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Options Ideas: ROST, MRK & AAPL — Don Kaufman’s Bearish Setups
Don Kaufman calls the $6B Treasury buyback nominal and outlines bearish options trades for Ross (ROST), Merck (MRK) and Apple (AAPL); Rick Ducat highlights key chart levels to watch.
Editorial companion
What stands out
Short, trade-focused look at Apple (AAPL), Merck (MRK) and Ross Stores (ROST) that pairs options examples with chart levels. Useful for disciplined investors because fundamentals and price action diverge across the three, leaving no clear one-way call.
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Bullish Gator Snapshot
Current ratings and signals
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Bullish
AAPL rates Bullish overall. The fundamental read is bullish: the company passes 8 of 9 quality tests on the Piotroski F-Score; balance sheet is in the Safe zone (Altman Z = 12.93); revenue is growing about 1.9% per year; net income is growing about 4.4% per year. The technical picture is bullish: price is 18.2% above the 200-day moving average; 5.5% above the 50-day; the 50/200 relationship is in a Golden cross. Sentiment is bullish (composite 72/100), based on 8 news articles, 6 TV segments, and 6 qualified videos from recent coverage.
Merck & Co. (MRK)
Neutral
MRK rates Neutral overall. The fundamental read is neutral: the company passes 4 of 9 quality tests on the Piotroski F-Score; balance sheet is in the Safe zone (Altman Z = 4.45); revenue is growing about 3.1% per year; net income is declining about 45.5% per year. The technical picture is bullish: price is 16.6% above the 200-day moving average; 0.7% below the 50-day; the 50/200 relationship is in a Golden cross. Sentiment is neutral (composite 60/100), based on 6 news articles and 3 qualified videos from recent coverage.
Ross Stores (ROST)
Bullish
ROST rates Bullish overall. The fundamental read is bullish: the company passes 4 of 9 quality tests on the Piotroski F-Score; balance sheet is in the Safe zone (Altman Z = 7.38); revenue is growing about 6.8% per year; net income is growing about 12.7% per year. The technical picture is neutral: price is 3.9% above the 200-day moving average; 1.0% below the 50-day; the 50/200 relationship is in a Golden cross. Sentiment is bullish (composite 72/100), based on 6 news articles from recent coverage.