Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2746 vs 854 OI

Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2746 @ $2.3 vs 854 OI; Ref=$62.655

Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2474 vs 854 OI

Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2474 @ $2.3 vs 854 OI; Ref=$62.8901

Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2746 @ $2.3 vs 854 OI; Ref=$63.11

Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2752 vs 854 OI

Brighthouse Finl Option Alert: Mar 21 $65 Calls at the Bid: 2752 @ $2.3 vs 854 OI; Ref=$62.775

Brighthouse Finl (NASDAQ:BHF) Stock

Brighthouse Finl

Brighthouse Financial Inc is a United States-based provider of annuity products and life insurance through independent distribution channels and marketing arrangements with distribution partners. Its segments are Annuities, Life, and Run-off. It derives a majority of the revenue from the Annuities segment which includes variable, fixed, index-linked, and income annuities. The life segment includes variable, term, universal, and whole life policies.

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Brighthouse Financial, Inc. - Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2058

Brighthouse Financial, Inc. - Depositary shares each representing a 1/1,000th Interest in a Share of 4.625% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series D

Brighthouse Financial, Inc. - depositary shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 5.375% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series C

Brighthouse Financial, Inc. - Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 6.750% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series B

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Fed's Bostic Says Businesses Also Are Concerned That Customers Are Tapped Out; The Fed Did Not Cut Too Much Last Year, Policy Remains Restrictive;  Comfortable With Taking A Pause To See How The Economy Evolves

<a href="https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/live/">https://finance.yahoo.com/live/</a>&nbsp;

Fed's Bostic Says Did Not Expect Progress On Inflation Would Go In A Straight Line; Question Now Is Whether January CPI Was A Bump In The Road Or A New Trend; Difficult To Factor All Potential Policy Changes Into The Economic Outlook; The Confidence Around The 2025 Outlook Has Been Reduced; While Some Policy Proposals Could Add To Inflation, Others Could Boost Productivity And Lower Price Pressures; Many Businss Leaders Are Optimistic About Regulatory Changes; They Could Dominate Those That Add To Costs

