Call traders favor CAG in the options pits
The shares of Conagra Brands Inc (NYSE:CAG) are up 2.8% at last check, following the company's positive fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report. The packaged food company announced better-than-expected earnings and revenue, following a pandemic-related surge in product demand. Chief Executive Sean Connolly stated "our business clearly benefited from increased at-home eating in the fourth quarter, as the elevated retail demand outweighed the reduced food service demand." Though optimistic about the long-term, the company is still waiting until next quarter to report its full-year guidance.
The equity has had a volatile few months, with overheard pressure seen at the $35 region since late April and a floor of support near $32. With an added leg of support at the 70-day moving average, today's pop has CAG back at its year-to-date breakeven mark, and sporting a three-month gain of 18.5%.
In the options pits, CAG's stock's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.46 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) sits higher than 82% of readings in its annual range. In other words, long calls are being picked up at a faster-than-usual rate.
Echoing this, the stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.43 sits in the low 2nd percentile of all other readings from the 12 months. This suggests short-term option players have rarely been more call-biased this year.
Also worth noting is Conagra stock's attractively priced premiums. This is per the security's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 43%, which stands higher than just 21% of all other annual readings. This means that options players are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations at the moment.