Spotlight on Mastercard: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Mastercard MA.

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the positions 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 MA, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 12 options trades for Mastercard.

This isn't normal.

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

Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $50,331, and 11, calls, for a total amount of $796,825.

Projected Price Targets

Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $375.0 to $420.0 for Mastercard over the recent three months.

Volume & Open Interest Trends

Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Mastercard'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 Mastercard's whale trades within a strike price range from $375.0 to $420.0 in the last 30 days.

Mastercard Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Significant Options Trades Detected:

About Mastercard

Mastercard is the second-largest payment processor in the world, having processed close to over $8 trillion in transactions during 2022. Mastercard operates in over 200 countries and processes transactions in over 150 currencies.

Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Mastercard, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.

Current Position of Mastercard

• Currently trading with a volume of 735,617, the MA's price is down by 0.0%, now at $410.38.
• RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be overbought.
• Anticipated earnings release is in 49 days.

What The Experts Say On Mastercard

A total of 1 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $475.0.

• Reflecting concerns, an analyst from BMO Capital lowers its rating to Outperform with a new price target of $475.

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 Mastercard options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.