All good things must come to an end and the same goes for celebrated innovators, including social media and technology giant Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>). 
Earlier, Meta stock contributed handsomely to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/02/43794403/nasdaq-100-hits-new-high-metas-rally-powers-tech-surge">record-breaking surge</a> in the Nasdaq-100, thanks in large part to its relentless rise. However, Tuesday ended the security's run of 20 consecutive trading sessions in the black.
Until that point, Meta stock had soared 16% since Jan. 16, contributing to the Nasdaq's rise. In addition, its heavy weighting in the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) and other exchange-traded funds boosted their market value. Not surprisingly, artificial intelligence continues to represent a key catalyst for Meta's upswing.
Still, not everything has been smooth sailing. Fundamentally, concerns center on employee criticisms of the company's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43726758/meta-platforms-could-break-winning-streak-missing-20th-day-of-gains-as-overbought-conditions-employee-layoffs-dampen-sentiment">latest layoffs</a>. On the technical front, certain indicators demonstrated that Meta stock was overbought. If that wasn't distracting enough, CEO Mark Zuckerberg <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43810048/mark-zuckerberg-offloads-meta-shares-worth-14-4-million-in-february">offloaded 17,855 shares</a> of Meta's Class A common stock totaling around $14.4 million.
However, the latest regulatory filings revealed that activist investor Dan Loeb's Third Point LLC had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/02/43796723/dan-loebs-third-point-boosts-meta-holdings-now-a-top-4-position">significantly boosted its investment</a> in Meta stock during the final quarter of 2024. Subsequently, the move brings the security to its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/dan-loeb">top four list</a>.
Following Meta's impressive results for its fourth-quarter earnings report — delivering earnings per share of $8.02 on sales of $48.39 billion (both beating consensus targets) — multiple analysts raised their price forecasts. Currently, Wall Street's consensus price target stands at $731.76, with a high-side estimate of $935.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Traders Gravitate Toward The Dips</h2>
Moving forward, a critical advantage that bullish speculators enjoy is that Meta stock naturally features an upward bias. For example, using pricing data extending back to January 2019, a position entered at the beginning of the week has a 54.83% chance of rising by the end of it. Notably, the long odds improve to 62% over a four-week period.
At the same time, using baseline probabilities can be challenging from an assessment point of view. Arguably, it's more important to focus on relevant data; that is, data that harmonizes with the current or prevailing market trend. That's the key difference between analyzing information stochastically (or temporally) versus dynamically.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19142607/META-stock-probability-gambit-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-789721" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19142607/META-stock-probability-gambit-1024x576.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19142607/META-stock-probability-gambit-300x169.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19142607/META-stock-probability-gambit-768x432.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19142607/META-stock-probability-gambit.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image by author</figcaption></figure>
At the present juncture, Meta stock is on track to lose about 4.5% this week. Historically, when Meta loses up to 5% in a one-week period, the subsequent week only has about a 50/50 shot of rising. This circumstance may be due to investors digesting the volatility that just materialized. However, over the subsequent four weeks, the long odds rise to 63.55%.
Put another way, over time, the upward bias becomes evident again. While this framework doesn't guarantee trading success, it shows that enthusiasm is consistently strong for Meta stock, even if it tumbles every now and then.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Red Ink Offers a Silver Lining</h2>
For the bargain hunter, the red ink in Meta stock offers a silver lining: call options have been cheapened relative to how they were priced just days ago. This means speculators can acquire high payout transactions that arguably feature rational probabilistic risk.
Following a modest weekly decline in Meta stock, the median four-week return under the positive scenario comes in at 7.03%. Based on an estimated closing price of $702, that would assign an upside target of $751.37. Fortunately, there are plenty of big payout trades that don't require such a leap in market value.
For the options chain expiring March 14, bullish speculators may consider the 710/715 bull call spread. This multi-leg strategy involves buying a call ($710) and simultaneously selling a call ($715). Primarily, the idea is to use the credit received from the short call to partially offset the debit paid for the long call, thus discounting the net long position. Should the security rise to or above the short strike price, the trader collects the maximum reward (a payout of around 108%).
To be clear, bull spreads are capped-risk, capped-reward transactions. The trader can't lose more than the debit paid (since the lower-priced long call offsets the potential obligation of the higher-priced short call). On the other hand, the trader can't gain more than the maximum reward.
Speculators could choose to raise the short leg and adjust the long leg as necessary to potentially achieve a higher payout. However, doing so would increase the probabilistic risk of the trade not being profitable. With the aforementioned trade, Meta stock only needs to rise less than 2% by expiration to collect a big payout.
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The U.S. defense sector is facing fresh uncertainty as the Trump administration sets the foundation for a cost-cutting initiative under the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Despite the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43787369/us-russian-officials-begin-ukraine-peace-talks-defense-sector-stocks-rise">recent buoyancy</a> in anticipation of peace talks involving the Presidents of the U.S., Russia and Ukraine, stocks of major defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), RTX Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>), General Dynamics (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GD#NYSE">GD</a>), and Northrop Grumman (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOC#NYSE">NOC</a>), are staring at near-term risks following the possibility of a defense budget cut. 
While the potential impact is still unfolding, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">defense-focused ETFs </a>could be in for a bumpy ride.
ETFs with significant holdings in defense giants may see volatility in the wake of potential budget constraints. Some of the key funds to monitor include:
iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITA#BATS">ITA</a>) – Tracks U.S. defense and aerospace companies, including General Dynamics (18.75% exposure) Lockheed Martin (4.98% exposure) and RTX (15.72% exposure). 
SPDR S&amp;P Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XAR#NYSE">XAR</a>) – Offers exposure to large and mid-cap defense stocks, with exposure to stocks like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and RTX. This ETF offers a more equally weighted approach, which may help balance the losses.
Invesco Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PPA#NYSE">PPA</a>) – Holds a diversified mix of defense contractors and related industries. However, Lockheed Martin and RTX hold the top positions, with 7.26% and 7% of the total AUM.
First Trust Indxx Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MISL#NYSE">MISL</a>) – A newer entrant with a focus on companies involved in missile and defense technology. Once again, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and RTX hold significant percentage of the total assets.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/02/43827291/exclusive-will-trumps-tariffs-hurt-or-help-stock-market-59-say-this">EXCLUSIVE: Will Trump&#8217;s Tariffs Hurt Or Help Stock Market? 59% Say This…</a>
Why Defense Stocks Are Under Pressure
The DOGE recently kicked off its review at the Pentagon, aiming to curb waste, fraud, and redundancies. In a post on X, DOGE officials confirmed their commitment to "safely save taxpayer dollars and eliminate waste." 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Great kickoff with <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofDefense</a>. Looking forward to working together to safely save taxpayer dollars and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.
&mdash; Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE/status/1890621621448167497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to streamline operations and optimize spending, as reported by CBS News.
This initiative has raised concerns for major defense contractors, many of whom rely heavily on government contracts. Among the top players at risk are Lockheed Martin which has retreated almost 10% so far this year, RTX , General Dynamics, with a loss of 6.35% year-to-date, and Northrop Grumman, which has lost 6.5% so far this year.
With over $200 billion in annual federal contracts flowing into the sector, any cuts could significantly affect companies that derive nearly half their revenue from government spending, according to a report by Saxo Bank.
While U.S. defense spending may come under pressure, rising geopolitical tensions and commitments from NATO allies to boost their military budgets could create new opportunities for defense firms.
Fine-Tuning Is Key
For investors holding defense-heavy ETFs, now may be a time for caution but not necessarily panic. Watching how DOGE's review unfolds, tracking upcoming federal budgets, following the peace talks among Russia, Ukraine and U.S., and keeping an eye on global defense spending trends will be important. Diversification within ETFs could also help mitigate sector-specific risks.
As budget talks heat up, defense ETFs may experience short-term turbulence, but the longer-term picture will depend on how much of the spending shift is domestic versus international.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43818555/trade-war-redux-a-bumpy-ride-ahead-for-these-etfs-after-trumps-tariff-move-on-auto-pharma-chip-imports">Trade War Redux: These ETFs Due For Bumpy Ride Thanks To Trump Tariffs On Auto, Pharma, Chip Imports</a></li>
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Photo: Shutterstock

iShares Dow Jones US Aerospace & Defense Index Fund

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4 ETFs In The Crosshairs As Defense Cuts Loom — Is It Time To Play Offense?

