Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Microsoft ( MSFT ) .

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 MSFT, 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 118 uncommon options trades for Microsoft ( MSFT ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 36% bullish and 45%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 41 are puts, for a total amount of $2,862,668, and 77 are calls, for a total amount of $4,511,578.

Projected Price Targets

After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $200.0 and $520.0 for Microsoft ( MSFT ), spanning the last three months.

Volume & Open Interest Trends

In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Microsoft ( MSFT ) stands at 1934.17, with a total volume reaching 26,325.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Microsoft ( MSFT ), situated within the strike price corridor from $200.0 to $520.0, throughout the last 30 days.

Microsoft Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About Microsoft

Microsoft ( MSFT ) develops and licenses consumer and enterprise software. It is known for its Windows operating systems and Office productivity suite. The company is organized into three equally sized broad segments: productivity and business processes (legacy Microsoft Office ( MSFT ), cloud-based Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Skype, LinkedIn, Dynamics), intelligence cloud (infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service offerings Azure, Windows Server OS, SQL Server), and more personal computing (Windows Client, Xbox, Bing search, display advertising, and Surface laptops, tablets, and desktops).

Microsoft's Current Market Status

Currently trading with a volume of 8,398,244, the MSFT's price is down by -0.9%, now at $415.17.

RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be oversold.

Anticipated earnings release is in 16 days.

What The Experts Say On Microsoft

A total of 4 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $527.5.

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 Loop Capital has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Microsoft ( MSFT ), which currently sits at a price target of $550.

* An analyst from Stifel has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Microsoft ( MSFT ), which currently sits at a price target of $515.

* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from UBS continues to hold a Buy rating for Microsoft ( MSFT ), targeting a price of $525.

* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Piper Sandler keeps a Overweight rating on Microsoft ( MSFT ) with a target price of $520.

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 Microsoft ( MSFT ) options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.