * -- My recent tendency has been to go with the short straddle/iron fly in underlyings <$50, bringing in more credit at the door and then proceeding to "manage early" (at 25% max).
AMEX:IWM
by NaughtyPines
2
XOP MAY 18TH 30/32/39/41 IRON CONDOR (LATE POST)I apparently neglected to post this when I put it on back on March 27th in the kid's small account, and am doing so here primarily to keep track of cost basis. Here's the blow by blow: On March 27th, I opened this trade for a .50/contract credit. On April 7th, I closed out the short put side for a .05/contract, with a resulting cost basis of .45/contract. Because I needed some short delta, as well as thinking that oil would come off its highs post-OPEC jawboning, etc., I haven't yet moved to cover the short put side or to roll out the short call side for duration (to the June monthly) and then sell a short put vertical against. I will look at doing that next week ... .
AMEX:XOP
by NaughtyPines
THE WEEK AHEAD: XOP, EWZ, GDXJIt's somewhat a lather, rinse, repeat of last week, given the fact that we're kind of in-between earnings seasons, with the next to kick off here in a couple of weeks. XOP:* With the underlying somewhat in the middle of its range, I'm more inclined to go directionally neutral here, either via short strangle or iron fly. The 27 delta-ish May 18th 33/38 short strangle is paying 1.26/contract with break evens at 31.74/39.26; for the less aggressively inclined, the 32/39 is paying .84. For both of these, look to take profit at 50% max. The May 18th 30/35/35/41 dynamic iron fly** is paying 2.75 with break evens at 32.25/37.75. Look to take profit at 25% max. EWZ: "The Brazilian" is perennially frisky ... . The May 18th 41/49 is paying 1.13 at the mid with break evens at 39.87/50.13, with the 30/35/35/41 dynamic iron fly paying 3.34. GDXJ:*** My general tendency with GLD, GDX, and GDXJ are bullish assumption setups on weakness. Unfortunately, GLD is at a bit of a high here, and there is divergence between GDX/GDXJ in terms of strength versus the commodity, implying that weakness in gold may drag GDX/GDXJ down, when they're already toward the weak side of their ranges to begin with. Consequently, it may pay to be patient and wait until GDXJ drops to the bottom of its range between 30 and 31 before pulling the trigger on something bullish. Caveats aside, here are three bullish assumption setups: The "spack"**** trade: May 18th 30 short put for .45 with a break even of 29.55. Ride the short put to expiry. If assigned, proceed to sell calls against at or above your cost basis (29.55). The Synthetic Covered Call: May 18th 34 short put (70 delta) for 2.40 with a break even at 31.60. Look to take profit at 50% max (i.e., 1.20/contract). Otherwise, roll out for duration "as is" for additional credit or proceed to cover at or above cost basis (31.60) if assigned. The Poor Man's: May 18th 34 short/Aug 17th 26 long, 6.01 debit for an 8 wide (75% debit/width ratio) with a break even of 32.01 versus 32.15 spot. Look to take profit at 20% of what you paid to put the setup on for (i.e., 1.20/contract). * -- I'm in an XOP May 32/39 I put on last week for around a 1.00/contract. ** -- An iron condor won't pay one-third of the width of the wings here. *** -- I'm already in a long-dated GDX net credit diagonal, so won't be partaking of GDXJ here. **** -- Short Put Acquire Cover.
AMEX:XOP
by NaughtyPines
THE WEEK AHEAD: XOP, EWZ, EEM, QQQ, AND VIXEven though earnings season is winding down to a few names (BB, GME) next week, there's stuff to play in sectors or broad market, with the May expiry (54 days until expiry) coming into view for plays. The XOP May 18th 31/39 short strangle (19 delta) is paying .98 at the mid with the slightly more aggressive 25 delta 32/38 paying 1.38. If you're looking to go defined risk, you'll probably have to go wide iron fly (e.g., the May 18th 29/35/35/41 iron fly is paying 3.05 with a max loss metric of 2.95). The EWZ May 18th 40/48 short strangle (22 delta) is paying 1.38; the more aggressive 29 delta 41/47, 1.86. The 38/41/47/49 delta neutral iron condor is paying just a smidge over a buck at 1.01. The EEM May 18th 44/50 short strangle (25 delta) is paying 1.18. If you aggress in toward the 30's, a 42/45/49/51 delta neutral iron condor will pay just over a buck with break evens around the expected move for the expiry. QQQ: one word -- juicy, particularly if you can "go naked." The May 18th 145/170 20 delta short strangle is paying 3.62 at the mid. The 142/145/170/172 delta neutral iron condor is showing .86 at the mid after hours, but the bid/ask is wide. I wouldn't bother with a defined risk play for less than 1.00/contract ... . Lastly, the VIX. Futures term structure is in backwardation which sets up a rare and interesting play, which I've described in a separate post (see below).
