Selected Dividends and Earnings for August 9, 2009 to August 15, 2009

Monday, August 10, 2009

Dividends

• Entergy (ETR) - $0.750 payable 1-Sep
• Fortune Brands (FO) - $0.190 payable 1-Sep
• United States Steel Corp. (X) - $0.050 payable 10-Sep
• Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) - $0.150 payable 16-Sep
• Zions Bancorp (ZION) - $0.010 payable 26-Aug

Earnings

• Dynegy Inc. (DYN) before market open
• Fluor Corporation (FLR) after market close
• Nautilus, Inc. (NLS)
• Rackspace Hosting, Inc. (RAX) after market close
• SYSCO Corporation (SYY)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Dividends

• Applied Materials (AMAT) - $0.060 payable 3-Sep
• ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) - $0.420 payable 10-Sep
• The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) - $0.120 payable 3-Sep
• Wyeth (WYE) - $0.300 payable 1-Sep

Earnings

• Applied Materials (AMAT)
• Warnaco Group, Inc. (WRC) after market close

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Dividends

• AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS) - $0.050 payable 10-Sep
• CenterPoint Energy (CNP) - $0.190 payable 10-Sep
• Charles Schwab (SCHW) - $0.060 payable 28-Aug
• Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) - $0.180 payable 28-Aug
• Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) - $0.240 payable 16-Sep
• DuPont (DD) - $0.410 payable 11-Sep
• Eli Lilly (LLY) - $0.490 payable 10-Sep
• Emerson Electric (EMR) - $0.330 payable 10-Sep
• Exelon Corporation (EXC) - $0.525 payable 10-Sep
• Jones Apparel Group Inc. (JNY) - $0.050 payable 28-Aug
• Linear Technology (LLTC) - $0.220 payable 26-Aug
• Otter Tail Power (OTTR) - $0.298 payable 10-Sep
• Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI) - $0.360 payable 12-Sep
• Plum Creek Timber (PCL) - $0.420 payable 31-Aug
• ProLogis (PLD) - $0.150 payable 31-Aug
• Spectra Energy (SE) - $0.250 payable 14-Sep
• TECO Energy Inc. (TE) - $0.200 payable 28-Aug
• The Kroger Co. (KR) - $0.090 payable 1-Sep
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) - $0.273 payable 8-Sep

Earnings

• Liz Claiborne Inc. (LIZ) before market open
• Macy's, Inc. (M)
• MAIDENFORM BRANDS INC (MFB) before market open
• Sara Lee (SLE)
• The Progressive Corporation (PGR)
• U.S. Home Systems (USHS) after market close

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Dividends

• Allergan (AGN) - $0.050 payable 7-Sep
• Avon Products Inc. (AVP) - $0.210 payable 1-Sep
• International Paper Co. (IP) - $0.025 payable 15-Sep
• Jabil Circuit, Inc. (JBL) - $0.070 payable 1-Sep
• KLA-Tencor (KLAC) - $0.150 payable 1-Sep
• L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. (LLL) - $0.350 payable 15-Sep
• Murphy Oil Corporation (MUR) - $0.250 payable 1-Sep
• Rockwell Automation (ROK) - $0.290 payable 10-Sep
• Rockwell Collins, Inc. (COL) - $0.240 payable 8-Sep
• Simon Property Group, Inc. (SPG) - $0.600 payable 18-Sep
• Snap-on Incorporated (SNA) - $0.300 payable 8-Sep

Earnings

• Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK)
• Kohls Corporation (KSS)
• Nordstrom (JWN) after market close
• The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (EL) before market open
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT)

Friday, August 14, 2009

Dividends

• Bemis Company, Inc. (BMS) - $0.225 payable 1-Sep
• Ingersoll-Rand Co. Ltd. (IR) - $0.070 payable 1-Sep
• PACCAR (PCAR) - $0.090 payable 8-Sep

Earnings

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) before market open
• JCPenney (JCP) before market open

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for March 8, 2009 to March 14, 2009

Monday, March 9, 2009

Dividends

• Ameren Corporation (AEE) - $0.385 payable 31-Mar
• Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) - $0.090 payable 25-Mar
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (BNI) - $0.400 payable 1-Apr
• CBS Corporation (CBS) - $0.050 payable 1-Apr
• CIGNA (CI) - $0.040 payable 10-Apr
• FedEx (FDX) - $0.110 payable 1-Apr
• H&R Block, Inc. (HRB) - $0.150 payable 1-Apr
• Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) - $0.080 payable 1-Apr

