Okay everyone, the wait is over: Earnings season is back. While the next few weeks will start rather slowly for earnings announcements, we should still see two to three trades before earnings season begins to truly pick up.

This week we have the big banks kicking things off, per usual. My hope is that we can get one, if not two trades off this week.

I’m going to keep it short today, with just a quick update.


The earnings calendar is somewhat bare as we finally reach the end of the earnings doldrums. Next week, however, earnings season finally returns with several of the big banks due to report, including Citigroup (C), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC) and several others. I expect to be a part of one, if not two, of those earnings announcements. Of course, I will go over a preliminary, detailed look at a trade or two in next week’s issue. However, until then, we should expect to stay on the sidelines as there just aren’t any opportunities that meet our strict criteria.

Earnings are due to officially begin in just over two weeks with the big banks reporting. Until then, the market gods offer up the liveliest week of the earnings doldrums with several potential opportunities, most notably in COST (COST), Micron (MU) and Nike (NKE). I’ll take a closer look at a potential Costco trade In this week’s Trade Ideas section.

The earnings doldrums are upon us, but we still have one potential opportunity this week, most notably a chance for a trade in FedEx (FDX). The company is due to announce after the closing bell Wednesday, so if I do send a trade alert, expect to see the alert around 2 p.m. ET that day.

The earnings doldrums are upon us, but we still have a few potential opportunities this week, most notably a chance for a trade in Oracle (ORCL). The company is due to announce after the closing bell today, so if a trade alert is sent, expect to see the alert around 2 p.m. ET.

We officially enter the quiet period for earnings this week. That being said, several companies with decent options liquidity are due to report this week in Kroger (KO) and DocuSign (DOCU). And next week several more are due report, with the highlight being Oracle (ORCL). All of this is basically a reminder that just even though another earnings season has passed us by there are still opportunities, while limited, to be had before the next earnings season begins.

Earnings season is nearing an end once again, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few opportunities left on the table.

This week we have a few interesting opportunities, with the most intriguing being Lululemon (LULU). The majority of the other potential trades, while having decent options liquidity, are just too volatile for my liking. Again, even though it has been a slow earnings cycle for trading, it doesn’t mean we should force a trade. Remember, trading is always about quality over quantity.

Earnings season is nearing an end once again, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few opportunities left on the table.


This week we have a few interesting opportunities, with the most intriguing being Lowe’s (LOW). The majority of the other potential trades, while having decent options liquidity, are just too volatile for my liking. Again, even though it has been a slow earnings cycle for trading, it doesn’t mean we should force a trade. Remember, trading is always about quality over quantity.

As earnings season winds down, we are greeted with several nice trading opportunities in some big names including Home Depot (HD), Target (TGT), Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Walmart (WMT).

After a slow earnings week last week things pick back up on the earning front this week. My hope is that we are able to make two, if not three trades this week with the focus being on the four trades in the Weekly Watchlist below. As we discussed on our subscriber call last week (out last call for this earnings cycle), we have several quality opportunities in front of us. Now let’s hope Mr. Market offers us some decent probabilities and premium so that we can take on a few short-term earnings trades.

Our good fortune continues!

Last week we locked in our fourth straight gain for returns of 25%. Our total win rate now stands at 75.7% (25/33 winning trades).

With a win rate of just 60% (9/15 winning trades) in 2022 and total returns reaching a paltry 8.1%, our win rate in 2023 stands at 88.9% (16/18 winning trades) with total returns now reaching 75%. What a difference a year makes! Hopefully, our good fortune continues, and it should if we continue to stick with the mechanics and, more importantly, a disciplined set of risk management guidelines, starting with appropriate and consistent position size.

So far, so good this earnings season.

We’ve had three successful one-day trades … 8.0% in JPM, 6.4% in IBM and more recently 5.4% in V.

Earnings announcements continue this week with a long list of more well-known blue-chip stocks due to announce. As I stated on our call last Friday, I hope to make at least two trades this week. During each earnings cycle we aim to make somewhere between 8 to 12 trades and given the opportunities ahead I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t fall within our typical range.

It’s been just over a week since the big banks announced earnings and during that time we’ve been fortunate to make an 8.0% return in JPM, and more recently, 6.4% in IBM using the Earnings Trader strategy.

Earnings announcements really ramp up this week with a long list of well-known blue-chip stocks due to announce. As I stated on our call last Friday, I hope to make at least two to three trades this week. During each earnings cycle we aim to make somewhere between 8 to 12 trades and given the opportunities ahead I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t fall within our typical range.

Cabot Options Institute Earnings Trader shows you how to use options to profit during the most profitable period in the market: earnings season. Most people are unaware, but you can reliably collect a month’s worth of gains in a matter of days… and sometimes hours.

Cabot Options Institute Earnings Trader shows you how to use options to profit during the most profitable period in the market: earnings season. Most people are unaware, but you can reliably collect a month’s worth of gains in a matter of days… and sometimes hours.

I will be exiting the International Business Machines (IBM) trade today. I will discuss the trade in greater detail in our subscriber-exclusive webinar at noon ET tomorrow, July 21.

Remember, as is always the case, risk management is the key to long-term success when using high-probability option strategies. It’s the only way to truly allow the law of large numbers to work in your favor. Don’t get greedy and enamored by the quick nature of these trades. Stay disciplined!

Okay, everyone, earnings season is finally upon us. I suspect we are in for an interesting earnings season, and to get us started, I will be holding a subscriber-only webinar tomorrow at 12 p.m. ET. Click here to sign-up. No worries if you can’t make it, we archive everything here at Cabot. You can find all the archived recordings here.

I will be exiting the Costco (COST) trade today.

Costco (COST) is due to announce earnings Thursday after the closing bell.

I will be exiting the Walmart (WMT) trade today.

Walmart (WMT) is due to announce earnings Thursday before the opening bell.

Disney (DIS) is due to announce earnings today (Wednesday) after the closing bell.

Disney (DIS) is due to announce earnings today (Wednesday) after the closing bell.

I will be exiting the Starbucks (SBUX) trade today. I will discuss the trade in greater detail in our subscriber-exclusive webinar at noon ET this Friday, May 5.

As discussed in our weekly issue, and on our weekly call, I will be taking a position in Starbucks (SBUX) today. SBUX is due to announce earnings after the closing bell today (May 2). The stock is currently trading for 113.60.