Should You Buy Amazon (AMZN) Following Its Earnings Report?

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.

Amazon had a strong quarter and the following two articles outline the earnings report and why the stock may head higher from here – Amazon (AMZN) Q2 Earnings and Revenues Top Estimates and Why Amazon Stock Climbed 14% Last Month.

Technicals

From a technical perspective, AMZN was held lower by a horizontal resistance level near $3250 on the rally that followed the recent earnings report. However, from a broader perspective, the stock has been firmly bid from a rising trendline that originates back to a low posted in March. Considering how long this trendline has been in place, and the long-term trend, the resistance at $3250 does not appear to be a big hurdle and it may only be a matter of time before this stock is trading at fresh all-time highs.

AMZN Chart August 2020

If you agree there’s further upside ahead for AMZN, 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 AMZN 11SEP20 3160 Puts (AMZN200811P3160)
Sell To Open AMZN 11SEP20 3165 Puts (AMZN200811P3165) for a credit of $2.40 (selling a vertical)

This price was $0.02 less than the mid-point of the option spread when AMZN was trading near $3165.  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 $238.70 and your broker would charge a $500 maintenance fee, making your investment $261.30 ($500 – $238.70).  If AMZN closes at any price above $3165 on September 11, both options would expire worthless, and your return on the spread would be 91% (1038% annualized).

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

IBD Underlying Updates August 8, 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