Shares of digital advertising firm The Trade Desk (TTD) have been trending higher in the past few weeks after a longer-term slump. One trader sees the shares continuing higher.
That’s based on the October 15 $75 calls. With 98 days until expiration, over 41,150 contracts traded, a 154-fold jump in volume from the prior open interest of 260. The buyer of the call paid about $10.25 to make the trade.
Shares last traded north of $77.50, putting the call options about $2.50 in-the-money already. Shares have traded as high as $97 in the past year, so on a return to that prior high, the option could be worth as much as $23 at expiration, providing a clear triple-digit profit.
The company has seen revenues rise nearly 37 percent in the past year, and shares sport a 27 percent profit margin. There’s room for improvement as digital advertising trends remain strong.
Action to take: Shares are certainly pricey at over 150 times forward earnings, so investors may want to sit this one out and play the current uptrend with a call option.
The October calls are well placed in terms of the strike date, and trading in-the-money allows for traders to take lower profits with a higher likelihood of the option expiring with some value on the trade. Those looking for a bigger risk could pay less to buy options with a higher strike price, and bet on a more definitive move higher in the coming weeks.
Disclosure: The author of this article has no position in the company mentioned here, but may make a trade after the next 72 hours. The author receives no compensation from any of the companies mentioned in this article.