WAG – Walgreen Company – Shares in Walgreen have been on a tear this month, up 14.5% since the end of August to reach an all-time high of $55.23 today. The stock is currently up 2.5% on the session at $54.82 as of 12:05 p.m. ET.
Options traders positioning for shares in the drug retailer to extend gains this week appear to have purchased September expiry calls on the stock this morning. The Sep $54 and $54.5 strike calls each traded upwards of 1,000 times in the early going versus open interest of 745 and 150 contracts each, respectively. Time and sales data suggests around 600 of the $54 strike calls were purchased for an average premium of $0.73 each, while roughly 900 of the $54.5 strike calls traded to the middle of the market. Finally, around 900 of the Sep $55 calls have changed hands today, fewer than the 1,081 contracts in open interest at that strike. Traders appear to have purchased around 350 of the $55 strike calls at an average premium of $0.55 per contract. Buyers of the $55 calls may profit at expiration this week if shares in WAG top the average breakeven price of $55.55.