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on Abercrombie &amp; Fitch.
Looking at options history for Abercrombie &amp; Fitch (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANF#NYSE">ANF</a>) we detected 11 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 45% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 36% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 2 are puts, for a total amount of $184,602 and 9, calls, for a total amount of $707,032.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $100.0 to $140.0 for Abercrombie &amp; Fitch during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
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 Abercrombie &amp; Fitch'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 Abercrombie &amp; Fitch's whale trades within a strike price range from $100.0 to $140.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Abercrombie &amp; Fitch Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739996138_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ANF</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$16.8</td>
<td>$16.6</td>
<td>$16.8</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$151.2K</td>
<td align="right">303</td>
<td align="right">97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ANF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$3.4</td>
<td>$2.7</td>
<td>$3.2</td>
<td>$106.00</td>
<td>$134.4K</td>
<td align="right">126</td>
<td align="right">424</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ANF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$13.2</td>
<td>$12.6</td>
<td>$12.85</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$113.0K</td>
<td align="right">189</td>
<td align="right">88</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ANF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$9.7</td>
<td>$9.0</td>
<td>$9.24</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$81.5K</td>
<td align="right">126</td>
<td align="right">174</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ANF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$9.4</td>
<td>$8.7</td>
<td>$9.4</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$80.8K</td>
<td align="right">126</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Abercrombie &amp; Fitch</h3>
Abercrombie &amp; Fitch Co is a specialty retailer that sells casual clothing, personal-care products, and accessories for men, women, and children. It sells direct to consumers through its stores and websites, which include the Abercrombie &amp; Fitch, Abercrombie kids, and Hollister brands. Most stores are in the United States, but the company does have many stores in Canada, Europe, and Asia. All stores are leased. Abercrombie ships to well over 100 countries via its websites. The company sources its merchandise from dozens of vendors that are primarily located in Asia and Central America. Abercrombie has two distribution centers in Ohio to support its North American operations. It uses third-party distributors for sales in Europe and Asia.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Abercrombie &amp; Fitch</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 1,046,829, the price of ANF is up by 0.2%, reaching $109.06.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 14 days from now.</li>
</ul>
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. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>.
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 Abercrombie &amp; Fitch options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Check Out What Whales Are Doing With ANF

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Adobe.
Looking at options history for Adobe (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) we detected 67 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 41% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 43% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 35 are puts, for a total amount of $2,058,899 and 32, calls, for a total amount of $2,161,880.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $380.0 to $600.0 for Adobe over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Adobe's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Adobe's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $380.0 to $600.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>Adobe Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739996133_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ADBE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$9.25</td>
<td>$8.95</td>
<td>$9.1</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$455.0K</td>
<td>4.7K</td>
<td align="right">93</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ADBE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$3.5</td>
<td>$3.35</td>
<td>$3.4</td>
<td>$380.00</td>
<td>$340.0K</td>
<td>475</td>
<td align="right">8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ADBE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$90.75</td>
<td>$88.7</td>
<td>$88.7</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$186.5K</td>
<td>156</td>
<td align="right">36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ADBE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$91.35</td>
<td>$90.85</td>
<td>$91.35</td>
<td>$480.00</td>
<td>$182.7K</td>
<td>71</td>
<td align="right">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ADBE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$23.4</td>
<td>$22.95</td>
<td>$23.4</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$177.8K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
<td align="right">155</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Adobe</h3>
Adobe provides content creation, document management, and digital marketing and advertising software and services to creative professionals and marketers for creating, managing, delivering, measuring, optimizing, and engaging with compelling content multiple operating systems, devices, and media. The company operates with three segments: digital media content creation, digital experience for marketing solutions, and publishing for legacy products (less than 5% of revenue).
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Adobe, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Where Is Adobe Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 1,688,750, the price of ADBE is down -1.49% at $457.19. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 21 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Adobe</h3>
In the last month, 2 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $552.5.
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. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; In a cautious move, an analyst from RBC Capital downgraded its rating to Outperform, setting a price target of $590. 
&#x2A; An analyst from BMO Capital persists with their Outperform rating on Adobe, maintaining a target price of $515. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Adobe, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

