Bullish Player Initiates Three-Legged Spread on Cisco Systems
March 18, 2011 at 16:20 PM EDT
Today’s tickers: CSCO, CECO, SPG & GE CSCO - Cisco Systems, Inc. – Shares in the world’s largest maker of networking equipment increased as much as 2.5% during the session to secure an intraday high of $17.42 after the company announced it will pay its first ever cash dividend on April 20, to shareholders of record on March 31, 2011. Cash-rich Cisco Systems said the dividend will amount to $0.06 a share. Shares in the San Jose, CA-based manufacturer of switches and routers are still hovering around their lowest level since April 2009, and fell to a new 52-week low of $16.97 earlier this week. But, it looks like one big option strategist is looking for the price of the underlying to rebound ahead of January 2012 expiration. The investor initiated a three-legged bullish play, selling puts to partially finance the purchase of a call spread, in order to position for brighter days in CSCO’s future. The trader sold 40,000 puts at the January 2012 $15 strike at a premium of $0.95 each, purchased the same number of calls up at the January 2012 $17.5 strike for a premium of $1.72 per contract, and sold 40,000 calls at the higher January 2012 $22.5 strike at a premium of $0.42 apiece. Net premium paid to initiate the spread amounts to $0.35 per contract, thus positioning the investor to make money in the event that Cisco’s shares rally another 2.5% over today’s high of $17.42 to surpass the effective breakeven price of $17.85 by expiration. Maximum potential profits of $4.65 per contract are available to the trader should shares in CSCO jump 29.2% to exceed $22.50 ahead of expiration day next January. Shares in the name last traded above $22.50 back in November 2010. CECO - Career Education Corp. – Put options on…
