Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Apple ( AAPL ) .

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.

Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with AAPL, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

So how do we know what these investors just did?

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 92 uncommon options trades for Apple ( AAPL ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 58% bullish and 30%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 12 are puts, for a total amount of $1,293,808, and 80 are calls, for a total amount of $17,831,230.

Expected Price Movements

Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $100.0 to $260.0 for Apple ( AAPL ) over the recent three months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Apple ( AAPL ) options trades today is 16005.32 with a total volume of 212,316.00.

In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Apple's ( AAPL ) big money trades within a strike price range of $100.0 to $260.0 over the last 30 days.

Apple 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot

Significant Options Trades Detected:

About Apple

Apple ( AAPL ) is among the largest companies in the world, with a broad portfolio of hardware and software products targeted at consumers and businesses. Apple's ( AAPL ) iPhone makes up a majority of the firm sales, and Apple's ( AAPL ) other products like Mac, iPad, and Watch are designed around the iPhone as the focal point of an expansive software ecosystem. Apple ( AAPL ) has progressively worked to add new applications, like streaming video, subscription bundles, and augmented reality. The firm designs its own software and semiconductors while working with subcontractors like Foxconn and TSMC to build its products and chips. Slightly less than half of Apple's ( AAPL ) sales come directly through its flagship stores, with a majority of sales coming indirectly through partnerships and distribution.

Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Apple ( AAPL ), we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.

Present Market Standing of Apple

Currently trading with a volume of 13,266,647, the AAPL's price is up by 0.92%, now at $233.55.

RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought.

Anticipated earnings release is in 3 days.

Expert Opinions on Apple

In the last month, 5 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $215.984.

Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move

Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access.

* An analyst from Jefferies has revised its rating downward to Hold, adjusting the price target to $212.

* An analyst from Keybanc has revised its rating downward to Underweight, adjusting the price target to $200.

* An analyst from Barclays persists with their Underweight rating on Apple ( AAPL ), maintaining a target price of $186.

* Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Piper Sandler lowers its rating to Neutral with a new price target of $225.

* An analyst from B of A Securities downgraded its action to Buy with a price target of $256.

Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Apple ( AAPL ) options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.