Outperforming Pharma Stock Still Has Upside Potential

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries (NYSE:TEVA) is moving 2.9% lower to trade at $36.41, pulling back from its Aug. 27, nearly nine-year high of $38.36. The $36 level looks to have moved in as a floor of support, a former level of resistance for the shares since late January. More gains could be on the table, however, with a fresh bull signal now flashing for the drug maker.

TEVA's long-term outperformance comes amid historically low implied volatility (IV). Specifically, the equity's current SVI of 29% stands in the low 5th percentile of its annual range. 

According to data from Schaeffer’s Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, there have been five instances in the past five years when the equity traded within 2% of its 52-week high, while its Schaeffer’s Volatility Index (SVI) ranked in the 20th percentile of its annual range or lower.

TEVA was higher one month later 80% of the time after those signals, averaging a 5.5% gain. From its current perch, a shift of this amount would put the equity back above $38 -- within a chip-shot of its August peak.

Options traders are still not convinced. This is per the equity's 10-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which sits higher than 96% of readings from the past year. Should this bearish sentiment begin to unwind, it could trigger more tailwinds for the shares.