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

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 IBM ( IBM ), 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 28 uncommon options trades for IBM ( IBM ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 32% bullish and 57%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 8 are puts, for a total amount of $2,066,019, and 20 are calls, for a total amount of $2,117,905.

Predicted Price Range

Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $145.0 to $280.0 for IBM ( IBM ) over the recent three months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

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 IBM's ( IBM ) 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 IBM's ( IBM ) whale trades within a strike price range from $145.0 to $280.0 in the last 30 days.

IBM Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About IBM

IBM ( IBM ) looks to be a part of every aspect of an enterprise's IT needs. The company primarily sells software, IT services, consulting, and hardware. IBM ( IBM ) operates in 175 countries and employs approximately 350,000 people. The company has a robust roster of 80,000 business partners to service 5,200 clients, which includes 95% of all Fortune 500. While IBM ( IBM ) is a B2B company, IBM's ( IBM ) outward impact is substantial. For example, IBM ( IBM ) manages 90% of all credit card transactions globally and is responsible for 50% of all wireless connections in the world.

Present Market Standing of IBM

With a volume of 1,638,527, the price of IBM ( IBM ) is down -0.71% at $219.5.

RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.

Next earnings are expected to be released in 22 days.

What Analysts Are Saying About IBM

3 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $211.66666666666666.

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.

* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Evercore ISI Group continues to hold a Outperform rating for IBM ( IBM ), targeting a price of $240.

* An analyst from UBS has decided to maintain their Sell rating on IBM ( IBM ), which currently sits at a price target of $145.

* An analyst from Goldman Sachs persists with their Buy rating on IBM ( IBM ), maintaining a target price of $250.

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. Keep up with the latest options trades for IBM ( IBM ) with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts.