Trading Tips Blog

When it comes to the economy, layoffs are bad. When it comes to a company undergoing layoffs, the result can be a bit more mixed. A company may need to streamline to improve profitability, or simply over-hired during a boom. Or it could be in a long-term decline. Investors who can determine what a company’s layoffs mean may stand to profit. And the market’s initial reaction to layoffs can generally give a hint as to what happens next. For instance, investors Read More About This

Joseph Gebbia, a director at Tesla Motors (TSLA), recently bought 4,000 shares. The buy increased his stake by nearly 4,000%, and came to a total cost of $1,025,232. This marks the first insider buy at Tesla over the past two years. Typically, Tesla insiders are sellers of shares, including both the exercise of stock options and traditional sales. Sellers over the past year include the company CFO and several Senior Vice Presidents. Overall, Tesla insiders own 12.9% of shares. The electric vehicle ...
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Clothing manufacturer V.F. Corp (VFC) is down 7% over the past year, but have seen a bigger decline in recent weeks amid the rise of a new trade war. One trader sees shares continuing lower in the weeks ahead. That’s based on the May 23 $10 puts. With 22 days until expiration, 10,168 contracts traded compared to a prior open position of 307, for a 33-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.39 to make ...
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Investing has gotten a lot more challenging over the past few weeks. Rising economic uncertainty makes it difficult for companies and even individuals to make long-term plans. That could mean a pullback in spending, particularly on high-value items. But it also means that more may be spent on smaller, more impulsive purchases that act as little luxuries. And that could benefit some companies strongly in the quarters ahead. One little luxury right now is dining out – or ordering food for delivery ...
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Nicholas Hobbs, COO at JB Hunt Transportation Services (JBHT), recently bought 3,039 shares. The buy increased his position by 3%, and came to a total cost of $399,746. This marks the second insider buy of the year, following a 59,447 buy from a company director for about $10 million back in February. Otherwise, company insiders have been sellers of shares, at least at a price more than $35 per share higher than where the stock trades today. Overall, JB Hunt insiders ...
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Pharmaceutical manufacturing giant Pfizer (PFE) is down 10% over the past year, underperforming the overall market. One trader sees a rebound for shares over the summer. That’s based on the September $18 calls. With 142 days until expiration, 4,057 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 122, for a 33-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $5.10 to make the bullish bet. Pfizer shares recently traded for about $23, meaning the option is already ...
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Market volatility and fear may still be elevated, and might be scaring some away from this market. But for long-term investors, that’s more likely a gift. That’s because market pullbacks tend to bring down nearly all companies. And that creates opportunities to buy great companies at a reasonable price. That even includes some of the big tech companies that have been responsible for the market’s outperformance over the past few years. Among the Magnificent Seven players, Alphabet, parent of Google (GOOG), has ...
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Forager Fund, LP, a major holder of Mastercraft Boat Holdings (MCFT), recently bought over 55,000 shares across two transactions, paying just under $1 million to increase their holdings by 4%. Going further back, another major holder has been buyers of shares last year. And the company CEO bought 5,000 shares in March, increasing his position by 6%. There has only been one insider sale over the past two years from a company director. Overall, Mastercraft insiders own 3.9% of shares, and ...
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