Call Traders Blast Surging Dell Stock After Earnings

Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:DELL) is enjoying a post-earnings surge this morning, up 12.5% to trade at $49.42 at last glance -- on track for its best single-session gain since March 2020. The computer software company announced a strong full-year forecast and upbeat first-quarter results, giving its sector peers a boost as well. 

Analysts are chiming in with mixed sentiment, albeit with fairly mild price-target moves. BofA Global Research raised its price target by $2 to $67, while Raymond James lifted its by $1 to $58. On the negative side, Morgan Stanley slashed its price objective by $4 to $56, while Deutsche Bank lowered its to $60 from $65. 

Earlier as high as $52.59, DELL is extending its bounce off its May 20 one-year low of $38.33. Even though DELL has  broken above its 50-day moving average for the first time since Feb. 18, the stock is still down 11.6% year-to-date. 

Puts have been much more popular than usual in the options pits. This is per DELL's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 2.08 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which sits higher than 95% of readings from the past year. 

A clear shift is happening today, however, with 15,000 calls exchanged so far in comparison to 5,432 puts. Overall, options volume is running at 16 times the intraday average, and pacing for the top percentile of its annual range. The June 50 call is the most popular contract, with new positions being bought to open there.