Stephen Frankola sends: I have followed Transcontinental Pipelines (TCLP), a pipeline trust, for a very long time now.

Under normal market conditions it was a very stable stock (as it is in a widows-and-orphans industry), but during the last six months the stock has been effected by increased volitility as the general stock market became more unpredictable.

Below is an approximately six-month chart. As the candles show, there have been numerous days when the stock has risen (or fallen) by greater than $1.

TCLP reports earnings tomorrow morning, and I’m speculating that the stable numbers will reassure antsy investors. Obviously this trade is more lottery-ticket than science, but I was willing to throw down a little money and take a chance.

I was able to pick up at-the-money $25 calls for $.30 per contract this afternoon. If earnings please investors, a $1 or $2 pop will pay off nicely.

(As an aside, I have followed TCLP for a long time because of its very high dividend - the shares currently yield about 11%. The 5 year average dividend payment is only 6.6% [according to Yahoo Finance], which might point to share appreciation in the future. I think that TCLP is a great conservative long-term investment regardless of the outcome of my options trade tomorrow.)

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