IMAX Corp. 2010 Options Move Big (IMAX)

IMAX Corp. (NASDAQ:IMAX) who's tag line is "THINK BIG" saw its shares "MOVE BIG" today up 6.9% and hit a new 52-week high, they finished the day at $12.58. However what is getting traders attention are the 2010 January and March IMAX options which were on fire today.

IMAX shares are up 182% in 2009 and since June the stock has jumped 70%.  IMAX now has 403 IMAX theatres (280 commercial, 123 institutional) operating in 44 countries. Approximately 70% of the theatres are located in North America, while the remaining 30% are spread internationally.  IMAX scored the next The Twilight Saga film titled "Eclipse", its the third film in the studio's Twilight franchise and it will be released to IMAX theatres simultaneously with the film's launch on June 30, 2010.

This month IMAX is about to rake in huge coin thanks to the most expensive movie ever made in history, "AVATAR'' which opens Dec 18th.  AVATAR is bigger than life, with all the hype and 3-D experience why would you just want to see it in a 'normal theater'?  If you go see AVATAR at an IMAX theater you will get 3-D with full laser surround sound and a vibrant, clear picture. The special digital system can project images much bigger than conventional film screens, and with much sharper resolution.

Back to IMAX shares, OptionMONSTER.com noted the March 2010 $15 options were the most active strike today, changing hands more than 5,000 times against open interest of 115 contracts. Premiums increased from $0.45 early in the session to as high as $0.85 as the shares climbed. The March 2010 $12.50 strike was also hot moving over 1,000 times:

Strike Symbol Last Chg Bid Ask Vol Open Int 2.50 IMQCZ.X 8.50 0.00 9.90 10.20 122 122 5.00 IMQCA.X 5.30 0.00 7.40 7.70 2 7 7.50 IMQCU.X 5.40 1.20 5.00 5.30 370 498 10.00 IMQCB.X 3.10 0.75 3.00 3.20 517 1,846 12.50 IMQCV.X 1.45 0.45 1.45 1.55 1,335 7,070 15.00 IMQCC.X 0.70 0.35 0.55 0.70 5,253 115

The January 2010 $12.50 contacts jumped 100% today on volume of 2,689 against just 308 open contacts.

Strike Symbol Last Chg Bid Ask Vol Open Int 10.00 IMQAB.X 2.65 0.85 2.55 2.80 413 726 12.50 IMQAV.X 0.90 0.45 0.80 0.90 2,639 308

The bulls are really getting into IMAX, be sure and read New 52-week Highs for Imax, Altria, and Disney (IMAX, MO, DIS), IMAX has a huge movie release come next Friday.