ADBE

Adobe Unusual Options Activity For February 19

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on American Express (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>).
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 AXP, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 26 uncommon options trades for American Express.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 15% bullish and 84%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 17 are puts, for a total amount of $1,457,862, and 9 are calls, for a total amount of $398,919.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $200.0 to $350.0 for American Express during the past quarter. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in American Express's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to American Express's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $200.0 to $350.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>American Express Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739996128_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>AXP</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$13.1</td>
<td>$12.95</td>
<td>$13.0</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$197.6K</td>
<td align="right">904</td>
<td align="right">987</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AXP</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$13.05</td>
<td>$12.85</td>
<td>$13.0</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$166.4K</td>
<td align="right">904</td>
<td align="right">707</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AXP</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$19.1</td>
<td>$18.55</td>
<td>$19.1</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$152.8K</td>
<td align="right">71</td>
<td align="right">80</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AXP</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$12.3</td>
<td>$12.1</td>
<td>$12.25</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$137.2K</td>
<td align="right">904</td>
<td align="right">533</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AXP</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$12.2</td>
<td>$12.15</td>
<td>$12.2</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$111.0K</td>
<td align="right">904</td>
<td align="right">533</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About American Express</h3>
American Express is a global financial institution, operating in about 130 countries, that provides consumers and businesses charge and credit card payment products. The company also operates a highly profitable merchant payment network. Since 2018, it has operated in three segments: global consumer services, global commercial services, and global merchant and network services. In addition to payment products, the company's commercial business offers expense management tools, consulting services, and business loans.
Having examined the options trading patterns of American Express, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Current Position of American Express</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 1,185,537, the price of AXP is down by -0.82%, reaching $310.29.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 57 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About American Express</h3>
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $346.6.
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. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Evercore ISI Group persists with their In-Line rating on American Express, maintaining a target price of $344. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods continues to hold a Outperform rating for American Express, targeting a price of $360. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Overweight rating for American Express, targeting a price of $370. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Compass Point continues to hold a Neutral rating for American Express, targeting a price of $309. 
&#x2A; An analyst from RBC Capital has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on American Express, which currently sits at a price target of $350. 
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 American Express options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

American Express Options Trading: A Deep Dive into Market Sentiment

Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CELH#NASDAQ">CELH</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 42.5% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 53.71%. Currently, Celsius Holdings has a market capitalization of $6.05 billion. 
Buying $100 In CELH: If an investor had bought $100 of CELH stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $7,282.08 today based on a price of $25.73 for CELH at the time of writing.
<h3>Celsius Holdings's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739996109_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

CELH

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 10 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

Devon Energy Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DVN#NYSE">DVN</a>) shares are trading higher on Wednesday after the company reported strong fourth-quarter<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43798641/devon-energy-beats-q4-earnings-raises-quarterly-dividend" rel="noreferrer noopener"> results on Tuesday after the bell</a>.
Also, the stock may have escalated probably due to a drone attack on a Russian pipeline, which could reduce supply.
Also, the company reported an EPS of $1.16, beating analyst&nbsp;estimates of $1.00, and&nbsp;oil production of 398,000 barrels per day, which was&nbsp;about 3% ahead of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">the&nbsp;company&#8217;s&nbsp;previous guidance</a>.
Devon expects oil production to average 380,000 to 386,000 barrels per day in the first quarter and full-year 2025 production of 805,000 barrels per day-825,000 barrels per day, up 2% versus&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">the&nbsp;company&#8217;s&nbsp;previous outlook</a>.
Piper Sandler&nbsp;analyst Mark A. Lear writes that the&nbsp;company&#8217;s&nbsp;FY25 guidance sets a strong foundation, with oil and total volume projections slightly exceeding consensus on a 4% reduction in capex.&nbsp;The analyst has an Overweight rating w<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/dvn/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">ith a price forecast of $54.</a>
Given its history of setting achievable targets, the analyst expects a positive market reaction to the fourth-quarter beat and the improved efficiency in FY25 guidance, especially following the&nbsp;stock&#8217;s&nbsp;de-rating since mid-2024.
With a Sector Perform rating and $50 price forecast, RBC Capital Markets analyst Scott Hanold says that&nbsp;Devon&#8217;s&nbsp;2025 outlook exceeded expectations, reflecting steady operations and strong efficiency across its asset base.
The analyst adds that all&nbsp;Bakken capital is directed toward high-return Grayson Mills acreage, while the benefits of Eagleford assets are expected to drive capital efficiency and production growth.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;Invesco Energy&nbsp;Exploration &amp; Production ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PXE#NYSE">PXE</a>) and&nbsp;Texas Capital&nbsp;Funds Trust Texas Capital Texas Oil Index ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OILT#NYSE">OILT</a>).
Price Action: DVN shares are up 8.2% at $37.75 at the last check Wednesday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43796040/marjorie-taylor-greene-discloses-new-stock-trades-palantir-purchase" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene Discloses New Stock Trades: Is Palantir Purchase Conflict Of Interest For Committee Assignments?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock.

