Spotlight on Tesla: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Tesla TSLA.

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 TSLA, 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 537 uncommon options trades for Tesla.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 37% bullish and 46%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 131 are puts, for a total amount of $7,119,197, and 406 are calls, for a total amount of $32,601,577.

Predicted Price Range

Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $300.0 to $800.0 for Tesla during the past quarter.

Analyzing Volume & Open Interest

Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.

This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Tesla'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 Tesla's whale activity within a strike price range from $300.0 to $800.0 in the last 30 days.

Tesla Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Largest Options Trades Observed:

About Tesla

Tesla is a vertically integrated battery electric vehicle automaker and developer of autonomous driving software. The company has multiple vehicles in its fleet, which include luxury and midsize sedans, crossover SUVs, a light truck, and a semi truck. Tesla also plans to begin selling more affordable vehicles, a sports car, and a robotaxi. Global deliveries in 2024 were a little below 1.8 million vehicles. The company sells batteries for stationary storage for residential and commercial properties including utilities and solar panels and solar roofs for energy generation. Tesla also owns a fast-charging network.

After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Tesla, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.

Tesla's Current Market Status

• With a volume of 21,310,146, the price of TSLA is up 1.82% at $417.89.
• RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.
• Next earnings are expected to be released in 23 days.

What Analysts Are Saying About Tesla

A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $307.172.

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 Deutsche Bank persists with their Buy rating on Tesla, maintaining a target price of $370. * An analyst from Truist Securities has decided to maintain their Hold rating on Tesla, which currently sits at a price target of $351. * Showing optimism, an analyst from Mizuho upgrades its rating to Outperform with a revised price target of $515. * Reflecting concerns, an analyst from GLJ Research lowers its rating to Sell with a new price target of $24. * An analyst from Evercore ISI Group persists with their In-Line rating on Tesla, maintaining a target price of $275.

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