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Dividends

• Allegheny Technologies (ATI) - $0.180 payable 27-Mar
• Developers Diversified Realty Co. (DDR) - $0.200 payable 21-Apr
• Home Depot Inc (HD) - $0.225 payable 26-Mar
• Legg Mason (LM) - $0.240 payable 13-Apr

Earnings

• Nautilus, Inc. (NLS)
• The Kroger Co. (KR)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Dividends

• Automatic Data Processing (ADP) - $0.330 payable 1-Apr
• Black & Decker Corporation (BDK) - $0.420 payable 27-Mar
• Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (CCE) - $0.070 payable 26-Mar
• Comerica Incorporated (CMA) - $0.050 payable 1-Apr
• Family Dollar (FDO) - $0.135 payable 15-Apr
• First Horizon National Corporation (FHN) - payable 1-Apr
• Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) - $0.010 payable 1-Apr
• Johnson Controls (JCI) - $0.130 payable 2-Apr
• Leggett & Platt (LEG) - $0.250 payable 15-Apr
• Macy's, Inc. (M) - $0.050 payable 1-Apr
• NYSE Euronext (NYX) - $0.300 payable 31-Mar
• Smith International, Inc. (SII) - $0.120 payable 13-Apr
• Textron Inc. (TXT) - $0.020 payable 1-Apr
• The Allstate Corporation (ALL) - $0.200 payable 1-Apr
• The Coca-Cola Company (KO) - $0.410 payable 1-Apr
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) - $0.273 payable 6-Apr
• Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) - $0.110 payable 30-Mar
• XL Capital Ltd (XL) - $0.100 payable 31-Mar

Earnings

• American Eagle Outfitters Inc (AEO) before market open
• National Semiconductor (NSM)
• Pall Corp. (PLL) after market close
• Staples, Inc. (SPLS)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Dividends

• Altria Group, Inc. (MO) - $0.320 payable 10-Apr
• BJ Services Company (BJS) - $0.050 payable 15-Apr
• Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) - $0.160 payable 31-Mar
• DTE Energy Company (DTE) - $0.530 payable 15-Apr
• Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) - $0.440 payable 1-Apr
• Equity Residential (EQR) - $0.483 payable 9-Apr
• Fidelity National Information (FIS) - $0.050 payable 30-Mar
• Hess Corporation (HES) - $0.100 payable 31-Mar
• Public Storage (PSA) - $0.550 payable 31-Mar
• T. Rowe Price (TROW) - $0.250 payable 30-Mar

Earnings

• Luxottica Group (LUX)

Friday, March 13, 2009

Dividends

• CenturyTel, Inc. (CTL) - $0.700 payable 31-Mar
• Embarq Corporation (EQ) - $0.688 payable 31-Mar
• Massey Energy Company (MEE) - $0.060 payable 31-Mar
• Range Resources (RRC) - $0.040 payable 31-Mar
• Seacoast Banking FL (SBCF) - $0.010 payable 31-Mar

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Selected Dividends and Earnings for November 2, 2008 to November 8, 2008

Monday, November 3, 2008

Dividends

• CONSOL Energy (CNX) - $0.100 payable 21-Nov
• Harman International Industries (HAR) - $0.013 payable 19-Nov
• Xilinx, Inc. (XLNX) - $0.140 payable 25-Nov
• Zions Bancorp (ZION) - $0.320 payable 19-Nov

Earnings

• Allegheny Energy, Inc. (AYE) before market open
• American Tower Corp. (AMT) before market open
• Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) after market close
• Automatic Data Processing (ADP) after market close
• DaVita (DVA)
• Dynavax (DVAX) before market open
• EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) after market close
• MasterCard Incorporated (MA) after market close
• Nicor Inc. (GAS) before market open
• Pepco Holdings, Inc. (POM)
• Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI) after market close
• Rockwell Collins, Inc. (COL) before market open
• Simon Property Group, Inc. (SPG) before market open
• SYSCO Corporation (SYY)
• The Principal Financial Group (PFG) after market close

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Dividends

• Peabody Energy Corp. (BTU) - $0.060 payable 28-Nov
• The TJX Companies, Inc. (TJX) - $0.110 payable 26-Nov

