Hershey Unusual Options Activity For December 11

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Hershey HSY.

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 HSY, 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 22 uncommon options trades for Hershey.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 54% bullish and 27%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 19 are puts, for a total amount of $1,772,357, and 3 are calls, for a total amount of $147,125.

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 $160.0 and $200.0 for Hershey, spanning the last three months.

Insights into 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 Hershey'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 Hershey's whale trades within a strike price range from $160.0 to $200.0 in the last 30 days.

Hershey Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About Hershey

Hershey is a leading us confectionery manufacturer (around a $25 billion market), controlling around 36% of the domestic chocolate space (per Euromonitor). Beyond its namesake label, the firm's mix has expanded over the last 85 years and now consists of 100 brands, including Reese's, Kit Kat, Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey's products are sold in about 80 countries, albeit with just a high-single-digit percentage of sales coming from markets outside the us, including Brazil, India, and Mexico. The firm has sought inorganic opportunities to extend its reach beyond its core confection business, adding Amplify Snack Brands and its Skinny Pop ready-to-eat popcorn to its mix, Pirate Brands, and Dot's Pretzels over the past few years.

In light of the recent options history for Hershey, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.

Current Position of Hershey

• With a trading volume of 4,294,436, the price of HSY is down by -4.51%, reaching $178.75.
• Current RSI values indicate that the stock is is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.
• Next earnings report is scheduled for 57 days from now.

Professional Analyst Ratings for Hershey

In the last month, 3 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $186.0.

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. Click here for access. * Reflecting concerns, an analyst from RBC Capital lowers its rating to Sector Perform with a new price target of $183. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Mizuho keeps a Neutral rating on Hershey with a target price of $180. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Mizuho keeps a Neutral rating on Hershey with a target price of $195.

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