Spotlight on Applied Mat: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Applied Mat AMAT.

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 AMAT, 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 18 uncommon options trades for Applied Mat.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 33% bullish and 66%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $156,895, and 14 are calls, for a total amount of $837,538.

Expected Price Movements

After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $135.0 and $230.0 for Applied Mat, spanning the last three months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Applied Mat options trades today is 830.44 with a total volume of 812.00.

In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Applied Mat's big money trades within a strike price range of $135.0 to $230.0 over the last 30 days.

Applied Mat Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days

Biggest Options Spotted:

About Applied Mat

Applied Materials is the largest semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment, or WFE, manufacturer in the world. Applied Materials has a broad portfolio spanning nearly every corner of the WFE ecosystem. Specifically, Applied Materials holds a market share leadership position in deposition, which entails the layering of new materials on semiconductor wafers. It is more exposed to general-purpose logic chips made at integrated device manufacturers and foundries. It counts the largest chipmakers in the world as customers, including TSMC, Intel, and Samsung.

Having examined the options trading patterns of Applied Mat, 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 Applied Mat

• With a trading volume of 1,819,204, the price of AMAT is up by 0.95%, reaching $212.24.
• Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be overbought.
• Next earnings report is scheduled for 73 days from now.

Professional Analyst Ratings for Applied Mat

A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $219.0.

• An analyst from Mizuho has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Applied Mat, which currently sits at a price target of $225.
• Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from B. Riley Securities keeps a Buy rating on Applied Mat with a target price of $220.
• An analyst from Stifel persists with their Buy rating on Applied Mat, maintaining a target price of $230.
• An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald has revised its rating downward to Neutral, adjusting the price target to $180.
• Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Needham keeps a Buy rating on Applied Mat with a target price of $240.

Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Applied Mat options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.