Earnings

• Ameren Corporation (AEE) before market open
• Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) before market open
• Dean Foods (DF) before market open
• Emerson Electric (EMR) before market open
• Expeditors International WA (EXPD) before market open
• FirstEnergy (FE)
• HCP, INC. (HCP) before market open
• Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (JEC) before market open
• Nautilus, Inc. (NLS) before market open
• NiSource (NI)
• Pinnacle West Capital Corporation (PNW)
• PPL Corporation (PPL) before market open
• Rowan Companies, Inc. (RDC)
• Tenet Healthcare (THC) before market open
• Teradata (TDC) before market open
• The St. Joe Company (JOE) before market open
• Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) before market open

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Dividends

• ALCOA Inc (AA) - $0.170 payable 25-Nov
• Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP) - $0.170 payable 21-Nov
• CMS Energy Corp. (CMS) - $0.090 payable 28-Nov
• Federated Investors, Inc (FII) - $0.240 payable 14-Nov
• FirstEnergy (FE) - $0.550 payable 1-Dec
• Intel Corporation (INTC) - $0.140 payable 1-Dec
• Norfolk Southern Corp (NSC) - $0.320 payable 10-Dec
• Pfizer (PFE) - $0.320 payable 2-Dec
• Schering-Plough (SGP) - $0.065 payable 25-Nov
• The Boeing Company (BA) - $0.400 payable 5-Dec
• Wells Fargo & Company (WFC) - $0.340 payable 1-Dec
• Weyerhaeuser Co. (WY) - $0.600 payable 1-Dec

Earnings

• Avalonbay Communities (AVB) after market close
• Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) before market open
• CenterPoint Energy (CNP) before market open
• Cisco Systems (CSCO) after market close
• CMS Energy Corp. (CMS) before market open
• Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH) before market open
• Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) before market open
• Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) before market open
• General Growth Properties Inc (GGP) before market open
• Hospira (HSP) before market open
• IAC (IACI) before market open
• Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (TEG) after market close
• Kimco Realty Corporation (KIM) before market open
• MAIDENFORM BRANDS INC (MFB) before market open
• Markel Corporation (MKL)
• Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC) before market open
• MBIA Inc. (MBI)
• Medco Health Solutions (MHS) before market open
• Molson Coors Brewing Company (TAP)
• Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) before market open
• Rackspace Hosting, Inc. (RAX) after market close
• RR Donnelley (RRD) before market open
• Sara Lee (SLE) before market open
• Sunoco (SUN) after market close
• Time Warner Inc. (TWX) before market open
• Towerstream Corporation (TWER)
• Transocean Inc. (RIG) before market open
• Vulcan Materials (VMC) after market close
• Whole Foods Market (WFMI)
• XTO Energy Inc. (XTO)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Dividends

• Allergan (AGN) - $0.050 payable 1-Dec
• Altera Corporation (ALTR) - $0.050 payable 1-Dec
• American Electric Power (AEP) - $0.410 payable 10-Dec
• Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (BUD) - $0.370 payable 9-Dec
• Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK) - $0.130 payable 29-Nov
• International Business Machines (IBM) - $0.500 payable 10-Dec
• MetLife, Inc. (MET) - $0.740 payable 15-Dec
• PPG Industries (PPG) - $0.530 payable 12-Dec
• Sunoco (SUN) - $0.300 payable 10-Dec
• W.W. Grainger (GWW) - $0.400 payable 1-Dec

Earnings

• Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (BUD)
• AutoNation (AN) before market open
• Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BRL)
• CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc. (CBG) after market close
• Constellation Energy Group, Inc. (CEG) before market open
• Dynegy Inc. (DYN)
• El Paso Corp. (EP) before market open
• Fluor Corporation (FLR) after market close
• Frontier Oil (FTO) before market open
• Genworth Financial, Inc. (GNW) after market close
• King Pharmaceuticals (KG) before market open
• NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)
• PG&E Corporation (PCG)
• Public Storage (PSA)
• QUALCOMM Inc. (QCOM)
• Spectra Energy (SE) before market open
• The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (DTV)
• Tyco Electronics (TEL) before market open
• VeriSign, Inc. (VRSN) after market close
• Walt Disney (DIS)
• Warnaco Group, Inc. (WRC) before market open
• Wendy's / Arby's Group, Inc. (WEN)
• Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) before market open

Friday, November 7, 2008

Dividends

• Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG) - $0.030 payable 26-Nov
• Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED) - $0.585 payable 15-Dec
• ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) - $0.400 payable 10-Dec
• Fortune Brands (FO) - $0.440 payable 1-Dec
• United States Steel Corp. (X) - $0.300 payable 10-Dec
• Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) - $0.150 payable 10-Dec

Earnings

• Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED)
• Edison International (EIX)
• Ford Motor Company (F) before market open
• GENPACT LIMITED (G) before market open
• Sprint Nextel Corporation (S) before market open
• Windstream Communications (WIN) before market open

Underlined tickers are those that are particularly interesting for me; they may be on my watch list or I may have open positions (i.e. likely naked put options or the underlying).

