3D Systems shares had been in positive territory earlier in the session, up as much as 4.2% to touch an intraday high of $50.85. The stock bounced off a low of $47.17 in the early going, a new six-month low for the share price and a more than 50% drop from DDD’s record high of $97.28 reached back on January 3rd. Shares managed to stay in the green for much of the session before succumbing to selling pressure this afternoon. Options expiring next week suggests at least one trader is positioning for further weakness in the near term.
The 17Apr’14 $47 puts traded more than 2,000 times this morning against previously existing open interest of just 94 contracts. Time and sales data indicates most of the puts were purchased at a premium of $1.45 each. The puts may be profitable at expiration in the holiday-shortened week to come, in the event that DDD shares drop more than 5.0% from the current price of $48.13 to trade below the breakeven point at $45.55. Shares in the 3D printing company last traded below $45.55 in August 2013.
