Allegiant Travel Stock Gaps Lower After $1.5B Rival Acquisition

Group 1 - Allegiant Travel Company (ALGT) is acquiring budget airline Sun Country Airlines (SNCY) for $1.5 billion, or $18.89 per share, with the deal expected to close in the second half of 2026 [1] - Following the acquisition news, ALGT's stock fell by 3.9% to $91.24, marking its worst single-day percentage loss since November, despite a 101.6% gain over the past nine months [1][2] - The stock reached its highest level since February before the decline, bouncing off long-term support at the 20-day moving average [2] Group 2 - ALGT's 10-day call/put volume ratio is 7.38, indicating a higher level of bearish sentiment among options traders compared to the past year, with short interest at 9.9% of the available float, despite a 24% decrease in the last two reporting periods [3] - Options are currently affordably priced, with a Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 57% in the 20th percentile of annual readings, suggesting potential for stock performance exceeding volatility expectations [4] - The stock has a Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 90 out of 100, indicating a strong historical performance relative to volatility expectations [4]