IB Options Brief: Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) & Riverbed Technology, Inc. (RVBD)

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Time Warner Cable Call Buyer Tunes In For A Rally      

TWC ñ Time Warner Cable Inc.
An investor expecting shares in Time Warner Cable to pop ahead of March expiration initiated a large stock and option combination play just before 12:30pm in New York. Shares in the TWC are currently down 0.80% this afternoon to stand at $70.53.

It looks like the trader enacted a delta neutral position, selling 150,000 shares of the underlying at $70.60 each, and buying 10,000 calls at the March $75 strike at a premium of $0.25 a-pop, on a 0.15 delta. The risk profile of the transaction is such that the trader may benefit somewhat on the short stock leg of the transaction should shares in the name slip in the near term. But, the profit and loss parameters of the position dictate substantially greater gains if Time Warnerís shares surge ahead of expiration day next month.

If shares rally, gains on the long calls, which represent a far larger stake in the underlying than the 150,000 shares of which the investor is short, will trump losses realized on the short stock. The investor is well positioned to benefit nicely should the price of the underlying react as he predicts it will. Time Warner Cableís reading of options implied volatility is up 5.1% on the session at 21.26% as of 1:30pm.

 

RVBD ñ Riverbed Technology, Inc.
Shares in Riverbed Technology increased as much as 4.0% this morning to secure an intraday- and new all-time high of $43.54. One big options player appears to be using call options in the name to position for the bullish momentum to continue through June expiration.

It looks like the trader picked up 15,000 deep in-the-money calls at the June $39 strike for a hefty premium of $7.30 each, and sold the same number of calls at the higher June $45 strike at a premium of $3.90 apiece. The net cost of the spread amounts to $3.40 per contract.

Thus, the trader is positioned to make money in the event that Riverbedís shares exceed the average breakeven price of $42.40 through expiration day in June. Maximum potential profits of $2.60 per contract pad the investorís wallet should shares in Riverbed Technology rally another 3.35% to trade above $45.00 before the options expire.

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