Is the Options Market Predicting a Spike in Minerals Technologies Stock?

Core Viewpoint - Investors in Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTX) should closely monitor the stock due to significant movements in the options market, particularly the high implied volatility of the Feb 20, 2026 $45 Put option [1] Group 1: Implied Volatility - Implied volatility indicates the market's expectations for future stock movement, with high levels suggesting potential significant price changes or upcoming events that could lead to a rally or sell-off [2] - Options traders often seek high implied volatility options to sell premium, aiming to benefit from the decay of the option's value if the stock does not move as expected [4] Group 2: Analyst Sentiment - Minerals Technologies currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) within the Chemical – Specialty industry, which is positioned in the bottom 25% of the Zacks Industry Rank [3] - Over the past 30 days, no analysts have raised their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while one analyst has lowered the estimate, resulting in a decrease of the Zacks Consensus Estimate from $1.36 to $1.26 per share [3]