Options Corner: CSCO Near 25-Year Highs

Core Viewpoint - Cisco has shown a year-to-date increase of over 20%, although it is slightly lagging behind the broader tech sector ETF, which has increased by 24% [2]. Company Performance - Cisco is performing well compared to other companies in the networking hardware space, ranking near the top against competitors like Arista Networks, Palo Alto Networks, HP Enterprise, and Fortinet [2]. - Cisco's stock chart indicates a breakout point around 66, with a recent high of 84.84, but the stock has retreated from these highs [3][4]. Technical Analysis - The current trading range for Cisco is between recent lows of 70.54 and highs near 72.50, with traders focusing on this range for the session [5]. - The 21-day exponential moving average is currently near 71.20, indicating a bullish trend as the stock remains above the 50 midline [6][7]. - The expected move for December's monthly expiration is approximately 8.7%, with breakout points identified near 72.50 and a top range around 78 [8]. Earnings Expectations - Cisco's networking segment is projected to grow nearly 9%, which is a slowdown from the previous quarter's 12% year-over-year growth. The cybersecurity segment is expected to grow about 11% [10]. - The stock is near 25-year highs, indicating elevated expectations going into the earnings report [9]. Options Strategy - A suggested options strategy involves buying a directional call vertical with a bullish bias, utilizing the December monthly option series, which has about 37 days to expiration [11][12]. - The strategy includes buying a call at the 72.50 strike and selling a call at the 80 strike, resulting in a risk of approximately $225 per spread, with a break-even point at 74.75, just over 3% above the current share price [13][14]. - This approach allows for flexibility in trade management, as the position can be closed early if the necessary price movement occurs [15].