Bought back put options in SiRF Technologies (SIRF), swayed by emotions or smart trading?

I closed out my Mar 7.5 naked puts in SiRF Technologies (SIRF) today at 1.10 right before the end of day market rebound. I have been trying to close it on the ask for two days (chased it at 0.85 to 0.95 to 1.10) and finally decided to hit a small 10 lot that was splitting the bid/ask. I still managed a small gain. I lost money on the 1.00 of intrinsic value (delta) but that was more than canceled out by the money I made on vega (i.e. the decrease in implied volatility). The small gain came from theta (i.e. time decay).

For reference, I first sold Feb and Mar puts in SIRF when it dropped 50%+ (Added delta to SIRF and WB amid market freefall). I closed the Feb puts on expiration day for a small gain (Last minute juggling of SIRF and BBBY).

I am not sure whether this was an emotional trade or a smart trade. So I will give both view points.

Emotional:
I thought this was a great business with a large cash reserve with a market leading position in GPS chips. I don't doubt the cash on the books but the recent Garmin conference call has led me to doubt myself on the second point. There was a small hint that Garmin is shifting away from SIRF chips.

I am also becoming of the similarity between SIRF and NLS. I sold some NLS puts a while back at the 10 level and now the stock is around 4. I believe in NLS and I am buying more at these levels but it taught me the market can take a long time to recognize value. SIRF can go a lot lower before it bounces back. I don't want to get caught in a downtrend. I need to save buying power to add delta to the rest of my positions on the way down. (Can't decide whether this is fear talking or risk management.)

Smart:
As outlined in my trading plan (A naked put selling focused options trading strategy explained), I generally try to sell time premium. When SIRF hit 6.50 today, most of the value of the option was intrinsic value and I had earned all the time value I could. Therefore, there was no reason for me to be in the option. I should either take delivery (artificially by buying the stock and the put at the same time) or just close out the position (by buying back the put).

I shouldn't go against the trend. It was relatively stable at the 7.25 level while buyers added more positions to average down their costs. However, capitulation hasn't occurred and SIRF can go much lower (although it is supported by its cash position).

Going Forward:
I am going to keep a close eye on SIRF. I was interested in selling the Apr 5 puts at 0.20. That would give me a cost basis of 4.80 which is much closer to the cash value of the company. However, if I assume I am a smart trader and my pseudo-technical sentiment analysis is correct, it should go lower and I should be able to sell it for more premium.

The other reservation is also from my experience with NLS. Selling puts with tiny time premiums are a bad idea. It is the equivalent of selling super-catastrophe insurance. And if you believe in the black swan theory, markets have catastrophic swings more often than the options models would predict.

I am going to sleep on it and then we'll see what happens next week.

Senate hijinks on a Thursday of expiration week

I am not sure why politicians want to create havoc for options traders but apparently that's the thing to do. There is a banking committee hearing where Bernacke and Paulson testified. Bernacke some how mentioned that there are more write downs to come. As a result, the market is down across the board.

Also interesting is the NY investigation into the monoline bond insurers. There's a lot of stick waving to convince them to merge or sell assets to Buffett. Somewhere in the conversation, there was threats to strip the muni assets forcibly. All the bond insurers have to say is: Blame it on the shorts. Interesting situation to watch.

Since it's a crazy day, here's a quick take of the positions I am working on:

Wachovia (WB): Looking to add additional delta in the form of March / April 30 puts on the pullback. I think the banks have been kitchen sinking it and we might even get write ups.

Nautilus (NLS): Down after earnings as I expected. They reported total kitchen sink quarter. Tried to pick up some more (I already have a huge position put on from 10 to 5 with an average cost of 8) on the way down at 3.75 but missed it. Not going to chase it on a day like this. Got orders in place for 3.75 and 3.50.

NVIDIA (NVDA): Saw it on the newsfeed and reflexively trying to add March 22.50 puts for 1.50.

EMC (EMC): Trying to buy to close the Feb 17 puts I have for even (take a hit on the commissions). Already have some Mar 15 in place, will sell more naked puts on movements down.