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By Ainvest in options-flow —

META Unusual Options: $20M Tech Whale (Aug 18)

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🚨 META Institutional Whale Alert: $20M+ Hedges Hit the Tape with 9.0 Unusual Score!

📅 August 18, 2025 | 🔥 Extreme Unusual Activity Detected

🎯 The Quick Take

Holy moly! META just saw over $20 MILLION in institutional hedging activity - someone's betting BIG on volatility ahead! With a 9.0 unusual score (that's UNPRECEDENTED territory!), these aren't your typical trades. Smart money is positioning for either massive protection or a calculated volatility play as META sits near $765 after a stellar +28% YTD run.

💎 Key Financial Highlights

  • Q2 2025 Revenue: $47.52B (22% YoY growth)
  • Operating Margin: 43% (massive expansion!)
  • Quarterly Profit: $18.34B (cash machine!)
  • Q3 Guidance: $47.5-50.5B (beating estimates)
  • 2025 Capex: $66-72B planned

📈 YTD Performance Check

META YTD Chart

META has been on an absolute tear in 2025: - Current Price: $768.95 - YTD Performance: +28.32% - YTD High: ~$800 (early August) - Support Level: $700 (held strong in late July) - Resistance: $800 (psychological barrier)

The stock has shown remarkable resilience, bouncing back from the April-May correction and establishing a strong uptrend through summer. Currently consolidating just below all-time highs - prime territory for institutional positioning!

💰 The Option Flow Breakdown

📊 Today's Institutional Tape (10:19 AM)

Time Symbol Side Buy/Sell Type Expiration Premium Strike Volume OI Size Spot Option Price
10:19:05 META MID SELL CALL 2025-08-22 $20M $700 3.1K 252 3,000 $764.87 $65.56
10:19:05 META ASK BUY PUT 2025-08-22 $78K $700 3.6K 1.7K 3,000 $764.87 $0.26

🤓 What This Actually Means

Real talk: This isn't retail activity! Here's what just went down:

The Big Picture: - 🐋 Whale Alert: Someone just SOLD $20M worth of deep in-the-money calls - 🛡️ Hedge Mode: Paired with protective puts = classic institutional hedging - 📅 Timing: August 22 expiration = positioning for THIS WEEK - 💡 The Strategy: Likely a collar trade or profit-taking on existing long position

Translation for us regular folks: Big money is either: 1. Taking profits after META's monster run (smart!) 2. Hedging massive long exposure ahead of volatility 3. Rolling positions to lock in gains while maintaining upside

The $700 strike is KEY - that's about 9% below current price, suggesting they're protecting serious gains or expecting near-term chop.

🔥 Unusual Score Meter

Unusual Score: 9.0/10
[🟩🟩🟩🟨🟨🟨🔴🔴🔴🔴]

🚨 EXTREME TERRITORY! - This is 4,292x larger than average META option flow - We literally NEVER see trades this size - Only 3 similar trades in the last 30 days - Days between similar sized trades: 10

Plain English: This is like seeing a blue whale in your local swimming pool - it just doesn't happen! 🐋

🎪 Upcoming Catalysts

Near-Term Events

Market Context

🎲 Price Targets & Probabilities

🚀 Bull Case ($820+ by month-end) - 25% chance

  • Break above $800 resistance with volume
  • AI monetization surprise announcement
  • Strong ad revenue guidance

😐 Base Case ($750-780 range) - 55% chance

  • Consolidation continues near current levels
  • Normal profit-taking after strong YTD run
  • Sideways action until next catalyst

😰 Bear Case (Below $700) - 20% chance

  • Tech sector rotation accelerates
  • Regulatory concerns resurface
  • Broader market correction hits mega-caps

💡 Trading Ideas

🛡️ Conservative: "The Income Collector"

Sell Cash-Secured Puts - Strike: $740 (August 30) - Premium: ~$8.50 - Breakeven: $731.50 - Why it works: Collect premium while potentially buying META at a discount

⚖️ Balanced: "Follow the Whale"

Put Spread for Protection - Buy $750 Put / Sell $720 Put (Sept 6) - Net Cost: ~$10 - Max Profit: $20 if META drops - Why it works: Cheap hedge like the institutions, limited risk

🚀 Aggressive: "YOLO with Training Wheels"

Call Debit Spread - Buy $780 Call / Sell $800 Call (August 30) - Net Cost: ~$8 - Max Profit: $12 (150% return) - Why it works: Bet on breakout with defined risk

⚠️ Risk Factors

Let's keep it real - here's what could go wrong:

🎬 Trader's Corner

"The Institutional Tell"

When you see $20M+ in premium hitting the tape, that's not speculation - that's POSITIONING. Today's action screams one thing: smart money is playing defense after a massive run. They're not bearish (notice the put buying was minimal), but they're definitely taking chips off the table.

The choice of $700 strikes is fascinating - that's exactly where META found support in late July. Coincidence? I think not! These traders are basically saying "we'll protect everything below $700 but still want upside participation."

Your Move: If you're long META, consider taking some profits or adding protection. If you're looking for entry, wait for a pullback toward $740-750. And if you're feeling spicy? Those call spreads could print if we break $800!

🎯 The Bottom Line

Real talk: When institutional money moves THIS big (9.0 unusual score!), you pay attention. They're not panicking, but they're definitely battening down the hatches. META's had an incredible run, and smart money is protecting gains while keeping upside exposure.

📊 Wall Street Consensus

🚀 Key Growth Drivers

Mark your calendar: - ✅ If you own it: Consider collar trades or taking partial profits above $770 - 👀 If you're watching: Set alerts for $750 (support) and $800 (resistance) - 🐻 If you're bearish: Wait for break below $750 with volume

Remember: When whales make waves this big, the ripples last for weeks. Trade accordingly! 💪

⚠️ Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Past unusual activity doesn't predict future price movement. Always do your own research and consider your risk tolerance. This is not financial advice - just one trader sharing what they see in the flow!

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