Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM).
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 QCOM, 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 15 uncommon options trades for Qualcomm.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 33% bullish and 46%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $407,508, and 11 are calls, for a total amount of $767,770.
Expected Price Movements
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $100.0 to $200.0 for Qualcomm over the last 3 months.
Analyzing Volume & Open Interest
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Qualcomm stands at 2291.0, with a total volume reaching 2,296.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Qualcomm, situated within the strike price corridor from $100.0 to $200.0, throughout the last 30 days.
Qualcomm 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot
!Options Call Chart
Largest Options Trades Observed:
SymbolPUT/CALLTrade TypeSentimentExp. DateAskBidPriceStrike PriceTotal Trade PriceOpen InterestVolumeQCOMCALLSWEEPBEARISH01/16/26$76.5$73.75$74.49$100.00$313.0K69143QCOMPUTSWEEPBEARISH01/16/26$7.1$7.0$7.07$175.00$234.7K3.5K68QCOMCALLTRADEBULLISH01/15/27$24.25$24.25$24.25$180.00$121.2K95550QCOMPUTTRADEBEARISH01/21/28$47.4$47.4$47.4$200.00$94.8K7020QCOMPUTTRADEBEARISH02/20/26$10.55$10.25$10.44$175.00$52.2K8170
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm develops and licenses wireless technology and designs chips for smartphones. The company's key patents revolve around CDMA and OFDMA technologies, which are standards in wireless communications that are the backbone of all 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. Qualcomm's IP is licensed by virtually all wireless device makers. The firm is also the world's largest wireless chip vendor, supplying nearly every premier handset maker with leading-edge processors. Qualcomm also sells RF-front end modules into smartphones, as well as chips into automotive and Internet of Things markets.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Qualcomm, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
Where Is Qualcomm Standing Right Now?
- With a trading volume of 2,761,494, the price of QCOM is down by -0.62%, reaching $173.98.
- Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings report is scheduled for 62 days from now.
Professional Analyst Ratings for Qualcomm
In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $198.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
\\* An analyst from Mizuho has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Qualcomm, which currently sits at a price target of $200.
\\* An analyst from Rosenblatt has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Qualcomm, which currently sits at a price target of $225.
\\* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Wells Fargo keeps a Underweight rating on Qualcomm with a target price of $165.
\\* An analyst from B of A Securities persists with their Buy rating on Qualcomm, maintaining a target price of $215.
\\* An analyst from UBS has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Qualcomm, which currently sits at a price target of $185.
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.