Today’s tickers: USU, EP & CHMT
USU - USEC Inc. – The supplier of low enriched uranium (LEU) for commercial nuclear power plants popped up on our scanners this morning after large blocks of Jan. 2012 contract call options changed hands on the stock. Shares in USU are flat on the day at $2.04 following the more than 60.0% pop in the price of the underlying at the tail-end of the previous trading week to $2.12 from $1.30. With shares at $2.04, the stock is down more than 65.0% year-to-date off a 52-week high of $6.35. The burst of call activity on the Bethesda, Maryland-based company appears to be nearly identical to a large call spread initiated this past Friday. The trader responsible for Friday’s transaction may have purchased a 10,000-lot Jan. 2012 $2.0/$3.0 call spread for a net premium of $0.35 per contract. The position may yield maximum potential profits of $0.65 per contract should shares in USU top $3.00 at expiration next year. Today’s sizeable call spread also cost a net premium of $0.65 apiece, but the investor purchased a wider 10,000-lot Jan. 2012 $2.0/$3.5 call spread. The trader responsible for the spread may make up to $1.15 per contract in the event that USEC’s shares surge 71.5% over the current price of $2.04 to exceed $3.50 at expiration in January. Shares in USU last traded above $3.50 in July. The company is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings after the final bell on November 2, 2011.
EP - El Paso Corp. – Kinder Morgan Inc.’s agreement to purchase El Paso Corp. for $21.1 billion saw shares in EP up 23.5% at $24.20 as of 12:30…
