Trading Tips Blog

Four directors at Advance Auto Parts (AAP) recently bought shares. Director Eugene Lee led the group with a 7,635 share buy. That increased his holdings by 41 percent, and came to a total stake of $500,160. The smallest buy was for 500 shares valued at just under $33,000. This marks the first insider activity since 2021. That's when a company EVP sold 3,500 shares when the stock traded more than three times higher than where it stands today. Overall, insiders at the ...
Read More About This

Regional bank Keycorp (KEY) is down nearly 40 percent over the past year, as banking stocks have been out of favor with the market. One trader sees the potential for another big drop by the end of the year. That’s based on the December $6 puts. With 184 days until expiration, 5,128 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 195, for a 26-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $0.40. Shares recently traded for ...
Read More About This

The past few weeks has seen an explosion of interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and chipmaker stocks. That’s allowed a few big-cap tech names to lead the overall market higher. And since the stock market is weighted by market cap, it may have even kept stocks from dropping so far this year. With the move higher fizzling out, it’s possible that investors are looking to new leaders to keep the 2023 rally going. One company looks set to take the leadership ...
Read More About This

Joseph Rice, a director at Banc of California (BANC), recently bought 7,500 shares. The buy increased his holdings by 85 percent, and came to a total cost of $84,375. This is the first insider activity in a month, when another director bought 3,200 shares in early May for about $35,000. Company insiders have been buyers so far this year, including over $1 million from a third director across multiple transactions. Overall, insiders at the regional bank own 1.9 percent of shares. The ...
Read More About This

Building product and systems manufacturer Johnson Controls International (JCI) has moved 22 percent higher in the past year. One trader sees further upside ahead for shares in the next three months. That’s based on the October $67.50 calls. With 129 days until expiration, 11,121 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 114, for a 98-fold jump in volume in the past year. The buyer of the calls paid $2.00 to make the bullish bet. Shares recently traded for about $63.50, ...
Read More About This

Most investment analysis tries to put a company into either a growth category, or a value category. Fortunately, some stocks offer both at the same time. With some sectors of the market rallying strongly and value out of reach, being able to buy value while also seeing a move higher is huge. And with a solid valuation, the share price can move higher from both higher earnings growth and a higher valuation multiple as the company grows. One company exhibiting this growth ...
Read More About This

Tami Erwin, a director at Deere & Co (DE), recently bought 675 shares. The buy increased her stake by 29 percent, and came to a total cost just under $250,500. This marks the only insider buy at the company over the past two years. Company executives have otherwise exclusively been sellers over the past two years. However, those sales have come following the exercise of stock options. Overall, company insiders own 0.2 percent of shares. The agricultural equipment manufacturer is up about ...
Read More About This

Retail game store GameStop (GME) dropped following the announcement that the company CEO was departing. One trader sees shares rebounding from that drop in the coming days. That’s based on the June 30 $22 calls. With 17 days until expiration, 10,388 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 250, for a 42-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $1.29 to make the bullish bet. Shares last traded around $21.50, so shares would need to ...
Read More About This