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

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 LRCX, 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 18 uncommon options trades for Lam Research ( LRCX ).

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 38% bullish and 61%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 10 are puts, for a total amount of $1,018,961, and 8 are calls, for a total amount of $737,848.

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 $58.0 to $105.0 for Lam Research ( LRCX ) during the past quarter.

Analyzing Volume & Open Interest

Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Lam Research's ( LRCX ) options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Lam Research's ( LRCX ) substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $58.0 to $105.0 over the preceding 30 days.

Lam Research 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot

Significant Options Trades Detected:

About Lam Research

Lam Research ( LRCX ) is one of the largest semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment manufacturers in the world. It specializes in deposition and etch, which entail the buildup of layers on a semiconductor and the subsequent selective removal of patterns from each layer. Lam holds the top market share in etch and holds the clear second share in deposition. It is more exposed to memory chipmakers for DRAM and NAND chips. It counts as top customers the largest chipmakers in the world, including TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and Micron.

Current Position of Lam Research

With a volume of 5,040,148, the price of LRCX is up 4.81% at $76.89.

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

Next earnings are expected to be released in 42 days.

What Analysts Are Saying About Lam Research

A total of 4 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $106.25.

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 Cantor Fitzgerald persists with their Overweight rating on Lam Research ( LRCX ), maintaining a target price of $100.

* An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its action to Overweight with a price target of $100.

* An analyst from Susquehanna has elevated its stance to Positive, setting a new price target at $125.

* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Mizuho keeps a Outperform rating on Lam Research ( LRCX ) with a target price of $100.

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 Lam Research ( LRCX ) options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.