Unusual Options Activity - What Big Money Is Betting On Today

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•  17 Mar 2025
 

Apple ($AAPL) saw mixed sentiment with 15 unusual options trades detected, showing a slightly bullish tilt with 46% of traders taking optimistic positions versus 40% bearish. The dollar flow favored calls, with 9 call contracts valued at approximately $406,820 compared to 6 put contracts worth $213,179. This moderately bullish signal comes as Apple continues to navigate market challenges and upcoming product cycles.

Archer Aviation ($ACHR) attracted bullish options activity from large investors, though specific trade details weren't fully disclosed. The unusual activity suggests institutional confidence in this electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, potentially indicating positive developments in its aircraft certification progress or strategic partnerships.

Accenture ($ACN) faced bearish pressure in options trading, with large investors taking noticeably negative positions. With the consulting giant scheduled to report quarterly earnings soon, this positioning could reflect concerns about IT spending slowdowns among enterprise clients or challenging year-over-year comparisons.

Amazon ($AMZN) options reflected bullish sentiment among deep-pocketed traders. The timing suggests institutional optimism about Amazon's cloud computing growth, retail resilience, or potential AI initiatives. The bullish option flow might indicate expectations for positive performance heading into the next earnings cycle.

Costco Wholesale ($COST) showed mixed but slightly bullish options activity with 13 unusual trades detected. Analysis revealed 38% of investors with bullish expectations versus 30% bearish. The dollar value skewed heavily toward puts with $952,029 in put contracts against just $143,070 in calls, creating an interesting contradiction between positioning and capital allocation that suggests hedging activity.

Barrick Gold ($GOLD) experienced predominantly bearish options flow with 20 unusual trades showing 65% bearish sentiment versus 35% bullish. While 14 call contracts were detected with a value of $802,155 compared to 6 put contracts worth $671,792, the overall positioning suggests caution toward the gold producer despite recent strength in gold prices.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise ($HPE) saw decisively bearish options activity with 66% of large traders taking negative positions versus 33% bullish. This pessimistic stance could reflect concerns about enterprise IT spending, competitive pressures, or margin challenges in the server and networking segments.

Intel ($INTC) attracted bullish options activity from institutional investors. After significant struggles with manufacturing delays and market share losses, this positive positioning could signal growing confidence in Intel's turnaround strategy under CEO Pat Gelsinger or optimism about its manufacturing expansion plans.

Eli Lilly ($LLY) showed strong bullish sentiment with 17 unusual options trades, 52% bullish versus 41% bearish. The capital deployment heavily favored calls with 15 call contracts valued at $1,043,500 compared to just 2 put contracts worth $374,400. This confidence likely stems from Lilly's strong position in the weight loss and diabetes drug markets with Mounjaro and Zepbound.

Marvell Technology ($MRVL) saw bullish options activity from large investors, potentially reflecting optimism about the semiconductor company's positioning for AI infrastructure build-outs and data center growth. The unusual activity suggests expectations for positive developments in Marvell's custom chip business or cloud customer engagements.

ServiceNow ($NOW) faced bearish options positioning from institutional traders. The enterprise software company has been a strong performer, but this cautious stance could reflect valuation concerns or expectations for slowing growth in IT spending within its core markets.

Oracle ($ORCL) attracted bullish options flow, suggesting institutional confidence in the database and enterprise software provider. With Oracle's aggressive cloud infrastructure expansion and AI initiatives, these trades may indicate expectations for continued market share gains or positive growth trajectory in cloud services.

Palo Alto Networks ($PANW) showed perfectly balanced options sentiment with 50% bullish and 50% bearish positioning across 8 unusual trades. While slightly more calls (5) than puts (3) were detected, the dollar value was relatively close with $200,025 in calls versus $134,038 in puts. This equilibrium suggests institutional investors have mixed views on the cybersecurity leader's near-term prospects.

Philip Morris International ($PM) demonstrated mixed options activity with 14 unusual trades showing equal 42% bullish and 42% bearish sentiment. Despite the balanced sentiment, the capital allocation heavily favored calls with 12 call contracts valued at $2,229,453 versus just 2 put contracts worth $56,700. This suggests potential positioning around dividend announcements or reduced regulatory concerns.

United Airlines ($UAL) experienced bullish options flow from institutional traders. This positive positioning could reflect optimism about continued strong travel demand, moderating fuel prices, or the airline's operational efficiency improvements. The bullish activity might also signal confidence in United's international route network performance.