RTX Stock: Unusual Call Activity Flags Bullish Positioning Near 52-Week Highs
By TrendSpider Editor
RTX Corporation is drawing attention from options traders, with two unusual call contracts totaling $1,686,400 in combined premium flagged on the session. Shares are currently trading at $208.72, off 0.48% on the day, but remain in striking distance of the 52-week high of $214.50. The activity comes
RTX Stock: Unusual Call Activity Flags Bullish Positioning Near 52-Week Highs
RTX Corporation is drawing attention from options traders, with two unusual call contracts totaling $1,686,400 in combined premium flagged on the session. Shares are currently trading at $208.72, off 0.48% on the day, but remain in striking distance of the 52-week high of $214.50. The activity comes with the stock sitting well above the 52-week low of $112.27, reflecting a substantial recovery over the past year.
Key Drivers of the RTX Stock Move
- Main Catalyst: Two unusual call contracts were flagged on RTX, both targeting the $200 strike expiring March 20, 2026. One contract printed with a size of 500 and $566,400 in premium, while a second larger contract came in at size 1,000 with $1,120,000 in premium. Both are in-the-money based on the current price of $208.72.
- Bull Case: The combined $1,686,400 in call premium concentrated at a single in-the-money strike suggests traders are positioning for continued upside with conviction. The $200 strike sits below the current price, meaning both contracts carry intrinsic value, and the March 20 expiration gives buyers roughly 11 days of runway to capitalize on any further move toward the $214.50 high.
- Bear Case: Despite the bullish options flow, RTX shares are down 0.48% today, and the stock is within roughly 3% of its 52-week high, leaving limited room for expansion before running into potential resistance. With expiration approaching on March 20, time decay will accelerate rapidly, and any failure to push through the prior high could leave these contracts diminishing in value quickly.
The forward setup for RTX is shaped by a stock that has more than doubled off its 52-week low of $112.27, putting the defense and aerospace giant in a position where momentum has been the dominant theme. The clustering of in-the-money call activity at the $200 strike, with open interest reads of 8% and 16% respectively for the two contracts, points to positioning that is not just speculative but potentially tied to an expected near-term catalyst or continuation of the broader defense sector bid. With the March 20 expiration just days away, traders appear to be making a short-duration directional bet that RTX holds its ground or pushes higher into mid-month.
RTX Unusual Options Activity
- Contract 1: Call | Strike: $200 | Expiry: March 20, 2026 | Volume: 500 | Open Interest: 8% | In-the-Money | Premium: $566,400
- Contract 2: Call | Strike: $200 | Expiry: March 20, 2026 | Volume: 1,000 | Open Interest: 16% | In-the-Money | Premium: $1,120,000
Both flagged contracts are calls at the same $200 strike expiring March 20, 2026. The second contract is twice the size of the first and represents the larger portion of the $1,686,400 total premium. No put activity was recorded in the unusual flow.
RTX Seasonality
Defense names like RTX have historically seen heightened attention in the first quarter as government budget cycles and geopolitical developments drive institutional interest. Mid-March expiration windows often attract positioning ahead of broader market events, making the current options activity consistent with seasonal patterns in the sector.
RTX Relative Performance
RTX is currently priced at $208.72, representing a significant advance from its 52-week low of $112.27, a gain of roughly 86% from trough to current levels. With the 52-week high standing at $214.50, RTX is trading within approximately 3% of its peak, suggesting it has been a standout performer within the defense and aerospace space over the past year and is maintaining strength even as today's session shows a modest 0.48% pullback.