Investor Demand Swells for Vistra Energy
Nov. 21st, 2024
Investor Demand Swells for Vistra Energy
When I’m sorting through a group of stocks to identify which ones may be strong candidates to be added to my ‘Buy List’, I have a handful of technical indicators that I will use to help me filter down to the best looking setups.
Just yesterday morning, one stock popped up on my screen that met many of my criteria and warranted being added to the ‘Buy List’.
The stock that caught my attention was Vistra Energy Corp. symbol: (VST).
When I saw VST’s stock chart, there were a number of things from a ‘technical perspective’ that I like to see. The stock is clearly in a long-term uptrend and meets many of my technical ‘Buy’ signal indicators. However, at any given time there could be hundreds of stocks that satisfy just these basic criteria.
Well, since this stock meets many of my more base-level technical mile-markers, I need to have some additional tools in my tool kit to help me parse through all the signals to separate ‘the best from the rest’. So, you may be asking, “What sets this stock apart from the rest of the bunch?”.
This is the right question! And the answer is that the stock is not only in an unquestioned uptrend, but VST also has confirmed momentum in the buying pressure underwriting the stock’s move. Let’s check out the technical breakdown of VST stock in the chart below and I’ll tell you what in this chart has me so excited!
Looking more closely at the chart, we can clearly see that VST stock is in a definitive uptrend (circled). But what is so exciting about this chart is what’s shown in the lower portion of the chart, the ‘On Balance Volume’ line.
On Balance Volume measures volume flow with a single Easy-to-Read Line. Volume flow precedes price movement and helps sustain the price uptrend. When a stock closes up, volume is added to the line. When a stock closes down, volume is subtracted from the line. A cumulative total of these additions and subtractions form the OBV line.
Once I identify a stock, like VST, with a clear uptrend, I will check the stock’s OBV chart to seek confirmation of the stock’s trend.
You can see in VST’s OBV chart, the stock’s OBV line is clearly trending up which signifies that the stock’s buying pressure is exceeding its selling pressure which validates VST’s ‘Buy’ signal. As long as the OBV line continues to trend upward, this provides support to help sustain the stock’s bullish run.
How I Would Look to Trade It
Since we have now confirmed the strength of VST’s ‘Buy’ signal by getting confirmation from the OBV chart, now we will want to look for a potential trade to place.
I want to look to trade VST’s trend and have the opportunity to capture some profits by placing an options trade on the stock.
Below is a Call Option Debit spread for VST that I found just this morning that would allow me to gain some exposure to the stock’s powerful bullish trend but also have some downside protection built in as well. Let me tell you how this works.
Once I place a Call Option Debit spread, it has the ability to profit if the underlying stock/ETF is either up, flat, or even down a bit at option expiration.
Below is a snapshot of my Call Option Debit Spread Calculator that shows the profit potential and downside protection analysis for my trade. This example examines a range of a 10.0% increase to a 10.0% decrease in VST share price at option expiration.
Looking at the trade analysis, the calculator shows that this one single trade, that would cost you only $305 to enter, has the ability to profit 63.9%.
The calculator reveals that if VST, at option expiration, were to increase, remain flat, or even drop by as much as 10.0%, this low-cost trade would be set up to make a 63.9% return!
This Call Option Debit Spread strategy has been one of my absolute favorites to trade over the years and remains so today. The key behind it all is that by enabling your ability to profit if a stock is up, flat, or even down a bit gives you a much higher probability that your trade will end up a winner.
The Hughes Optioneering Team is here to help you identify high-probability trades just like this one.
*Trading incurs risk and some people lose money trading.