Fresh interest brewing in Boston Beer Co. options as shares soar

Boston Beer Co Inc (NYSE:SAM) – Trading traffic in Boston Beer Co. options is heavier than usual today, with shares in the craft brewer rallying as much as 17.3% to an all-time high of $134.00 at the start of the session after the maker of Samuel Adams beers raised full-year earnings estimates on stronger-than-anticipated demand for cider and seasonal brews. SAM’s shares, currently up 15.2% at $131.61, have increased roughly 30% since this time last year. Options volume on Boston Beer Co Inc (NYSE:SAM) is approaching 1,000 contracts in early-afternoon trading, versus the stock’s average daily options volume of around 80 contracts. Boston Beer Co Inc (NYSE:SAM) calls are more active than puts, with the call-to-put ratio hovering around 1.4 as of 1:30 p.m. ET. Front-month upside calls attracted the most volume, with the Dec. $135 strike call changing hands 217 times thus far today, and the $140 strike call seeing 112 contracts in play. Time and sales on the $135 and $140 strike calls indicates both buyers and sellers are driving fresh interest in the contracts today.

Allot Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ:ALLT) – Shares in the provider of bandwidth consumption solutions fell more than 17% today to $16.62 after the stock was cut to ‘hold’ from ‘buy’ at Wunderlich Securities, and put activity on the name this morning suggests some traders are preparing for the price of the underlying to extend losses in the New Year. Options volume on Allot Communications is heaviest in the Jan. 2013 $17.5 strike put where some 670 contracts have changed hands versus open interest of 63 positions. It looks like the bulk of the volume was purchased for an average premium of $1.57 apiece, thus positioning put buyers to profit should Allot Communications Ltd. (NASDAQ:ALLT)’s shares decline another 9.5% from the current price of $17.66 to breach the average breakeven price of $15.93 at expiration next month.