Analyst Color

Reiteration

OILT

PowerShares ETF Trust Dynamic Energy Exploration & Production Port

Devon Energy Has Strong Tailwinds, Analyst Says

Perrigo Company plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PRGO#NYSE">PRGO</a>), a leading global provider of Consumer Self-Care Products, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 5% increase in the Company's quarterly dividend to $0.290 per share, or $1.16 per share on an annual basis, up from $0.276 per share. This marks the 22nd consecutive year Perrigo has increased its dividend

Dividends

PRGO

Perrigo Increases Quarterly Dividend From $0.276 To $0.29 Per Share

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/beyond-meat-bynd-said-to-pursue-new-borrowing-to-shore-up-liquidity?utm_content=business&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;sref=ZoyErlU1" title="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/beyond-meat-bynd-said-to-pursue-new-borrowing-to-shore-up-liquidity?utm_content=business&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;sref=ZoyErlU1">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/beyond-meat-bynd-said-to-pursue-new-borrowing-to-shore-up-liquidity?utm_content=business&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;sref=ZoyErlU1</a>

Financing

BYND

"Beyond Meat Pursues New Borrowing to Shore Up Liquidity; Beyond Meat Inc. Is Sounding Out Investors To Borrow As Much As $250 Million From Private Credit Lenders" - Bloomberg News

Bumble (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMBL#NASDAQ">BMBL</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43818299" rel="noreferrer noopener">stock tanked </a>after the company issued first-quarter revenue guidance below estimates and announced a quarter-over-quarter decline in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/dating-apps" rel="noreferrer noopener">paying app users</a>.
Wall Street firms cut their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BMBL/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">price targets on the stock</a>.
Piper Sandler analyst Matt Farrell maintained Bumble with a Neutral and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$8&nbsp;to&nbsp;$7.
Stifel analyst Mark Kelley reiterated Bumble with a Hold and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$7&nbsp;to&nbsp;$6.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43812509/garmin-q4-earnings-wearables-and-adventure-watches-drive-growth-raises-dividend-20-projects-68-billion-revenue-for-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">Garmin Q4 Earnings: Wearables and Adventure Watches Drive Growth, 20% Dividend Hike, Stock Soars</a>
Piper Sandler: Bumble delivered <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/02/43797993/bumble-shares-drop-after-q4-report-heres-why" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth-quarter results</a> slightly ahead of expectations. However, management provided first-quarter guidance below expectations and did not provide a full-year outlook. The company&#8217;s focus on safety and user experience creates a near-term headwind on the business.
Bumble anticipates a ~110K sequential decline in Bumble app payers in the first quarter. Overall, it is clear that the multi-quarter turnaround will be choppy as the company focuses on enhancing the platform for the long term.
Farrell sought signs of sustained stability before getting more constructive on the story. The price target revision reflects the analyst&#8217;s lower profitability estimates. Farrell projected first-quarter revenue of $245.1 million and EPS of $0.18.
Stifel: Bumble reported a slightly better fourth quarter but guided the first quarter below the Street as the company continues to work through management turnover and a broad-ranging app refresh. The Fruitz and Official apps are winding down as management opts to streamline its core product offerings.
The priorities for Bumble are pretty similar to that of its larger competitor, Match Group, which is also focused on a healthier ecosystem that looks to prioritize safety and authenticity, which Kelley agreed should be a main focus for every company in the category, but also noted these shared priorities will increasingly make it challenging for dating apps to differentiate their offerings in the future.
With only a first-quarter guide in hand and little color for the entire year, the analyst remains Hold-rated pending a better picture of the path forward. Kelley projected first-quarter revenue of $245.0 million and EPS of $0.15.
Price Action: BMBL stock is down 26.9% at $5.919 at last check Wednesday.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43812289/wix-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-raises-2025-outlook-ai-powered-expansion-and-market-share-gains" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wix Q4 Earnings: EPS Beat, Issues Strong 2025 Outlook With Two Products Launch</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock.

BMBL

Bumble's App Revamp And Underwhelming Q1 Guidance Keeps The Analysts Waiting - Details Here

