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

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 BLK, 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 11 uncommon options trades for BlackRock ( BLK ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 45% bullish and 27%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 2 are puts, for a total amount of $104,520, and 9 are calls, for a total amount of $462,760.

Predicted Price Range

Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $790.0 to $1160.0 for BlackRock ( BLK ) during the past quarter.

Analyzing Volume & Open Interest

Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for BlackRock's ( BLK ) options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of BlackRock's ( BLK ) whale trades within a strike price range from $790.0 to $1160.0 in the last 30 days.

BlackRock Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Largest Options Trades Observed:

About BlackRock

BlackRock ( BLK ) is the largest asset manager in the world, with $11.475 trillion in assets under management at the end of September 2024. Its product mix is fairly diverse, with 55% of managed assets in equity strategies, 26% in fixed income, 9% in multi-asset classes, 7% in money market funds, and 3% in alternatives. Passive strategies account for around two thirds of long-term AUM, with the company's ETF platform maintaining a leading market share domestically and on a global basis. Product distribution is weighted more toward institutional clients, which by our calculations account for around 80% of AUM. BlackRock ( BLK ) is geographically diverse, with clients in more than 100 countries and more than one third of managed assets coming from investors domiciled outside the US and Canada.

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

Present Market Standing of BlackRock

Currently trading with a volume of 520,680, the BLK's price is down by 0.0%, now at $1051.2.

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

Anticipated earnings release is in 72 days.

What The Experts Say On BlackRock

A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $1144.6.

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.

* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Wells Fargo keeps a Overweight rating on BlackRock ( BLK ) with a target price of $1155.

* An analyst from JP Morgan has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on BlackRock ( BLK ), which currently sits at a price target of $1053.

* An analyst from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods persists with their Outperform rating on BlackRock ( BLK ), maintaining a target price of $1180.

* An analyst from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on BlackRock ( BLK ), which currently sits at a price target of $1160.

* An analyst from Wells Fargo has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on BlackRock ( BLK ), which currently sits at a price target of $1175.

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 BlackRock ( BLK ) options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.