Apple Supplier Ready to Step into Earnings Confessional

Broadcom is expected to reveal its fourth-quarter report after the close tonight

Chip stocks have not been immune to the broad market sell-off that has sent the Dow into bear market territory earlier today. That puts the companies' earnings reports in the crosshairs, and options traders are responding in kind. For example, Apple supplier Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO) will report fourth-quarter earnings after the close today, and puts are popping ahead of the event..

At last check, Broadcom stock was down 6.5% to trade at $229.90, and earlier hit a two-year low of $224.24. Since a Jan. 24 record high of $331.58, AVGO has shed 29% and last Thursday breached its 320-day moving average January 2019.

Looking at Broadcom's earnings history, the stock saw negative returns during three of the last four sessions, including a 5.6% dip last June.. This time around the options pits are pricing in a 9.0% next-day swing, regardless of direction, slightly bigger than the 4.6% post-earnings move averaged during the past two years.

The options pits are predominately put-heavy. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) AVGO sports a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 1.04. This ratio sits higher than 92% of all other readings from the past year, suggesting long puts have been picked up at a slightly quicker-than-usual clip. Today, however, it looks like calls are popular, with the March 245 is popular and new positions likely being sold to open.