A Closer Look at Palo Alto Networks's Options Market Dynamics

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Palo Alto Networks PANW.

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 PANW, 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 13 uncommon options trades for Palo Alto Networks.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 38% bullish and 46%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 2 are puts, for a total amount of $60,220, and 11 are calls, for a total amount of $557,075.

Projected Price Targets

Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $286.67 to $500.0 for Palo Alto Networks during the past quarter.

Analyzing Volume & Open Interest

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 Palo Alto Networks'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 Palo Alto Networks's whale trades within a strike price range from $286.67 to $500.0 in the last 30 days.

Palo Alto Networks Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks is a platform-based cybersecurity vendor with product offerings covering network security, cloud security, and security operations. The California-based firm has more than 85,000 customers across the world, including more than three fourths of the Global 2000.

Having examined the options trading patterns of Palo Alto Networks, 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 Palo Alto Networks

• Trading volume stands at 536,279, with PANW's price up by 0.33%, positioned at $341.55.
• RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought.
• Earnings announcement expected in 44 days.

Professional Analyst Ratings for Palo Alto Networks

A total of 4 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $362.5.

• An analyst from DA Davidson has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $380.
• In a cautious move, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its rating to Overweight, setting a price target of $350.
• An analyst from Baird persists with their Outperform rating on Palo Alto Networks, maintaining a target price of $360.
• An analyst from Morgan Stanley has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Palo Alto Networks, which currently sits at a price target of $360.

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 Palo Alto Networks options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.