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Implied Volatility Surging for Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) Stock Options

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Investors in Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF - Free Report) need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Apr 27th 2018 $28.00 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 Abercrombie & Fitch, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Abercrombie & Fitch is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Retail - Apparel and Shoes industry that ranks in the Bottom 28% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, the current quarter Zacks Consensus Estimate has seen no upward versus four downward revisions. The net effect has taken the Zacks Consensus Estimate from a loss of 70 cents to a loss of 81 cents in that period.

Given the way analysts feel about Abercrombie & Fitch right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Often times, 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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