Navistar has faced heavy downward pressure, but now some traders apparently think that it's ready to shine.
optionMONSTER's tracking systems detected unusual activity in the August 30 calls, with aggressive buying for $0.30 and $0.35. Almost 13,000 of the options traded against previous open interest of 2,403 contracts, so these are new purchases.
Calls lock in the price investors must pay to buy shares in the company, which manufactures vehicles such as military trucks and buses, along with engines, parts, and chassis. Those options can generate significant leverage if NAV rallies but will expire worthless if it doesn't. (See our Education section)
NAV climbed 4.72 percent to $24.18 yesterday but has been falling steadily since February, when it was above $47. It was recently downgraded by Fitch Ratings, and the cash flows have taken a hit. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn has been fighting the trend, adding to positions in recent sessions in anticipation of a turnaround.
More than 14,000 calls traded in the name yesterday compared with fewer than 2,000 puts, a reflection of the bullish sentiment.
(A version of this post appeared on InsideOptions Pro yesterday.)
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