Print the page
Increase font size

Posted January 19, 2021

Scott Stewart

By Scott Stewart

Predicting a Big Earnings Play Winner!

Welcome to the Rude Awakening for January 19, 2021

Were looking at a shortened week, with markets being closed yesterday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Recording before market open, markets are looking to open strong today, reaching back for recent all time highs.

All technical indicators imply we are looking at an overbought market, but the market continues to push higher.

Kicking Off Earnings Season in Earnest

We are back in the swing of another new earnings season, folks.

The bank stocks are leading the way.

But, the big one for today is Netflix (NFLX).

Reporting after market close today, were looking at options with a 7.9% implied move. This is quite a bit higher than what we typically expect from NFLX upon earnings normally its a 3.3% move.

The at the money options on NFLX show implied volatility of 90%. If you remember one of our early lessons on options, you know that anything above 50% makes it a good juicy premium for an options play. So this one is something of an options traders dream!

We predict earnings will either meet or beat expectations, and so wed look to do a bullish play using options on NFLX.

Some More Bulls on Our Watchlist

Like I said, bank stocks are leading the way this earnings season.

One to watch is Morgan Stanley (MS), projected to open nearly 2% higher this morning. They will be reporting before market open tomorrow, and its showing a 4.4% implied move. The stock is currently priced to perfection, after its recent runup. We might look for a pullback on MS before a potential buy.

U.S. Bancorp (USB) is also reporting tomorrow morning, and in this one we are already starting to see a bit of a pullback. USB is showing a 3.7% implied move pending earnings.

Last but not least is Bank of America Corporation (BAC), which reported earnings this morning and has beat expectations by 2 cents. Even still, its down a little over 50 cents in the premarket, with bearish indicators. We are expecting a pullback to the $30 level.

Lots of activity coming your way this week, folks.

Well continue to find you winners as earnings season continues to ramp up.

Have a great trading day.

Well talk tomorrow!

Regards,

Scott Stewart

Scott Stewart

Editor, Rude Awakening

Play the Ball, Not the Referee

Play the Ball, Not the Referee

Posted August 28, 2026

By Sean Ring

The US Treasury is trying to suppress the cost of borrowing. The new Fed Chairman has spent his first months in office insisting markets should set prices themselves. Something has to give.
Gentleman’s Price Control

Gentleman’s Price Control

Posted August 27, 2026

By Sean Ring

When Zohran Mamdani tries to cap grocery prices, Wall Street calls it socialism. When Scott Bessent tries to override the price of money, Wall Street calls it market management.
Second Harbor

Second Harbor

Posted August 26, 2026

By Sean Ring

Nobody is moving the New York Stock Exchange to Dallas tomorrow. That misses the point. Wall Street is doing something more cautious and potentially more consequential: building a second harbor before it needs one.
Bessent's Last Stand

Bessent's Last Stand

Posted August 25, 2026

By Sean Ring

George Custer charged a force he badly underestimated. Scott Bessent may have just made the same mistake with the largest bond market on Earth.
The Man Who Cooled the World

The Man Who Cooled the World

Posted August 24, 2026

By Sean Ring

Willis Carrier set out to solve a humidity problem in a Brooklyn print shop. Instead, he made the tropics productive, created the Sunbelt, and changed where human beings could prosper.
You Don't Own Your Stocks

You Don't Own Your Stocks

Posted August 21, 2026

By Sean Ring

Open your brokerage account and look at your portfolio. Legally speaking, almost none of those shares are actually yours.