First, I’ll be on a monthly roundtable session at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday. I’ll be joined by the great Lance Ippolito and Alex Reid.
We’ll cover overall market direction, key levels and stories we’re watching, strategies we’re using, stocks we’re trading and more!
Now…
When it comes to trading earnings, I don’t throw darts. I run every setup through the same filter — and nine times out of 10, most of them don’t make the cut.
On April 30, I reviewed more than 20 different tickers. You know how many I actually traded? Three…
Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT) and Robinhood (HOOD).
Everything else got tossed. Not because I didn’t like the companies — but because the numbers just didn’t justify the risk.
What Gets Cut and Why
Reddit, Eli Lilly (LLY), Roblox (RBLX), McDonald’s (MCD), Mastercard (MA), Qualcomm (QCOM), Shake Shack (SHAK) — I looked at all of them. And all of them failed my filter.
What am I looking for? I want an edge.
That starts with a fair risk-reward ratio, and ideally some positive asymmetry. If I’m risking 95 cents, I better be making $2 or $3. That’s why I passed on names like Reddit. Premium wasn’t there. Same with McDonald’s and Mastercard — low reward, high risk.
Hard pass.
Some of them had solid IV rank, sure — but the price structure didn’t work, or the expected move was too wide for the trade to make sense. I’m not here to guess direction…
I’m here to structure smart premium plays.
The Ones That Passed
Microsoft, Meta and Robinhood checked the boxes. MSFT offered a $2.50 max reward for a $1.30 debit. META gave me a cleaner setup — a 96-cent debit for a potential $2.50 return. And HOOD was basically 1-to-1 with a 51-cent cost to make 49 cents.
These aren’t lottery tickets. These are structured earnings plays with defined risk and reasonable reward. I don’t need to win them all — but if I’m consistent, the math adds up.
I’ll revisit Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN) and Airbnb (ABNB) for today’s trades. But again, only if the setups are there.
I don’t force it.
In a choppy, volatile tape like this, discipline matters. A lot of traders blow themselves up chasing every earnings move. Not me. I’d rather walk away with nothing than take a flyer that doesn’t fit the plan.
That’s how you stay alive in this game.
I’ll see you in the markets.
Chris Pulver
Chris Pulver Trading
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*This is for informational and educational purposes only. There is inherent risk in trading, so trade at your own risk.
P.S. Chaos or Calm, There’s a Way to Thrive…
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