Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Cisco Systems ( CSCO ) .

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 CSCO, 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 10 uncommon options trades for Cisco Systems ( CSCO ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 30% bullish and 50%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $315,478, and 5 are calls, for a total amount of $400,773.

What's The Price Target?

Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $67.5 to $100.0 for Cisco Systems ( CSCO ) over the last 3 months.

Volume & Open Interest Trends

Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Cisco Systems's ( CSCO ) options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Cisco Systems's ( CSCO ) substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $67.5 to $100.0 over the preceding 30 days.

Cisco Systems Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems ( CSCO ) is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco ( CSCO ) employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.

After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Cisco Systems ( CSCO ), we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.

Current Position of Cisco Systems

Trading volume stands at 5,479,748, with CSCO's price up by 0.37%, positioned at $78.39.

RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.

Earnings announcement expected in 75 days.

Professional Analyst Ratings for Cisco Systems

2 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $97.5.

Maintaining their stance, an analyst from UBS continues to hold a Buy rating for Cisco Systems ( CSCO ), targeting a price of $95.

An analyst from Rosenblatt has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Cisco Systems ( CSCO ), which currently sits at a price target of $100.

Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics.