Can CyberArk Software (CYBR) Continue the Upside Momentum?

This week we are looking at another of the Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 List companies.  We use this list in one of our options portfolios to spot outperforming stocks and place option spreads that take advantage of the momentum.

Terry

Can CyberArk Software (CYBR) Continue the Upside Momentum?

The Investor’s Business Daily recently published an article picking out CYBR as one of the 5 best companies that stand to gain as the market rallies, view the full article here.  As well, take a look at this article published on Zacks that details CYBR as an outperformer among its peers.

From a technical perspective, the main appeal to CyberArk’s stock is that it’s trading within a rising trend channel while a majority of stocks remain within a declining trend channel, which is an indication of strength.  In fact, looking at the CYBR chart alone, it would not be apparent that the broader markets had such a volatile decline in the last two months of 2018.  The stock price ended last week near highs and looks to be threatening a break above the December top.

CYBR Chart January 2019

*source Tradingview.com

If you agree there’s further upside ahead for CYBR, consider this trade which is a bet that the stock will continue to advance over the next four weeks, at least a little bit.

Buy To Open CYBR 8FEB19 75 Puts (CYBR19028P75)
Sell To Open CYBR 8FEB19 78 Puts (CYBR19028P78) for a credit of $1.33 (selling a vertical)

This price was $0.02 less than the mid-point of the option spread when CYBR was trading near $80.  Unless the stock rallies quickly from here, you should be able to get close to this amount.

Your commission on this trade will only be $2.50 per spread (the rate charged by thinkorswim for Terry’s Tips’ subscribers).  Each contract would then yield $130.50 and your broker would charge a $300 maintenance fee, making your investment $169.50 ($300 – $130.50).  If CYBR closes at any price above $78 on February 8, both options would expire worthless, and your return on the spread would be 77% (1124% annualized).

Changes to Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 This Week:

IBD Underlying Updates January 10, 2019

We have found that the Investor’s Business Daily Top 50 List has been a reliable source of stocks that are likely to move higher in the short run.  Recent additions to the list might be particularly good choices for this strategy, and deletions might be good indicators for exiting a position that you might already have on that stock.

As with all investments, you should only make option trades with money that you can truly afford to lose.

Happy trading,

Terry