Intel Options Trader Bets Big With $1.18M Call Targeting $170 by June 2027

By TrendSpider Editor

A single unusual options contract on Intel Corporation caught attention today, with a trader placing a $1,177,500 premium on a call option targeting a $170 strike price by June 2027, representing a significant bullish bet on a stock currently trading at $97.44. The position is deeply out of the mone

Intel Options Trader Bets Big With $1.18M Call Targeting $170 by June 2027

A single unusual options contract on Intel Corporation caught attention today, with a trader placing a $1,177,500 premium on a call option targeting a $170 strike price by June 2027, representing a significant bullish bet on a stock currently trading at $97.44. The position is deeply out of the money, requiring Intel shares to surge roughly 74% from today's price to reach the strike before expiration. For context, INTC has traded between $18.965 and $142.34 over the past 52 weeks, meaning the $170 target would represent new all-time highs well above the current 52-week peak.

Key Drivers of the INTC Stock Move

• Main Catalyst: A single call option at the $170 strike expiring June 17, 2027 printed with a size of 750 contracts and $1,177,500 in total premium, with open interest utilization at 65%. INTC shares are up 2.53% today to $97.44, suggesting broader bullish momentum may be aligning with this options activity.
• Bull Case: The $1,177,500 premium commitment represents a high-conviction, long-dated wager that Intel can extend well beyond its current 52-week high of $142.34 within the next 11 months. The June 2027 expiry gives the trade ample time for a fundamental turnaround or re-rating to materialize, and the 65% open interest reading suggests this is a meaningful position relative to existing market activity at that strike.
• Bear Case: The $170 strike sits approximately 74% above the current price of $97.44 and more than 19% above the 52-week high of $142.34, making this a deeply out-of-the-money wager with a low probability of finishing in the money. If Intel fails to reclaim momentum and break to new highs, the entire $1,177,500 premium is at risk of expiring worthless.

Today's unusual call activity arrives as Intel continues navigating a pivotal period in its turnaround story. The stock's 52-week range of $18.965 to $142.34 reflects the extraordinary volatility Intel has experienced, and today's 2.53% gain to $97.44 adds to what has been a substantial recovery from the lows. The long-dated nature of the $170 call through June 2027 suggests the trader behind this position is not looking for a quick pop, but rather positioning for a sustained re-rating potentially tied to progress in Intel's foundry ambitions, product execution, or broader semiconductor cycle tailwinds. With roughly 11 months until expiration, this bet gives Intel time to demonstrate whether its transformation strategy can translate into the kind of earnings power and investor confidence needed to push the stock into fresh all-time high territory.

INTC Unusual Options Activity

One unusual contract was flagged in today's session for Intel Corporation:

• Type: Call | Strike: $170 | Expiry: June 17, 2027 | Volume (Size): 750 contracts | Open Interest Utilization: 65% | Positioning: Out of the money

This was the sole unusual contract identified today, with the full $1,177,500 in total premium concentrated in this single position. The out-of-the-money status and long expiry window signal a speculative but high-premium directional bet rather than a near-term hedge.

INTC Seasonality

July has historically been an active period for semiconductor stocks as the industry moves through earnings season and mid-year demand assessments. A call position initiated in late July with a June 2027 expiry spans the next four earnings cycles, suggesting the trader expects a multi-quarter catalyst arc rather than a single event to drive the move.

INTC Relative Performance

Intel's 2.53% gain today to $97.44 reflects solid single-session outperformance within the semiconductor space. The stock's recovery from its 52-week low of $18.965 to its current level represents a dramatic reversal, though it remains well below the 52-week high of $142.34, leaving a meaningful gap for bulls to close before the $170 call strike comes into play.