RTX Options Traders Pile Into $6.7M ITM Put Sweep as Stock Hovers Near Midrange
By TrendSpider Editor
A massive in-the-money put contract dominated RTX Corporation's options activity today, with a single $190 strike put expiring June 12, 2026 drawing $6,699,000 in premium and an open interest reading of 10,096%, signaling highly unusual bearish conviction relative to existing positioning. RTX shares
RTX Options Traders Pile Into $6.7M ITM Put Sweep as Stock Hovers Near Midrange
A massive in-the-money put contract dominated RTX Corporation's options activity today, with a single $190 strike put expiring June 12, 2026 drawing $6,699,000 in premium and an open interest reading of 10,096%, signaling highly unusual bearish conviction relative to existing positioning. RTX shares are trading at $178.36, up 0.75% on the session, but that modest gain does little to obscure the weight of the bearish options flow underneath. With the stock sitting well inside its 52-week range of $130.90 to $214.50, the activity raises questions about where traders expect the name to move over the next three weeks.
Key Drivers of the RTX Stock Move
- Main Catalyst: Two unusual options contracts were flagged today totaling $6,743,370 in premium. The dominant trade was a PUT at the $190 strike expiring June 12, 2026, with a size of 5,250 contracts against open interest at a staggering 10,096% of prior OI. That contract is currently in the money, given RTX shares trade below the $190 strike. A smaller CALL at $185 expiring June 5, 2026 also printed with 493 contracts at 220% of open interest, adding a minor bullish counterpoint.
- Bull Case: The $185 call expiring June 5, 2026 at 220% of open interest suggests at least some near-term upside conviction. RTX is up 0.75% on the session, and the stock remains well above its 52-week low of $130.90, meaning the longer-term trend structure is intact.
- Bear Case: The $6,699,000 put premium dwarfs the $44,370 in call premium by a ratio that is difficult to ignore. The $190 put is in the money, meaning the buyer profits if RTX remains below $190 through expiration on June 12, 2026. At $178.36, the stock is already $11.64 below that strike, giving the position immediate intrinsic value and suggesting the trader may be hedging a large long position or making a directional bearish bet ahead of a near-term catalyst.
The forward setup for RTX is worth watching closely into mid-June 2026. The options flow is heavily skewed toward the put side in both premium and relative open interest, and the June 12 expiration window could capture any macro or defense-sector news that moves the stock. RTX operates in the aerospace and defense industry, a space that has seen heightened geopolitical attention and shifting government procurement conversations in recent months. The $185 call expiring one week earlier on June 5, 2026 adds a modest wrinkle, as it could reflect short-term positioning into an event before the larger put trade plays out. Traders should watch whether RTX can reclaim the $185 level in the days ahead, as that level now represents both a call strike and psychological resistance tied to today's unusual flow.
RTX Unusual Options Activity
- Contract 1: CALL | Strike: $185 | Expiry: June 5, 2026 | Volume: 493 | Open Interest: 220% | Out of the money
- Contract 2: PUT | Strike: $190 | Expiry: June 12, 2026 | Volume: 5,250 | Open Interest: 10,096% | In the money
Total unusual contracts flagged: 2. Total premium across both contracts: $6,743,370. The put side accounts for $6,699,000 of that total, representing more than 99% of the combined premium. The extreme open interest reading of 10,096% on the put contract indicates the new volume is roughly 100 times the existing open interest, a rare and notable signal of fresh, concentrated positioning.
RTX Seasonality
Late May and early June have historically been a transitional period for defense names, with fiscal year budget clarity and government contract announcements often influencing price action heading into the summer. The tight expiration windows on both contracts, June 5 and June 12, suggest traders are positioning for a near-term move rather than a longer-duration thesis.
RTX Relative Performance
RTX is trading at $178.36, up 0.75% on the session, which reflects modest outperformance on a quiet Tuesday. The stock sits roughly in the middle of its 52-week range of $130.90 to $214.50, indicating it has recovered substantially from its lows but has not yet challenged the upper end of its annual range. Until the stock can push meaningfully above the $185 to $190 zone where today's options activity is concentrated, the technical and options-based picture will remain cautious.