Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Morgan Stanley MS.
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 MS, 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 11 uncommon options trades for Morgan Stanley.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 27% bullish and 45%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $101,824, and 8 are calls, for a total amount of $2,023,941.
What's The Price Target?
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $105.0 to $125.0 for Morgan Stanley over the last 3 months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Morgan Stanley's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Morgan Stanley's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $105.0 to $125.0 over the preceding 30 days.
Morgan Stanley Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Noteworthy Options Activity:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 12/20/24 | $2.04 | $2.0 | $2.03 | $125.00 | $1.4M | 9.9K | 7.3K |
| MS | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 10/25/24 | $10.45 | $10.25 | $10.25 | $109.00 | $200.0K | 650 | 200 |
| MS | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 12/20/24 | $4.1 | $4.05 | $4.1 | $120.00 | $97.9K | 4.7K | 1.3K |
| MS | CALL | SWEEP | NEUTRAL | 12/20/24 | $4.15 | $4.05 | $4.11 | $120.00 | $94.5K | 4.7K | 387 |
| MS | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 04/17/25 | $3.1 | $3.0 | $3.1 | $105.00 | $48.3K | 1.1K | 163 |
About Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global investment bank whose history, through its legacy firms, can be traced back to 1924. The company has institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management segments with approximately 45% of net revenue from its institutional securities business, 45% from wealth management, and 10% from investment management. About 30% of its total revenue is from outside the Americas. The company had over $5 trillion of client assets as well as around 80,000 employees at the end of 2023.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Morgan Stanley, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
Morgan Stanley's Current Market Status
- Trading volume stands at 1,189,900, with MS's price up by 0.19%, positioned at $119.4.
- RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought.
- Earnings announcement expected in 83 days.
What Analysts Are Saying About Morgan Stanley
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $123.2.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access. * An analyst from Jefferies has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Morgan Stanley, which currently sits at a price target of $135. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Underweight rating for Morgan Stanley, targeting a price of $107. * An analyst from Goldman Sachs persists with their Neutral rating on Morgan Stanley, maintaining a target price of $121. * An analyst from Barclays has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Morgan Stanley, which currently sits at a price target of $135. * In a positive move, an analyst from HSBC has upgraded their rating to Buy and adjusted the price target to $118.
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 Morgan Stanley options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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