Option Focus | Qualcomm’s Long-Dated $225 Call Buy Signals High-Conviction Bullish Bet Despite Elevated IV and Today’s Sharp Selloff

Option Witch09-29 07:02

Qualcomm closed at $187.48, down 7.17%.

The sharp selloff did not deter one large options trader from making a high-conviction bullish wager. The standout block was a $339 thousand long call purchase at the $225 strike expiring in October 2026, executed while Qualcomm traded well below that level. The trade’s long-dated, out-of-the-money structure signals an aggressive upside bet despite today’s decline and elevated implied volatility, overshadowing the broader call-heavy volume picture.

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Options Indicators

Qualcomm’s implied volatility is 54.57%, and with an IV percentile of 72.11%, current option volatility sits in an elevated zone, indicating that options are priced expensively relative to the stock’s own recent history. The IV/HV ratio of 1.11 also suggests implied volatility is running modestly above realized volatility, reinforcing the view that the market is building in a premium for near-term uncertainty.

The Call/Put volume ratio is 1.38.

Large Trades

A CALL buy worth $339 thousand was the standout large trade, with 3,000 contracts bought at the 225.0 strike expiring on 2026-10-16. With Qualcomm referenced at $187.48, this call was out of the money at the time of execution, making it a higher-conviction bullish upside wager rather than an intrinsic-value trade. The structure suggests the buyer was positioning for a meaningful rally above the strike over a long-dated horizon, using relatively low upfront premium to secure leveraged upside exposure.

Overall, the large-trade flow points clearly bullish for Qualcomm. The only notable block in the data was an outright long call purchase, and its long-dated, out-of-the-money nature indicates willingness to pay premium for upside participation instead of expressing caution or hedging. That profile typically reflects constructive sentiment and an expectation that Qualcomm could appreciate materially over time.

Strategy Reference

For premium sellers looking to fade the elevated IV without chasing the $225 upside, the October 2026 $150 put offers a low assignment probability cushion while still collecting rich long-dated premium.

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

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