Options Traders: Betting They’ll Find Marvell In The iPhone Tear Down?

Discussion in 'Wall St. News' started by WallstYouth, Jun 29, 2007.

  1. Call options of Marvell Technology have been trading at four times their usual volume today. Apple’s iPhone is widely rumored to use a wi-fi processor manufactured by a company Marvell bought last year. Shares of Marvell traded up 5.81% for the day, with nearly twice the average number of shares changing hands.
    One analyst we spoke to said he did not believe that the surge trading volume in the options and shares indicated anything suspicious.

    “Some people are definitely trading on hopes that the stock will get a bump once the teardown analysts release their reports on the iPhone,” the trader told us. (He asked to remain anonymous because he wasn’t authorized by his employer to speak on the iPhone.) “But I don’t think this pick-up is due to someone having inside information about what’s insider the iPhone.”

    Marvell is still priced well-below the highs it hit in early 2006. Since then the company has faced an stock options scandal that lead to the resignation of its chief financial officer. Its most recent quarterly results came in below estimates.

    But it hasn’t all been bad news for Marvell. Nasdaq announced this week that it was holding off suspending trading in Marvell’s while Nasdaq’s board reviewed allegations against the company. Marvell was recently added to the Russell 2000 index.

    "There's other news on this company besides the iPhone," the trader told us. "But today's interest is definitely trying to get in pre-teardown."

    Of course, it's not just speculating traders who are excited about the iPhone. Nerds are excited too! Our reporter on the scene, Scott Bressler, says that there are approximately 362 people on line at the Apple store in Soho. At noon there were about 280, up from 68 at midnight.

    (Photo: Waiting for tonight's iPhone launch outside the Apple store by Scott Bressler).