Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with MSFT, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did?
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 12 uncommon options trades for Microsoft.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 66% bullish and 16%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $311,805, and 8 are calls, for a total amount of $464,898.
Projected Price Targets
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $300.0 to $440.0 for Microsoft over the last 3 months.
Volume & Open Interest Development
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Microsoft's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Microsoft's whale activity within a strike price range from $300.0 to $440.0 in the last 30 days.
Microsoft Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview
Largest Options Trades Observed:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSFT | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 12/20/24 | $5.55 | $5.45 | $5.6 | $430.00 | $112.0K | 6.1K | 350 |
| MSFT | PUT | SWEEP | BULLISH | 12/20/24 | $5.6 | $5.55 | $5.55 | $427.50 | $106.0K | 743 | 246 |
| MSFT | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 12/06/24 | $3.55 | $3.5 | $3.5 | $430.00 | $102.9K | 9.0K | 755 |
| MSFT | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 06/20/25 | $34.55 | $34.4 | $34.55 | $430.00 | $86.3K | 2.6K | 35 |
| MSFT | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 12/13/24 | $10.6 | $10.4 | $10.6 | $422.50 | $79.5K | 278 | 132 |
About Microsoft
Microsoft develops and licenses consumer and enterprise software. It is known for its Windows operating systems and Office productivity suite. The company is organized into three equally sized broad segments: productivity and business processes (legacy Microsoft Office, cloud-based Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Skype, LinkedIn, Dynamics), intelligence cloud (infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service offerings Azure, Windows Server OS, SQL Server), and more personal computing (Windows Client, Xbox, Bing search, display advertising, and Surface laptops, tablets, and desktops).
Having examined the options trading patterns of Microsoft, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
Present Market Standing of Microsoft
- With a trading volume of 3,904,767, the price of MSFT is up by 0.1%, reaching $431.42.
- Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings report is scheduled for 56 days from now.
Professional Analyst Ratings for Microsoft
Over the past month, 1 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $500.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access. * An analyst from RBC Capital downgraded its action to Outperform with a price target of $500.
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Microsoft with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.
