BIG – Big Lots, Inc. – Shares in the largest U.S. broadline closeout retailer are down big today, with the stock dropping nearly 14% to $32.00, the lowest level since August 23rd., after Big Lots posted a wider than expected third-quarter loss of $0.18 a share on revenue that came in below the average analyst estimate for the metric.
December expiry options changing hands on Big Lots in the early going today indicate some traders are positioning for the price of the underlying to sell down further during the next couple of weeks. Traders appear to have purchased around 770 of the Dec $30 strike puts at a premium of $0.20 each. Put buyers may profit at expiration if shares in BIG decline 7.0% from today’s low of $32.00 to trade below the breakeven point on the downside at $29.80. Shares in Big Lots last traded below $29.80 back in January.
