Shares in the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Ticker: EEM) are up more than 15% since early February, when shares in the ETF touched $37.05 and the lowest level of 2014. EEM shares are on the rise today too, up 0.35% on the session at $42.92 as of 11:30 a.m. ET. A large options combination trade on the EEM this morning looks for the price of the underlying to continue to march higher during the second half of the year.
One options market participant appears to have sold 15,000 of the Dec 35.0 strike calls at a premium of $0.55 each in order to partially offset the cost of buying the Dec 44/48/52 call butterfly spread. All told, the four-legged trade cost a net $0.30 per contract and positions the strategist to reap maximum possible gains of $3.70 per contract in the event that EEM shares surge 12% during the back-half of 2014 to hit $48.00 and the highest level since July of 2011 by expiration in December of this year.
Selling the Dec 35.0 strike puts reduces the cost of establishing the bullish view on the EEM, but implies the risk of potentially having 1.5 million shares of the underlying delivered to the seller at the striking price if the emerging markets ETF surrenders recent gains (and then some) to dip below $35.00 at expiration. Meanwhile, to the upside, risk of loss is limited to the premium paid on the strategy, or $0.30 per contract. Profits start accruing on the call ‘fly if shares rally above a breakeven share price of $44.30 and max out with the underlying at $48.00. In the event that shares continue to rally above $48.00, profits shrink to zero at the upper breakeven point of $51.70 and give way to a maximum loss of $0.30 per contract at any share price above $52.00.
Chart – EEM shares up in 2014, Dec 44/48/52 call ‘fly eyes further upside
