Human Genome Sees Modest Bullish Plays After Analyst Predicts Surge

Today’s tickers: HGSI, BRCM, AAP, VIX & EWC HGSI – Shares of the biopharmaceutical company have reached a new 52-week high today, rising 7.5% to $16.00, surpassing the old high for the past year of $15.72 attained on August 4, 2009. Helping to boost shares was the reiteration of an ‘outperform’ rating on the stock and a target price of $30.00 by analysts at Leerink Swann today. Bullish option trades were observed on HGSI this morning with call activity outweighing that of puts by a factor of more than 3-to-1. One investor initiated an optimistic play by purchasing 1,500 calls at the September 16 strike price for a premium of 1.59 apiece. He reduced the cost of getting bullish by spreading the purchase against the sale of 1,500 calls at the higher October 17.5 strike for 1.46 per contract. The net cost of the transaction amounts to just 13 cents and provides the investor with an effective exit strategy by expiration in October if the stock should surpass $17.50. If the trader chooses to take delivery of the underlying shares by exercising the calls in September, and shares rise above $17.50 by expiration in October, he will ultimately bank profits of 1.37 per contract or a total of $205,500 by having the shares called away from him. – Human Genome Sciences, Inc. BRCM – The producer of semiconductors for wired and wireless communications appeared on our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner after investors began hoarding put options in the September contract. Shares of BRCM are currently lower by more than 2% to stand at $26.62. Perhaps bracing for further near-term declines, traders picked up some 3,000 puts at the in-the-money September 28 strike price for a premium of 2.25 apiece. Additional downside protection was picked up at the now in-the-money September 27 strike where 5,000 puts cost an average 1.58 each. Finally, the most bearish traders purchased 5,000 puts at the lower September 25 strike price for a premium of 80 cents per contract. Investors long the out-of-the-money put options must see shares of BRCM decline another 9% before profits begin to amass beneath the breakeven point to the downside at $24.20. – Broadcom Corp. AAP – The specialty retailer of automotive parts and accessories edged onto our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner after one investor established a ratio put spread on the stock. Shares have slipped lower by more than 1.5% to arrive…