As snow continued to blanket the Midwest Wednesday morning, Fast Money Traders were looking to capitalize on second derivative trades off of the cold weather. One that caught the eye of Short Hills Capital’s Stephen Weiss: fertilizer companies.
“The natural resource trade is flying and the fertilizer trade is just cooking,” said Weiss.
The stocks of potash companies were continuing to soar on the back of soft commodity prices, which have surged on crop supply fears. Wheat futures are up more than 7% this year due to crop-destroying floods in Australia and fears that ice and snow will damage the winter wheat crop in the U.S. Corn futures are up more than 6% since Jan. 1. Shares of Potash Corp of Saskatchewan hit a new two year high today.
Fertilizer stocks often rise in tandem with soft commodity prices because farmers need more fertilizer to help boost crop yields and capitalize on higher prices. Fertilizer companies can also raise prices more easily when farmers are earning more for their crops.
But while wintery weather was sending fertilizer stocks soaring, it had grounded the airline trade. Last week, JetBlue CEO Dave Barger told Fast Money that snow was to blame for a poor quarter. The low-cost carrier said NorthEast blizzards cost it about $30 million in the last three months of the year.
The weather related weakness is likely to continue for the airlines. United Airlines, Delta and AMR-owned American Airlines cancelled more than 6,200 flights today alone. Continental Airlines suspended all arrivals and departures through New Jersey’s Newark airport yesterday.
“This is like the perfect storm for airlines,” said Weiss. “They’ve had lower numbers with all the flight cancellations from the weather and the huge finds associated with staying on the tarmac for three hours” waiting for storms to clear.
______________________________________________________
Got something to to say? Send us an e-mail at fastmoney-web@cnbc.com and your comment might be posted on the Rapid Recap. If you'd prefer to make a comment, but not have it published on our Web site, send those e-mails to fastmoney@cnbc.com.
Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal
GE owns 49% of NBCUniversal
GE owns 49% of CNBC
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (BAC)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (EBAY)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (GLD)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (IAU)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (MCP)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (MS)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (YGE)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (TLT)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (DBA)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (JJG)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Are Long The Yen
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (GMCR) puts
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (JEF)
Accounts Managed by Kanundrum Capital Own (CME)
KAREN FINERMAN
Finerman's firm is short (MDY)
Finerman's firm is short (SPY)
Finerman's firm is short (IWM)
Finerman's firm is short (IJR)
Finerman's firm is long S&P puts
Finerman's firm is long Russell 2000 puts
Finerman's firm owns (AAPL)
Finerman's firm owns (BAC) leaps
Finerman's firm owns (BP)
Finerman's firm owns (HPQ)
Finerman's firm owns (IBM)
Finerman's firm owns (JPM) and (JPM) leaps
Finerman's firm owns (M)
Finerman's firm owns (MSFT)
Finerman's firm owns (PLCE) and (PLCE) calls
Finerman's firm owns (TGT)
Finerman's firm owns (WMT)
Terranova is Chief Market Strategist of Virtus Investment Partners, LTD
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (ABAX)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (AMKR)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (CCG)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (CASS)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (CSVI)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (EXR)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (FCFS)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (IGE)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (KRC)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (LDR)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (LPHI)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (NRCI)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (DBV)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLB)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLV)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLP)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLY)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLE)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLF)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLI)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLK)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (XLU)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (SUBK)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (WDFC)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (YDNT)
Virtus Investment Partners Owns More Than 1% Of (DPUKF)
Baker Ave owns (CRM)
Scaramucci and SkyBridge Capital Own (V)
An Employee Of Citigroup Global Markets Or Affiliates Is A Trustee Of (TGT)
Citigroup Global Markets Or Affiliates Has Managed Or Co-Managed An Offering Of (HD), (TGT), (WMT), (DG) In Past 12 Months
Citigroup Global Markets Or Affiliates Has Received Investment Banking Compensation In Past 12 Months From (HD), (KR), (SKS), (TGT), (WMT), (DG)
Citigroup Global Markets Or Affiliate Received Non-Investment-Banking Compensation In Past 12 Months From (JCP), (KSS), (M), (SWY), (SVU), (TGT), (WAG), (WMT), (COST)
(HD), (KR), (SKS), (TGT), (WMT) Are Or In Past 12 Months Were Investment Banking Clients Of Citigroup Global Markets
(CVS), (HD), (JCP), (KSS), (KR), (M), (SWY), (SKS), (SVU), (TGT), (WAG), (WMT), (COST), (DG) Are Or In Past 12 Months Were Non-Investment Banking Clients Of Citigroup Global Markets (Securities-Related Services)
(HD), (JCP), (KSS), (KR), (M), (SWY), (SVU), (TGT), (WAG), (WMT), (COST) Are Or In Past 12 Months Were Non-Investment Banking Clients Of Citigroup Global Markets (Non-Securities-Related Services)
Citigroup Global Markets Or Affiliates Owns 5% Or More Of (SKS)
Citigroup Global Markets is a market maker in (COST), (CVS), (M), (WINN)
FAST 360
Nations has no disclosures
CNBC.com with wires.