The Boeing Co. (BA)– Weekly put options covering the commercial airline manufacturer are active ahead of Boeing's third-quarter earnings report ahead of the opening bell on Wednesday. Shares in Boeing rallied earlier this morning, but have since turned negative to stand 0.20% lower on the session at $64.46 as of 11:25 am EDT. Put players may be picking up downside protection ahead of the earnings release should the report fail disappoint at mid-week. Traders purchased nearly 500 in-the-money puts at the Oct.'28 $65 strike for an average premium of $1.63 each, and picked up some 2,000 puts at the Oct.'28 $62.5 strike at an average premium of $0.78 apiece. Put volume at each strike is far exceeds open interest levels. Investors long the contracts may profit at expiration day if BA's shares trade below the average breakeven prices of $63.37 and $61.72, respectively. Meanwhile, traders doubting the stock will tank on the earnings report, sold 2,196 puts at the Oct.'28 $57.5 strike to pocket premium of $0.11 per contract. Put sellers keep the premium received on the transaction as long as shares in The Boeing Company top $57.50 at expiration day this week. Traders short the puts could wind up having shares of the underlying put to them at expiration should the stock drop 10.8% from the current price of $64.46 to trade below the $57.50 strike price.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) – Call options on American Eagle Outfitters are on-trend with investors positioning for shares in the teen retailer to rally during the next four weeks to November expiration. American Eagle is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings ahead of the open on November 17. Shares in AEO are currently up 3.1% at $13.40 as of 11:10 am in New York. Call buying and put selling in the front month ensued within minutes of the morning bell. Investors expecting shares in the apparel and accessories retailer to increase snapped up roughly 1,800 calls at the Nov. $14 strike for an average premium of $0.46 each. Trading traffic in near-term calls was heaviest at the Nov. $15 strike, where more than 8,900 contracts changed hands against open interest of 4,829 positions. It looks like most of the Nov. $15 strike calls were purchased for an average premium of $0.22 apiece. Call buyers profit at expiration in the event that AEO's shares surge 13.6% to surpass the average breakeven price of $15.22.