L3 Harris Technologies (LHX) Breaks to Record Highs, What’s Next?

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.

LHX has received positive media coverage as of late. The IBD recently wrote an article naming the company its stock of the day and it has since rallied to trigger IBD’s buy point. Meanwhile, Zack’s has included the stock as part of their list of 4 defense stocks they think will do really well in 2020.

Technicals

Two notable technical developments are seen in the daily chart for L3 Harris Technologies. First, the stock has broken higher from a bullish flag pattern that had encompassed prices from September until late January. The second technical development that offers a bullish signal is the break above $215 resistance. This level is considered significant as it held the stock lower on multiple attempts in August and September. Further, the stock trades at an all-time high after breaking above the horizontal level.

LHX Chart January 2020

If you agree there’s further upside ahead for LHX, consider this trade which is a bet that the stock will continue to advance over the next five weeks, or at least not decline very much.

Buy To Open LHX 21FEB20 210 Puts (LHX200221P210)
Sell To Open LHX 21FEB20 220 Puts (LHX200221P220) for a credit of $3.78 (selling a vertical)

This price was $0.02 less than the mid-point of the option spread when LHX was trading near $220.  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 $1.30 per spread.  Each contract would then yield $376.70 and your broker would charge a $1000 maintenance fee, making your investment $623.30 ($1000 – $376.70).  If LHX closes at any price above $220 on February 21, both options would expire worthless, and your return on the spread would be 60% (684% annualized).

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

IBD Underlying Updates January 18, 2020

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