In our Monthly Income Report, we look for opportunities to utilize option selling to generate income. While we focus on selling cash-secured puts and covered calls on high quality stocks, we sometimes identify high return trades. We like to have 2 or more stock or company events leading to positive confirmation that the stock will continue its trend. This month we have identified a stock with a bullish technical indicator that has potential to generate a 10% return in only 45 days.
Stock: Alkermes plc (ALKS) is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in the researching, developing and commercializing pharmaceutical products that are designed to address medical needs of patients in therapeutic areas. The Company has a portfolio of marketed drug products and a clinical pipeline of products that address central nervous system (CNS) disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression, addiction and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Alkermes just announced positive preliminary top line results from ENLIGHTEN-1, the first of two key phase 3 studies in the ENLIGHTEN clinical development program for ALKS 3831, an investigational, novel, once-daily, oral atypical antipsychotic drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia. ENLIGHTEN-1 was a multinational, double-blind, randomized, phase 3 study that evaluated the antipsychotic efficacy, safety and tolerability of ALKS 3831 compared to placebo over four weeks in 403 patients experiencing an acute exacerbation of schizophrenia. The study also included a comparator arm of olanzapine, an established atypical antipsychotic agent with proven efficacy.
ALKS will announce earnings on July 27 but should be positive on this news.
This stock has formed a pattern called Flag (Bullish), providing a target price for the short-term in the range of 61.50 to 62.30 (see chart below). We think the stock can hit the target price within 6 weeks or less. The price recently crossed above its moving average signaling a new uptrend has been established. While we like the upside potential in ALKS, we want to protect the downside against market changes.
Strategy: We want to sell a covered call on Alkermes using the August 2017 60 Call. For each 100 shares of ALKS stock you buy, sell one August 60 covered call option for a $54.50 ($58.70 – $4.20) debit or better. That’s potentially a 10.0% assigned return with a 7% downside protection. If you want more downside protection, you can purchase an August 55 PUT for less than $2.00 per option.
This is a higher risk trade than we normally place in the Monthly Income Report. However, this is a nice setup with a positive news announcement, positive technical confirmation and increased premium from selling options for income.
Let more about creating monthly income here.