Are Options Traders Betting on a Big Move in Select Medical (SEM) Stock?

Investors in Select Medical Holdings Corporation SEM need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Dec 20, 2024 $20 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.

What is Implied Volatility?

Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.

What do the Analysts Think?

Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Select Medical shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Select Medical is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) in the Medical – HMOs industry that ranks in the Bottom 7% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, no analyst increased the earnings estimates for the current quarter, while two have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from 49 cents per share to 36 cents in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about Select Medical right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.

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