Benchmark analyst Fawne Jiang reiterated Baidu (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) with a Buy rating and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BIDU/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">$130&nbsp;price target</a>.
Jiang was surprised by the pressure on Baidu&#8217;s stock yesterday despite a generally <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43778265/baidu-q4-earnings-ai-cloud-grows-margin-slides-expects-ai-investments-to-bear-fruit-in-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">in-line quarter</a> with an upsized beat in AI Cloud growth.
The analyst remains a firm believer in the accelerating adoption of generative AI in China in fiscal 2025, catalyzed by DeepSeek&#8217;s breakthroughs, and views full-stack service providers like Baidu as key beneficiaries of this trend, with cross-selling monetization opportunities against a highly competitive environment.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43813469/analog-devices-beats-q1-estimates-raises-dividend-as-automotive-revenue-declines" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analog Devices Beats Q1 Estimates, Raises Dividend As Automotive Revenue Declines</a>
Baidu&#8217;s decision to open-source its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43691826/not-just-deepseek-chinas-ai-landscape-heats-up-as-baidu-launches-free-ernie-bot" rel="noreferrer noopener">upcoming ERNIE 4.5 series</a> and offer ERNIE Bot for free access should further drive broader adoption. While Jiang acknowledged market concerns surrounding search, management has guided for a gradual recovery in ad growth, with a return to growth expected in the second half.
Additionally, the integration of generative AI in search presents new monetization opportunities, particularly in transaction-based verticals.
The analyst acknowledged the global challenge of search engines competing against new traffic gateways (Chatbot) yet noted that it&#8217;s still too early to discount Baidu&#8217;s efforts to transform its search business through AI.
Along with minimum asset value recognition <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43806974/baidus-robotaxi-service-hits-1-1-million-paid-rides-in-q4-expands-to-hong-kong-as-1st-operator-allowed-to-test-autonomous-vehicles" rel="noreferrer noopener">in robotaxi and</a> the expected acceleration of share buybacks, he noted an attractive risk/reward profile for Baidu stock.
With the expected growth in generative AI adoption, the analyst raised his fiscal 2025 Cloud growth projection to 20% (versus 17% prior).
Jiang noted that search engines globally are facing ongoing debates about rising competition from Chatbot as new user gateways, yet indicated that Baidu&#8217;s decision to make its ERNIE Bot free should help to level the playing field.&nbsp;&nbsp;
On the monetization front, the analyst noted that the company will prioritize user experience but nevertheless sees viable monetization opportunities, especially in Agent.
AI Agent&#8217;s strength in mastering complex, non-standardized service portfolios is conducive to transaction-based verticals, which Baidu has largely exposed to.
In light of anticipated monetization in the second half, Jiang left his fiscal 2025 core ad growth projection unchanged at flat.
Baidu plans to focus on scaling its domestic robotaxi operations, exploring asset-light operating models, and expanding its international presence.
While Apollo Go operates at a comparable scale as Waymo in terms of quarterly rides completed, there&#8217;s minimal or no asset value reflected in the stock, which the analyst noted presents an attractive optionality for investors; admittedly, valuation catalysts remain to be materialized. Regarding capital allocation, Baidu is committed to advancing its AI capabilities and has pledged to accelerate its buyback program in fiscal 2025 to enhance shareholder returns.
Jiang projected fiscal 2025 revenue of $19.033 billion and EPS of $11.81. He expects fiscal 2026 revenue of $20.098 billion and EPS of $12.95.
Price Action: BIDU stock is down 2.30% at $88.09 at last check Wednesday.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43813234/fiverr-q4-earnings-beats-estimates-projects-strong-2025-growth-ai-innovation-expands" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fiverr Beats Estimates In Q4, Projects AI-Powered Expansion And Rising Buyer Spend</a></li>
</ul>
Image by testing on Shutterstock

BIDU

Baidu's AI Cloud, Robotaxi Growth And Accelerated Buybacks Position It For Strong 2025: Analyst

Mitsui &amp; Co. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MITSY#OTC">MITSY</a>) has announced an acquisition of a 40% stake in the Rhodes Ridge iron-ore project in Australia. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/japan?page=6">The Japanese conglomerate</a>, in which Warren Buffett holds an 8% stake, will acquire a 25% stake from VOC Group for $3.34 billion and a 15% stake from AMB Holdings for $2 billion.
Following the transaction, AMB Holdings <a href="https://www.mitsui.com/jp/en/release/2025/1250897_14855.html">will retain a 10% stake</a>, while Rio Tinto remains the project's operator with a 50% interest.
"The project is in Western Australia, where we have been involved in mining development since the 1960s and have the most expertise. It will further strengthen our business foundation," CEO Kenichi Hori said per Reuters.
Located in the mining-oriented Pilbara region, Rhodes Ridge is one of the world's largest undeveloped iron-ore deposits, with an estimated 6.8 billion tons of mineral resources. The full feasibility study will follow after the completion of the pre-feasibility stage later this year.
Rio Tinto <a href="https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2025/rio-tinto-notes-mitsui-has-agreed-to-join-rhodes-ridge-joint-venture">welcomed Mitsui's involvement,</a> citing their longstanding partnership in the Robe River joint venture located in the same region. The new mine will benefit from its proximity to existing infrastructure, including rail networks and port facilities, which will help lower capital expenditures and operational risks.&nbsp;
The British-Australian mining leader anticipates its first production at Rhodes Ridge in 2030, with an initial output of 40 million tons annually. Thus, Mitsui's 40% stake will entitle it to a share of 16 million tons at the outset, eventually exceeding 40 million tons as production ramps up. The company plans to integrate Rhodes Ridge output into its existing iron ore portfolio, which includes investments in Brazilian miner Vale and other joint ventures with Rio Tinto and BHP.
This investment aligns with Mitsui's Medium-term Management Plan 2026, prioritizing industrial business solutions and the stable supply of essential resources. The company expects the project to contribute significantly to its long-term earnings, with operating cash flow projected to increase by 100 billion yen ($659 million) initially and up to 250 billion yen after expansion.
Pending regulatory approvals, the deal is expected to close by March 2026.
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Photo: Shutterstock

