Meta Stock: An Advanced Put Strategy Takes Advantage Of Pre-Earnings Volatility

Core Insights - Meta Platforms (META) stock is currently trading below its 50-day moving average but remains above a support level of 700, with earnings report expected on Oct. 29 [1] - The volatility skew is high, indicating that short-term options have higher implied volatility compared to long-term options, suggesting potential trading strategies like a diagonal put spread [1][7] Options Strategy - An advanced options strategy is proposed for Meta, involving selling an Oct. 31 put with a strike price of 640 and buying a Nov. 7 put with a strike price of 635 [3] - The Oct. 31 put can be sold for approximately 7.15, while the Nov. 7 put can be bought for 8.05, resulting in a net debit of around 90 cents per share [4] - The maximum potential loss is calculated at 1,090, while the maximum potential gain is estimated at around 3,200 if Meta closes at 640 on Oct. 31 [5] Breakeven and Performance Expectations - Breakeven prices are estimated at around 600 and 720, with the trade expected to perform well if Meta stock stays between 690-740 over the next week [6] - Aiming for a return of approximately 10%-15% is suggested, along with setting a stop loss to manage risk [6] Risk and Volatility - The initial trade setup has a delta of -1, indicating a directionally neutral position, but this can change as the stock moves [7] - The strategy benefits from selling a put with higher volatility (57%) compared to the one being bought (52%), aligning with the principle of buying low and selling high [7] Company Ratings - Investor's Business Daily assigns Meta Platforms a Composite Rating of 95 out of a possible 99, an Earnings Per Share Rating of 96, and a Relative Strength Rating of 76, ranking seventh in its group [8]