AMEX:XOP
by NaughtyPines
THE WEEK AHEAD: MU, OIH, EWZ, XOP, GDXJThe only earnings play coming up next week that currently interests me from a premium selling/volatility contraction standpoint is MU -- with a background implied volatility in the 60's -- which announces earnings on Thursday after market close. Neither ORCL nor FDX -- which announce Monday and Tuesday respectively -- have sub-30 implied volatility, although they're probably worth watching to see if their implied's bump up closer to the announcement or, depending on price movement post announcement, whether there is an opportunity to take advantage of earnings announcement "afterglow." Preliminarily, the MU March 29th 20 delta 55/69 is paying 1.89/contract (off hours) with break evens at 53.11/70.89. The defined risk iron condor would require slightly more aggressive strikes to get one-third the width out of the longs -- the 53.5/56.5/67.5/69.5 (30 delta) in the March 29th pays 1.03 with break evens at 55.47 and 68.53. For short put/acquire/cover cycle traders who are looking to potentially get into MU lower than current market prices, the April 20th 25 delta 55 short put is paying 1.88 at the mid, yielding a break even of 53.14, a 12.28% discount over where the underlying is currently trading. Alternatively, you can look at going out to May here where the 55 is at the 30 delta, bring in 2.87 at the door and get a break even of 52.13 (a nearly 14% discount). As far as non-earnings is concerned, we're kind of in "the dead zone" between the April and May monthlies; for me, the April month is too short in duration (33 days to go) and the May, a bit too long (61 days). Nevertheless, here are the top four exchange-traded funds ranked by implied volatility -- OIH (29), EWZ (29), XOP (29), GDXJ (28) -- and by implied volatility rank/percentile: XHB, FXI, XLF, and XLB, all of which are at the upper end of their 52-week ranges. Unfortunately, that isn't saying much, since background implied in all of these is sub-25, with the preferred metric for background implied being >35%. It may be time to scrounge around for something directional to keep me engaged in "the dead zone" -- for example, this GE play (See Post below) ... .
NASDAQ:MU
by NaughtyPines
THE WEEK AHEAD: ADBE, OIH, XOP, GDXJ, EWZ, VIXWith the VIX dropping hard below 15, some of the juice has poured out of the cup ... . Even so, there remain a few plays in the market. ADBE announces earnings on the 15th (Thursday) after market close. The volatility metrics don't quite meet my criteria for a volatility contraction play (56/32), but the March 23rd 210/323.5 short strangle is paying 3.80 at the mid with that setup's defined risk counterpart, the 205/210/232.5/237.5 iron condor, paying 1.69, just a smidge over one-third the width of the wings. These are off hours quotes, so neither of these may look as attractive during regular market hours when things tighten up. Nevertheless, worth keeping an eyeball on. The remainder of earnings announcements on tap for next week either involve poor liquidity underlyings or have implied volatility in the lower half of their 52-week range, making them singularly unattractive for the standard play. In the exchange-traded fund neck of the woods, OIH and XOP retain fairly decent background implied volatility at 31, as does the junior gold miners fund, GDXJ. My preference is to pull the trigger on these underlyings directionally. With GDXJ, I would like slightly lower (sub-30 would be great). A touch of caution is warranted, however, since there is a bit of divergence between gold spot prices and both GDX and GDXJ, implying that if gold goes lower here (it's got room), the miners will weaken even further, so trade these small in the event that support terms out to be meaningless (i.e., you're dead ass wrong as to direction). As far as "the Brazilian" (EWZ) is concerned, the April 20th 43/49 (40 days until expiry) short strangle is paying 1.25 at the mid; it isn't hugely compelling, but it's a sub-$50 underlying after all. If you're going to pull the trigger on that setup, however, I'd do it soon, since we're quickly getting outside the 45-day sweet spot. VIX futures term structure has finally returned to a modest degree of normalcy, with contracts in contango front to back. I'm still waiting for a few UVXY short call verts to pull off here that I put on in the hot and heavy of early Feb, so am going to hand sit until I'm able to quit sweating over those. The forecast, however, is for contango erosion/beta slippage to resume (it already has) in UVXY and VXX, implying that they will continue to pretty much go down from here over time (naturally, in the absence of another pop).
NASDAQ:ADBE
by NaughtyPines