Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC).
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 WFC, 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 19 uncommon options trades for Wells Fargo.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 36% bullish and 47%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 7 are puts, for a total amount of $566,293, and 12 are calls, for a total amount of $877,437.
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 $22.5 and $82.5 for Wells Fargo, spanning the last three months.
Volume & Open Interest Development
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Wells Fargo stands at 4966.0, with a total volume reaching 6,657.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Wells Fargo, situated within the strike price corridor from $22.5 to $82.5, throughout the last 30 days.
Wells Fargo 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot
Noteworthy Options Activity:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WFC | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 03/21/25 | $8.75 | $8.65 | $8.65 | $67.50 | $168.6K | 9.1K | 196 |
| WFC | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 02/21/25 | $9.55 | $9.45 | $9.55 | $82.50 | $148.9K | 7 | 157 |
| WFC | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 01/16/26 | $51.2 | $49.0 | $51.2 | $22.50 | $148.4K | 99 | 29 |
| WFC | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/17/25 | $4.9 | $4.8 | $4.9 | $77.50 | $146.5K | 568 | 389 |
| WFC | CALL | SWEEP | NEUTRAL | 03/21/25 | $2.99 | $2.95 | $2.95 | $77.50 | $135.7K | 3.6K | 29 |
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo is one of the largest banks in the United States, with approximately $1.9 trillion in balance sheet assets. The company has four primary segments: consumer banking, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management. It is almost entirely focused on the U.S.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Wells Fargo, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
Present Market Standing of Wells Fargo With a volume of 4,170,573, the price of WFC is down -0.19% at $74.0. RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold. Next earnings are expected to be released in 42 days. Expert Opinions on Wells Fargo
3 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $78.66666666666667.
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. * An analyst from Piper Sandler persists with their Neutral rating on Wells Fargo, maintaining a target price of $75. * An analyst from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods persists with their Market Perform rating on Wells Fargo, maintaining a target price of $79. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Citigroup continues to hold a Neutral rating for Wells Fargo, targeting a price of $82.
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Wells Fargo with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.
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