A person or company can buy or sell parts of a stock, called options. Options are like betting on whether the price will go up or down. Nike is a big shoe and clothes company that lots of people like to buy from. Some smart people who study companies look at how many options are being bought and sold for Nike, and they try to guess if the price will change. They also have their own opinions about how much Nike's stock should cost. This article talks about what some of those smart people think and how many options are being traded. Read from source...
- The title of the article is misleading because it implies that the options market can tell us something definitive about Nike's performance or prospects. However, the options market is just one source of information among many others, and it does not necessarily reflect the underlying fundamentals or future trends of the company.
- The article focuses too much on the volume and open interest of calls and puts, which are technical indicators that can change for various reasons unrelated to Nike's value or outlook. For example, the article mentions that the volume and open interest have increased recently, but it does not explain why or how this affects Nike's stock price or earnings potential.
- The article also relies on analyst ratings, which are subjective opinions based on limited information and often influenced by personal biases or incentives. The article cites three different analysts from Goldman Sachs who have different targets for Nike's stock price, but it does not compare or contrast their methodologies or assumptions. Moreover, the article does not mention any other sources of independent or contrarian analysis that might challenge or support these ratings.
- The article ends with a promotional pitch for Benzinga Pro, which is an obvious conflict of interest and a weak attempt to persuade readers to subscribe to their service. The article does not disclose the fact that Benzinga Pro is owned by Benzinga, the same company that publishes the article. This creates a potential bias and undermines the credibility of the article.
Given that Nike is a well-established brand with strong sales growth, I would suggest considering both bullish and bearish options strategies. For the bullish case, you could consider buying call options with strike prices below or at the current market price of around $120. This would give you the right to purchase Nike shares at a predetermined price in the future, potentially allowing you to benefit from capital appreciation if the stock rises. For example, you could buy the February 2024 $120 call option for about $35 per contract, which would give you the right to buy Nike shares at $120 anytime before February 2024, as long as the stock is trading below that price. This trade has unlimited profit potential if Nike shares rally above $155 by expiration, while your maximum loss would be limited to the premium paid for the option, which is $35 per contract.
For the bearish case, you could consider selling put options with strike prices above or at the current market price of around $120. This would give you the obligation to sell Nike shares at a predetermined price in the future, potentially allowing you to benefit from income if the stock declines. For example, you could sell the February 2024 $120 put option for about $7 per contract, which would oblige you to sell Nike shares at $120 anytime before February 2024, as long as the stock is trading above that price. This trade has limited profit potential if Nikeshares rally above $120 by expiration, while your maximum loss would be limited to the premium received for the option, which is $7 per contract.