Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Taiwan Semiconductor .

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 TSM, 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 65 uncommon options trades for Taiwan Semiconductor.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 40% bullish and 43%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 23 are puts, for a total amount of $3,064,154, and 42 are calls, for a total amount of $4,017,312.

Expected Price Movements

Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $135.0 to $320.0 for Taiwan Semiconductor over the last 3 months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Taiwan Semiconductor's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Taiwan Semiconductor's significant trades, within a strike price range of $135.0 to $320.0, over the past month.

Taiwan Semiconductor Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days

Largest Options Trades Observed:

About Taiwan Semiconductor

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. ( TSM ) is the world's largest dedicated chip foundry, with mid-60s market share in 2024. TSMC was founded in 1987 as a joint venture of Philips, the government of Taiwan, and private investors. It went public in Taiwan in 1994 and as an ADR in the US in 1997. TSMC's scale and high-quality technology allow the firm to generate solid operating margins, even in the highly competitive foundry business. Furthermore, the shift to the fabless business model has created tailwinds for TSMC. The foundry leader has an illustrious customer base, including Apple, AMD, and Nvidia, that looks to apply cutting-edge process technologies to its semiconductor designs. TSMC employs more than 83,000 people.

Taiwan Semiconductor's Current Market Status

With a volume of 6,206,092, the price of TSM is up 0.34% at $241.22.

RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.

Next earnings are expected to be released in 87 days.

What The Experts Say On Taiwan Semiconductor

Over the past month, 3 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $268.33.

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 Susquehanna continues to hold a Positive rating for Taiwan Semiconductor, targeting a price of $265.

* Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Needham keeps a Buy rating on Taiwan Semiconductor with a target price of $270.

* Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Needham lowers its rating to Buy with a new price target of $270.

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 Taiwan Semiconductor options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.