To: Mao II who wrote (2844 ) 7/10/1999 7:31:00 AM From: isdsms Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 12662
CHAIRMAN, The INVESTools Advisory, July 6-9, 1999 By John Brobst, Editorial Director, INVESTools.com 1. Internet Market Maker Booming (NITE) One beneficiary of the surge in online trading is Knight/Trimark (NITE), who processes the brunt of Internet trades. The market maker's recent financials reflect this. Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 1999 totaled $182 million vs. $63 million for the same quarter last year, and net income for the quarter rose to $37 million from last year's $8 million. In April 1999, the firm set a 2-1 stock split and CIBC Oppenheimer launched coverage with a 'strong buy' recommendation. Knight/Trimark has also beat analyst earnings estimates for the past three quarters. Stock in Knight/Trimark has jumped nearly 10 points in the past week, and option investor Bernie Schaeffer bets that its run is far from over. He sees strength as the rally began after a successful test of the stock's 20-week moving average, a trend line that has always supported the shares. The rally also shot the stock beyond its 10-day and 20-day moving averages, which had been a ceiling for a month. Schaeffer also notes that stock in Knight/Trimark rose past nearly all options-related resistance. "Pessimism abounds on NITE," says the contrarian Schaeffer, who sees this as a bullish sign. He sees more puts than calls on the stock and says that is "an unusual occurs that indicates significant skepticism from the options crowd." One of Schaeffer's main investment tenets is that nearly all options investors are wrong most of the time, and he tries to bet against the crowd. "Such extreme pessimism indicates that NITE's strength may continue," he says. Schaeffer recommends buying the October 60 call (TNWJL).