Tesla Options Traders Bet Big on a Rebound With $1.7M in Bullish Call Activity
By TrendSpider Editor
Tesla, Inc. is drawing notable attention in the options market Thursday, with two unusual call contracts generating a combined $1,733,618.80 in total premium as shares trade at $374.74, down 3.04% on the session. The activity skews decidedly bullish despite the intraday weakness, with traders positi
Tesla Options Traders Bet Big on a Rebound With $1.7M in Bullish Call Activity
Tesla, Inc. is drawing notable attention in the options market Thursday, with two unusual call contracts generating a combined $1,733,618.80 in total premium as shares trade at $374.74, down 3.04% on the session. The activity skews decidedly bullish despite the intraday weakness, with traders positioning for upside at strikes well above the current price. TSLA currently sits in the lower half of its 52-week range of $297.38 to $498.82, giving the bullish contracts a mountain to climb before expiration.
Key Drivers of the TSLA Stock Move
- Main Catalyst: Two unusual call contracts were flagged on TSLA Thursday, with a $450 strike call expiring February 19, 2027 printing 1,174 contracts at a premium of $1,612,136.80, and a $380 strike call expiring October 23, 2026 printing 510 contracts at a premium of $121,482. Both contracts are currently out of the money.
- Bull Case: The dominant trade, the $450 call, carries a premium of over $1.6 million and open interest representation of 18%, signaling a meaningful and deliberate bet on a significant rally from current levels before February 2027. The $450 strike represents approximately 20% upside from today's price of $374.74, and the longer-dated expiry gives the trade room to develop.
- Bear Case: TSLA is down 3.04% today and the $380 call expiring tomorrow, October 23, is already out of the money with the stock at $374.74, making that near-term contract a highly speculative play with little time for the stock to recover. The $450 strike is also roughly $75 above the current price, and the stock remains well off its 52-week high of $498.82, suggesting significant overhead resistance.
The options flow suggests at least one institutional or well-capitalized participant is using today's weakness as a potential entry point for a longer-dated bullish position, while a shorter-term trader is making a concentrated bet on an overnight recovery. The two-contract picture is notable for its size asymmetry: the February 2027 trade dwarfs the near-term position and points to a strategic rather than purely speculative posture. Broader context around Tesla's fundamentals and near-term catalysts, including any product announcements, delivery data, or macroeconomic developments, will likely determine whether the February call has room to move into the money over the coming months.
TSLA Unusual Options Activity
- Contract 1: Call | Strike: $450 | Expiry: February 19, 2027 | Volume: 1,174 | Open Interest: 18% | Status: OTM | Premium: $1,612,136.80
- Contract 2: Call | Strike: $380 | Expiry: October 23, 2026 | Volume: 510 | Open Interest: 5% | Status: OTM | Premium: $121,482
Both flagged contracts are calls, with zero puts among the unusual activity. Total unusual premium across both contracts stands at $1,733,618.80, with the February 2027 contract accounting for more than 93% of that total. The absence of any put activity in the unusual flow reinforces a net bullish posture from options traders despite the stock's negative session.
TSLA Seasonality
Late October has historically been an active period for Tesla, as the company typically reports third-quarter earnings around this time of year, often generating elevated volatility and options interest. A February expiry for the larger call contract would carry the position through the winter earnings cycle and into early 2027, a window that has historically offered multiple potential catalysts for movement in TSLA shares.
TSLA Relative Performance
Tesla shares are underperforming on Thursday, sliding 3.04% to $374.74 while broader markets and many large-cap technology peers are navigating their own crosscurrents. With TSLA trading closer to its 52-week low of $297.38 than its 52-week high of $498.82, the stock has significant ground to recover. The gap between the current price and the high of $498.82 represents roughly 33% of potential upside, a range the February $450 call would need only partially filled to move into profitable territory.
More on TSLA
- Tesla Options Traders Bet Big on a Rebound With $1.6M Call Sweep as Stock Slides 3%
- Tesla Options Traders Bet on a Comeback as TSLA Drops 3% and Bulls Eye $450
- Tesla Beats Q3 2026 EPS by 20% But Earnings Decline Year-Over-Year as Stock Climbs
- Tesla Surges 5.29% to $372.83, Breaking Out of Recent Consolidation Range
- Tesla Options Traders Place $1.1 Million Bet on a Near-Term Breakout Above $370
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