Smart Money Is Betting Big In AMAT Options - Applied Mat (NASDAQ:AMAT)

Core Insights - Financial giants are showing a bearish sentiment towards Applied Materials, with 45% of traders indicating bearish tendencies compared to 42% bullish [1] - The trading activity suggests a price range focus between $170.0 and $350.0 for Applied Materials over the past three months [2] - Recent options activity indicates a mix of bullish and bearish sentiments, with notable trades in both puts and calls [7] Options Activity - A total of 42 unusual trades were identified, with 15 puts valued at $1,594,840 and 27 calls valued at $2,160,628 [1] - The options data reveals significant liquidity and interest, particularly within the strike price range of $170.0 to $350.0 over the last 30 days [3][4] Market Status - Applied Materials is the largest semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment manufacturer globally, serving major clients like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung [8] - Recent expert ratings show a consensus target price of $236.0, with varying opinions from analysts, including a downgrade to Hold with a target of $190 and an Overweight rating with a target of $255 [9][10] Current Trading Metrics - The current trading volume for Applied Materials stands at 3,997,604, with the stock price at $267.01, reflecting a 0.63% increase [12] - The stock may be approaching overbought conditions as indicated by RSI metrics, with an earnings announcement expected in 71 days [12]