Z-SYMBOLS

Selling my September 15 VIX Call Options to take profits in today’s market plunge

Selling my September 15 VIX Call Options to take profits in today’s market plunge

As of 2:40 New York time the September 15, 2021 VIX Call Options with a strike at 20 (VIX210915C00020000) were trading at $5.90 a share, up 40.48% on the day on a move higher in the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) of 30.35% to 24.05. I’m selling this volatility hedge out of my Volatility Portfolio with a profit of 17.5% since I added it to this portfolio on June 1.

Taiwan Semiconductor earnings on Thursday upended chip stocks–here’s why

Taiwan Semiconductor earnings on Thursday upended chip stocks–here’s why

On Thursday, July 15, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM), the world’s leading chip foundry, reported earnings of 93 cents a share for the second quarter, up 18% year over year. That was inline with analyst estimates. Sales rose 28%. The company raised its revenue guidance for the third quarter to a range of $14.6 billion to $14.9 billion. The midpoint of that range, $14.75 billion, was above the Wall Street consensus estimate of $14.57 billion. Sales in the third quarter of 2020 are $12.4 billion.Taiwan Semiconductor said that it now expects sales to grow more than 20% this year, an increase from the 20% target announced earlier in the year. For 2020-2025, the company raised its revenue forecast to a compound annual growth rate of 15% from a previous target of 10% to 15%. But the stock dropped 5.5% on July 15 and fell another 1.52% on Friday, July 16. Why?

I’ll add fast-charging company EVgo to my Millennial Portfolio on Monday

I’ll add fast-charging company EVgo to my Millennial Portfolio on Monday

On July 15, General Motors announced that Brightdrop, its new unit for recharging electric vehicles, would expand to the recharging of commercial fleet vehicles (such as FedEx.) GM named EVgo (EVgo), already partnering with GM to expand its network of fast charging stations, as a preferred partner in the fleet effort. Yesterday shares of EVgo jumped 14.18% on the news. Today, Friday, July 16, the stock gave back 2.57%. EVgo is already a member of my Volatility Portfolio where it is up 4.81% since I added it on May 19, 2021 through a purchase of shares in the the SPAC that would take the company public via a reverse merger. I’ll be adding EVgo shares to my “Millennial Portfolio (for investors with more time than money)” on Monday

More on why I added Zebra Technologies, my second Post-Pandemic picks for a New Normal, to my Jubak Picks Portfolio on June 28

More on why I added Zebra Technologies, my second Post-Pandemic picks for a New Normal, to my Jubak Picks Portfolio on June 28

On June 28 I added Zebra Technologies (ZBRA), my second pick in my Special Report: 5 Post-Pandemic Picks and 5 Post-Pandemic Pans for a New Normal, to my Jubak Picks Portfolio. In that day’s update on this Special Report set a target price of $596. (The shares closed at $510.65 on June 25 and at $539.94 on July 2.) Today let me give you some more of my logic behind this pick as well as an update on why the stock climbed 1.49% on July 2.

Selling my September 15 VIX Call Options to take profits in today’s market plunge

Selling my VIX July and August options to complete my roll over into the November Call

Last Friday I recommended a buy of the November 17, 2021 Call Options on the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) with a strike at 18 for a new hedge in increased stock market volatility in the fall. The 3.32% drop that day to 15.44 took the index, which measures how much investors and traders are willing to pay to hedge against volatility in the S&P 500, took out the low for the VIX for 2021 and you have to go all the way back to February 10, 2020–before the pandemic knocked the stuffing out of stocks–to find a lower level for the “fear index” at 13.68. My thought on this buy was that at this price I was getting a chance to hedge volatility at a level that would generate a profit even if we didn’t get a big volatility event. Since that buy that Call Option (VIX211117C00018000) has climbed to $5.75 from my buy at $5.20 with a gain of 2.68% today. The VIX itself has edged high both today and yesterday to a close on June 29 at 16.11, up 2.22% on the day.

Buying Martin Marietta Materials in my Jubak Picks Portfolio to add to infrastructure plays

Buying Martin Marietta Materials in my Jubak Picks Portfolio to add to infrastructure plays

On Monday, June 28, I’ll be adding shares of Martin Marietta Materials (MLM) to my Jubak Picks Portfolio to increase my exposure to the infrastructure sector after the Thursday, June 24, announcement at the White House of a bipartisan infrastructure deal. You should think of this producer of construction aggregates–used in highways, for example–as a version of aggregate producer Vulcan Materials (VMC) with a different regional profile. Whereas Vulcan is strongest in the Southeast and Texas, Martin Marietta has just acquired the assets of Heidelberg Cement in Arizona and California.