Global

MITSY

Mitsui To Acquire A $5.3 Billion Stake In Major Australian Iron Ore Project

Compass, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COMP#NYSE">COMP</a>) stock is trading higher on Wednesday after the company reported better-than-expected 2024 fiscal-year fourth-quarter sales results on Tuesday <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43796931">after the market closed</a>.
The Details: Compass reported revenue of $1.38 billion, beating analysts&#8217; estimate of $1.34 billion and representing a 25% year-over-year increase. In addition, the company reported a loss of 8 cents per share inline with analysts&#8217; estimates.
Furthermore, the company reported that the quarter ended with $223.8 million in cash and cash equivalents. It also reported a free cash flow of $26.7 million adjusted EBITDA of $16.7 million.
&#8220;In the&nbsp;fourth quarter, we grew transactions by&nbsp;24.1%&nbsp;or 3.5x faster than the market where transactions grew by&nbsp;6.8%&nbsp;year-over-year,&#8221; said Robert Reffkin, Founder and CEO of Compass.
&#8220;This led to quarterly market share of&nbsp;5.06%, or an increase of 65 basis points, which is our highest year-over-year increase in market share in twelve quarters. Importantly, organic transactions&nbsp;increased by&nbsp;15.5%&nbsp;year-over-year and organic quarterly market share grew 48 basis points.&#8221;
Compass issued guidance for the 2025 fiscal-year first-quarter. It expects sales from $1.35 billion to $1.47 billion, versus analysts&#8217; estimate of $1.32 billion.
Analyst Changes: Multiple analysts issued price target adjustments following the earnings report.
<ul>
<li>Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak maintained an Equal-Weight rating on Compass and raised the price target from&nbsp;$6&nbsp;to&nbsp;$8.5.</li>
<li>Oppenheimer analyst Jason Helfstein maintained an Outperform rating on Compass and raised the price target from&nbsp;$12&nbsp;to&nbsp;$13.</li>
<li>Goldman Sachs analyst Michael Ng maintained a Buy rating on Compass and raised the price target from&nbsp;$8&nbsp;to&nbsp;$9.</li>
</ul>
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43823676/d-wave-ionq-and-quantum-computing-stocks-pop-whats-driving-the-momentum"> D-Wave, IonQ and Quantum Computing Stocks Pop: What&#8217;s Driving the Momentum?</a>
COMP Price Action: At the time of publication, Compass shares are trading 25.3% higher at $9.985, according to data from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro.</a>
Image: This illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

COMP

What's Going On With Compass Shares Wednesday?

Crypto markets are trending higher on Wednesday, driven by optimism around potential altcoin spot ETFs.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$96,045.95</td>
<td>+2.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$2,711.43</td>
<td>+3.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$168.94</td>
<td>+3.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$2.66</td>
<td>+7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$0.2518</td>
<td>+2.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$0.00001531&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>+2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Notable Statistics:
<ul>
<li>IntoTheBlock data shows large transaction volume increasing by 9.2% and daily active addresses up by 4%. Transactions greater than $100,000 are up from 9,049 to 10,134 in a single day. Exchanges netflows are down by 121.8%.</li>
<li>Coinglass data reports 67,718 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $148.48 million.</li>
</ul>
Notable Developments:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43815939/binanceus-restores-usd-services-after-lengthy-regulatory-roadblock">Binance.US Restores USD Services After Lengthy Regulatory Roadblock</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43810566/stablecoins-are-a-big-deal-but-not-where-youd-expect-bernstein-says">Stablecoins Are A Big Deal, But Not Where You&#8217;d Expect, Bernstein Says</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43805500/changpeng-cz-zhao-donates-100000-to-support-libra-scam-victims-as-javier-milei-compares-investment-in-coin-to-casino-gambling">Changpeng &#8216;CZ&#8217; Zhao Donates $100,000 To Support LIBRA Scam Victims As Javier Milei Compares Investment In Coin To Casino Gambling</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43805107/vivek-ramaswamy-foresees-bitcoin-as-a-more-common-corporate-treasury-holding-as-era-of-easy-money-ends">Vivek Ramaswamy Foresees Bitcoin As A &#8216;More Common&#8217; Corporate Treasury Holding As Era Of Easy Money Ends</a></li>
</ul>
Top Gainers:
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Story (CRYPTO: IP)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$2.69</td>
<td>+40%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sonic (prev. FTM) (CRYPTO: S)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$0.7225</td>
<td>+25.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aptos (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">APT</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$6.44</td>
<td>+17.3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Trader Notes: With Bitcoin prices bouncing back from past week&#8217;s muted performance, crypto trader Decode <a href="https://x.com/decodejar/status/1892175288311943609">remains </a>bullish as long as Bitcoin closes above $92,000, emphasizing that nothing has been invalidated despite recent volatility. 
Meanwhile, Glassnode and Swissblock co-founder Negentropic <a href="https://x.com/Negentropic_/status/1892133417149710784">noted</a> Bitcoin's bounce from $93,500 to $95,000, but weak rebounds signal low spot volume. 
The Risk Index warns of further downside pressure, with key levels at $97,000-$98,500 for recovery and $92,000 as critical support.
Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez highlighted that Bitcoin's best buying opportunities since 2022 have occurred when traders&#8217; realized loss margin hits -12%, compared to the current -2.37%.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Since 2022, the best <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> buying opportunities have occurred when traders&#39; realized loss margin hits -12%. Right now, it stands at -2.37%! <a href="https://t.co/tSd93gt4OJ">pic.twitter.com/tSd93gt4OJ</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1892273192552845401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Industry expert Quinten Francois pointed out that despite Bitcoin experiencing its biggest long wipeout in two years, buyers are holding firm. He predicts the "next big move is coming."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f6a8;Bitcoin just had its biggest long wipeout in 2 years—yet buyers won't back down. The next big move is coming&#x1f4a5; <a href="https://t.co/4cTOgpKX5f">pic.twitter.com/4cTOgpKX5f</a>
&mdash; Quinten &#x7C; 048.eth (@QuintenFrancois) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintenFrancois/status/1892234224800862447?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43819775/altcoins-face-insane-volatility">Altcoins Face &#8216;Insane Volatility&#8217; And &#8216;Super Negative&#8217; Sentiment—But &#8216;Better Days Are Coming,&#8217; Says Trader</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

