Trading Tips Blog

Companies have limits to their growth. A tree grows toward the sun, but not to the sun. To continue along a successful path, companies need to branch out and offer new products and services. Ideally, these will be natural extensions of their existing products. If there’s a good fit, a company can continue to grow and even accelerate its growth before it starts to see a big slowdown. For instance, brokerage Robinhood (HOOD) grew quickly thanks to offering zero fees and the ...
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Alfred Zollar, director at Nasdaq (NDAQ), recently bought 2,542 shares. The buy increased his stake by 5%, and came to a total cost of $203,970. This marks the first insider buy since October 2023, when a different director bought shares. The company’s CEO was also a buyer of 10,000 shares last July. Otherwise, there have been periodic sales by insiders over the past year, largely at the EVP level. Overall, Nasdaq insiders own 10.8% of shares. The capital markets operator is up ...
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Gold exploration and production giant Barrick Gold Corp (GOLD) is up 6% over the past year, underperforming both the stock market and a massive rally in gold itself. One trader sees shares trending higher over the next two years. That’s based on the January 15 2027 $35 calls. With 785 days until expiration, 20,024 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 104, for a massive 193-fold jump in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $0.64 ...
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After being frozen for nearly two years, the real estate market is starting to show signs of life. Listings are on the rise, indicating that homeowners may be ready to sell. While mortgage rates are still near multi-year highs, the Federal Reserve is now starting to lower interest rates. Rates will start trending lower in time, and now may be the time for investors to bet on a real estate rebound. That means that more home transactions are on the horizon, which ...
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Kristin Van Dask, CFO at Prospect Capital (PSEC), recently bought 15,200 shares. The buy increased her stake by 17%, and came to a total cost of $65,208. This is the first insider buy since September, when the company’s CEO, COO, and a director bought over 1 million shares in total across a series of transactions. Insiders have been gradual buyers of shares over the past two years, and there have been no insider sales over the same period. Overall, Prospect insiders ...
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Athletic apparel manufacturer Nike (NKE) is down 30% over the past year. One trader sees the stock trending lower over the weeks ahead. That’s based on the December 27 $65 puts. With 37 days until expiration, 4,333 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 128, for a 34-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.53 to make the bearish bet. Nike shares recently traded for just under $75, so shares would need to decline ...
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Most industries tend to start with a large number of companies competing for market share. Over time, companies that can carve out a successful niche can grow their market share. Eventually, only a few players will remain. When a sector settles down to a few oligopoly players, profits tend to be steady. And investors in those companies tend to fare well over time. It doesn’t matter if it’s in software, credit cards, or consumer brands. One sector with an oligopoly is the ...
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David Risher, CEO of Lyft (LYFT), recently bought 13,790 shares. The buy increased his stake by less than 1%, and came to a total cost of $250,272. This is Risher’s second buy of the year, following a 51,815 share pickup in August for just over $501,000. Otherwise, company insiders, including both directors and executives, have been slight sellers of shares over the past two years. Those sales are largely direct sales, rather than the exercise of stock options. Overall, Lyft insiders ...
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