Smart Money Is Betting Big In XOM Options
Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM).
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 XOM, 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 17 uncommon options trades for Exxon Mobil.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 47% bullish and 52%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $83,750, and 14 are calls, for a total amount of $1,791,596.
Expected Price Movements
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $85.0 to $125.0 for Exxon Mobil over the recent three months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Exxon Mobil options trades today is 7282.0 with a total volume of 12,908.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Exxon Mobil's big money trades within a strike price range of $85.0 to $125.0 over the last 30 days.
Exxon Mobil Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Noteworthy Options Activity:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XOM | CALL | TRADE | BEARISH | 09/18/26 | $9.5 | $8.95 | $9.05 | $120.00 | $362.0K | 145 | 1.4K |
| XOM | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 09/18/26 | $9.15 | $9.0 | $9.02 | $120.00 | $360.2K | 145 | 738 |
| XOM | CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 09/18/26 | $9.2 | $8.5 | $9.0 | $120.00 | $360.0K | 145 | 601 |
| XOM | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 09/18/26 | $9.5 | $9.0 | $9.0 | $120.00 | $180.0K | 145 | 200 |
| XOM | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 09/19/25 | $1.19 | $1.17 | $1.18 | $125.00 | $106.0K | 12.2K | 948 |
About Exxon Mobil
ExxonMobil is an integrated oil and gas company that explores for, produces, and refines oil worldwide. In 2023, it produced 2.4 million barrels of liquids and 7.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. At the end of 2023, reserves were 16.9 billion barrels of oil equivalent, 66% of which were liquids. The company is one of the world's largest refiners, with a total global refining capacity of 4.5 million barrels of oil per day, and is one of the world's largest manufacturers of commodity and specialty chemicals.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Exxon Mobil, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
Exxon Mobil's Current Market Status
- With a volume of 4,289,978, the price of XOM is up 0.44% at $115.44.
- RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings are expected to be released in 21 days.
Expert Opinions on Exxon Mobil
In the last month, 4 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $129.25.
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.
* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Overweight rating for Exxon Mobil, targeting a price of $127.
* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Piper Sandler continues to hold a Overweight rating for Exxon Mobil, targeting a price of $134.
* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Piper Sandler keeps a Overweight rating on Exxon Mobil with a target price of $131.
* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Scotiabank keeps a Sector Outperform rating on Exxon Mobil with a target price of $125.
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 Exxon Mobil with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.