$APT

$DOGE

$ETH

$SHIB

$SOL

$XRP

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Rebound: $92,000 Key Downside Support Until $97,000-$98,500 Is Reclaimed, Analysts Say

Did you know there's a way to predict the S&amp;P 500 with an ~85% correlation?
Sounds insane, but it's true.
Here's the surprising logic behind my claim:
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="621" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192221/image-3-9.png" alt="" class="wp-image-6097" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192221/image-3-9.png 936w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192221/image-3-9-300x199.png 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192221/image-3-9-768x510.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
When investors look for long-term bullish S&amp;P 500 signals, they look at:
U.S CPI
U.S. interest rates
U.S. M2 supply (relatively liquid assets in the U.S economy)
This is a mistake.
Although these metrics matter, there's something we commonly forget.
Unlike most countries, the U.S. stock market is global.
German citizens rarely invest in Japanese stocks.
But many will invest in Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, etc.
When central banks print money, it enters the economy of that respective country.
A portion of that money goes to citizens who buy food, shelter, clothing, etc.
However, some of them will invest their cash into assets.
A sizable portion specifically goes into the S&amp;P or S&amp;P-included companies.
That's why, if you're investing in the S&amp;P, you can't just focus on U.S. liquidity.
You need to focus on global liquidity instead.
The problem is global liquidity is hard to measure.
Combining M2 and interest rate data from the world's central banks isn't easy.
That's why financial data platforms like Ycharts and TradingView don't have a global liquidity metric.
This is why investors typically track GL from the 5 biggest central banks.
Specifically the:
Bank of Japan
Federal Reserve
Bank of England
European Central Bank
People's Bank of China
These are the most important central banks in the world, and tracking their efforts isn't difficult.
This is where most investors go wrong, when they exclusively track the Fed's monetary policies to predict the S&amp;P's long-term outlook.
But the S&amp;P receives inflows from across the globe.
That's why the decisions of the BoJ, BoE, ECB, and PBoC collectively matter more than the Federal Reserve alone.
Thanks to the U.S. stock market&#8217;s global status, global liquidity is highly correlated.
Popular U.S. stock indexes like the NASDAQ, for example, have a 95% correlation.
Whereas the S&amp;P has an ~85% correlation.
This chart speaks volumes.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="936" height="520" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192220/image-1.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-6096" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192220/image-1.jpeg 936w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192220/image-1-300x167.jpeg 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/19192220/image-1-768x427.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 936px) 100vw, 936px" /></figure>
However, during bull markets, global liquidity sometimes decouples from the S&amp;P.
Particularly when there's particularly bullish news and the market gets excited.
Trump's election victory was a great example of this.
Politics aside, Trump has always been bullish for stocks.
The same can be said about bearish black swan events.
2008, the initial COVID scare, Yen carry trade, Deepseek, etc.
Bullish and bearish signals decouple the market from global liquidity.
But it always realigns.
It's important to remember that there's a delay between global liquidity and the stock market.
It takes time for liquidity to flow into assets and inflate prices.
Liquidity → stocks – fewer shares → lower supply → prices rise
What's the moral of the story?
Don't just analyze U.S. monetary policies.
Monitor the policies of the biggest central banks in the world.
With a delay, you can reliably predict the movements of major U.S. indexes.
&#x2A;&#x2A;
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Exclusives

There's a way to predict the S&P 500 with an 85% correlation!

Bank of America's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>) short percent of float has fallen 20.0% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 57.75 million shares sold short, which is 0.88% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.55 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Bank of America Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739995228_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Bank of America has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Bank of America's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Bank of America's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 1.09%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

How Is The Market Feeling About Bank of America?

SentinelOne's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/S#NYSE">S</a>) short percent of float has risen 5.64% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 13.00 million shares sold short, which is 4.31% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.31 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>SentinelOne Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1739995222_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for SentinelOne has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing SentinelOne's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>, SentinelOne's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.24%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze?utm_source=insights&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=short-interest&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
03:51 PMFeb 18, 2025	CALL	$65.00	Mar 21, 2025	29	4763	2746	558	854	TRADE	BULLISH
03:41 PMFeb 18, 2025	CALL	$65.00	Mar 21, 2025	29	2754	2474	322	854	TRADE	BULLISH
03:40 PMFeb 18, 2025	CALL	$65.00	Mar 21, 2025	29	3026	2746	354	854	TRADE	NEUTRAL
03:25 PMFeb 18, 2025	CALL	$65.00	Mar 21, 2025	29	3024	2752	354	854	TRADE	BEARISH