U.S. stocks are trading lower after former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort surrendered to feds in response to being indicted by Robert Mueller. Among the stocks making moves this morning are energy concern Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc (NYSE:DO), healthcare provider Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), and homebuilder CalAtlantic Group Inc (NYSE:CAA). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of DO, MRK, and CAA.
Shares of DO are on the rise after the company reported a third-quarter earnings beat. Up 6.5% to $16.85, at last check, the offshore drilling stock has been riding the support of its 20-day moving average since late August, and has now added 68% since its late-June low. Analysts were unsure of DO ahead of earnings, with 16 of 17 carrying tepid "hold" or worse ratings. A few short sellers are likely kicking rocks, too, as short interest represents more than 50% of Diamond Offshore's total available float.
Merck stock has seen no fewer than three downgrades and five price-target cuts, after the blue chip on Friday pulled its European marketing application for Keytruda. MRK stock is trading 5% lower at $55.39, and earlier fell to a new annual low of $54.41. It's the second bear gap for MRK in as many sessions, after the stock on Friday fell after earnings.
Options traders have been put-heavy recently on the pharma stock, with data from the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) showing MRK sporting a 10-day put/call volume ratio of 0.84, ranking in the 83rd percentile of its annual range. This implies that puts have been bought over calls at a faster-than-usual-clip during the past two weeks.
CalAtlantic Group stock is soaring, afterLennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) agreed to buy the homebuilder in a $9.3 billion deal. CAA stock was last seen trading 22% higher at $49.14, and earlier touched a fresh 10-year high of $50.48. The buyout deal values CAA around $51.34 per share.
Quite a few CalAtlantic option buyers are likely cheering. At the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX, CAA stock sports a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 13.16, which ranks in the 92nd percentile of its annual range. This top-heavy ratio suggests calls have been bought to open at a faster-than-usual clip relative to puts during the past 10 weeks.