Long

NEXT WEEK'S COVERED CALL CANDIDATES: ZIOP, NVAX, LC, WLL

Here's my "short list" for covered call candidates for next week generated by looking at Barcharts.com high volatility stock options list and the Dough grid:

WLL buy shares at 7.66; sell Sept 16th 8 call; 7.10 debit; $90 max profit (12.7% ROC)
CC buy shares at 11.45; sell Sept 16th 12 call; 10.78 debit; $122 max profit (10.6% ROC)
LC buy shares at 5.40; sell Oct 21st 5.5 call; 4.85 debit; $65 max profit (13.4% ROC)
ZIOP buy shares at 5.46; sell Oct 21st 6 call; 4.65 debit; $135 max profit (29.0% ROC)
NVAX buy shares at 7.04; sell Oct 21st 8 call; 5.42 debit.; $258 max profit (47.6% ROC)
FCX buy shares at 11.92; sell Sept 30 12 call; 10.90 debit; $102 max profit (9.3% ROC)
JCP buy shares at 10.55; sell Sept 30th 11 call; 9.59 debit; $96 max profit (9.6% ROC)

Notes: (1) WLL's a petro play. Because so many small petro companies are in trouble of one kind or another (i.e., shale and/or offshore oil exploration exposure), I generally prefer playing something with a little less "single company exposure" (e.g., XOP). But, hey, it meets my general rule of >10% ROC. (2) CC is a basic materials/chemical play. It spun off from DuPont and has had quite an up run here in spite of a recent punitive damages judgment for chemical dumping (weirdly, the stock dipped and then subsequently popped on the news, probably out of relief that the debacle was in the rear view mirror). (3) LC's been in a downtrend since IPO. At best, a money, take, run play. (4) I still like ZIOP. It's biopharma and has a fairly diverse pipeline such that if one drug fails, they still have more in the hopper. And that 29% ROC, well ... drop dead gorgeous if it can get to $6. (5) I'm also in NVAX (biopharm). In comparison to ZIOP, their pipeline is quite narrow and currently devoted to a single vaccine (RSV). sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/novavax-early-study-indicates-vaccine-201014739.html (vaccine "could be breakthrough," but not time to "break out the champagne" (code for "it could suck ... or not")). (6) FCX (mining). I covered called this in late 2015, early 2016 which commodities were at a cyclical low and then bailed out when it appeared to be topping. Looking back, it kind of looks pricey here in comparison, and I'm not so hot on the ROC. However, it's highly liquid, and it has some room to pop to 14.00 resistance (and naturally some room to cave; the 2016 low is sub-$4). (7) JCP. Well, it's JCP. Plus, it's had a bit of a run up here, and if past performance is indicative of future results, well, it could zombie trade back to sub-$9 and with the ROC, well, not at the top of my list ... .
CCcoveredcallsFCXJCPLCNVAXoptionsstrategiesWLLZIOP

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