WMT Unusual Option Trades 2025-08-12: $79M Walmart Flow - Biggest Institutional Move!
Institutional options flow analysis for Walmart (WMT) from August 12, 2025. Premium analysis of unusual activity, smart money positioning, and trading opportunities across multiple risk levels.
π Walmart Options Alert: Massive Call Selling Spree - $79M Premium Collected!
π August 12, 2025 | π₯ Unusual Activity Detected | π― Strategy: Heavy Call Selling Program
π― The Quick Take
Holy moly! Smart money just unleashed a massive call selling program on Walmart, collecting $79M+ in premium across multiple strikes and expirations! They're selling calls at $80 and $83 strikes with the stock at $103.67 - that's deep ITM call selling! This looks like covered call writing or institutional hedging on a massive scale! π¨
Translation for us regular folks: Big institutions are either writing covered calls against massive stock positions or expecting WMT to consolidate. With $79M in premium collected, this is systematic options income generation! π
π Options Tape Breakdown
π WHALE ALERT: Massive Call Selling Program Detected!
π Trade Metrics Dashboard
| Metric | Value | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Total Volume | 86,100+ contracts | Institutional size call selling! |
| Total Premium | $79M+ | Smart money income generation |
| Spot Price | $103.67 | Current stock price |
| Primary Strikes | $80 & $83 | Deep ITM call selling |
| Primary Expirations | 2025-09-19 & 2026-01-16 | Multi-term strategy |
| Volume/OI Ratio | Variable | Mix of fresh and existing positions |
π¬ The Actual Trade Tape
π Time: 10:20:28 AM
π Order Type: SYSTEMATIC SELLING
π― Execution: BID/MID execution across strikes
| Time | Side | Type | Strike | Expiry | Volume | Open Interest | Premium | Spot Price | Option Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $83 | 2026-01-16 | 17K | 4.7K | $29M | $103.67 | $22.4 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $80 | 2025-09-19 | 17K | 18K | $15M | $103.67 | $23.97 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $80 | 2025-09-19 | 11K | 18K | $15M | $103.67 | $23.97 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $80 | 2025-09-19 | 1.9K | 18K | $4.6M | $103.67 | $23.97 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $80 | 2025-09-19 | 3.9K | 18K | $4.6M | $103.67 | $23.97 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $83 | 2026-01-16 | 1.9K | 4.7K | $4.3M | $103.67 | $22.4 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $83 | 2026-01-16 | 3.9K | 4.7K | $4.3M | $103.67 | $22.4 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $80 | 2025-09-19 | 4.7K | 18K | $2.1M | $103.67 | $23.97 |
| 10:20:28 | π΄ SELL | π CALL | $83 | 2026-01-16 | 4.7K | 4.7K | $1.8M | $103.67 | $22.4 |
β‘ Strategy Detection: DEEP ITM CALL SELLING PROGRAM
What This Means in Plain English: - π― DEEP ITM CALLS: Selling $80 & $83 strikes with stock at $103.67 = $20-23 ITM! - π° PREMIUM COLLECTION: $79M+ total premium collected from systematic selling - π COVERED CALL WRITING: Likely selling calls against massive stock positions - β° MULTI-TERM STRATEGY: 2025-09-19 & 2026-01-16 expirations = staggered income
Translation: This is institutional covered call writing on steroids! They're collecting massive premiums by selling deep ITM calls against huge stock holdings! π°
π― What The Smart Money Knows
The Setup They're Playing:
Current Stock Price: $103.67
Call Strikes Being Sold: $80 & $83 (Deep ITM)
Intrinsic Value at Sale: $23.67 ($80 strike) & $20.67 ($83 strike)
Premium Collected: $22.4 - $23.97 per contract
Assignment Risk: Immediate (calls are deep ITM)
Income Strategy: Collecting time premium on deep ITM calls
Why NOW? Potential Catalysts:
- π Q3 Earnings Coming Up
- Walmart typically reports quarterly earnings in November
-
Strong Q2 performance with continued momentum expected
-
π° Peak Holiday Season Positioning
- Stock at $103.67 near all-time highs
-
Institutions securing income before volatile holiday season
-
π― Covered Call Income Strategy
- WMT yields only 2.3% dividend yield
-
Deep ITM call selling generates additional income on stock holdings
-
π Stock Price Momentum
- Trading at $103.67 with strong uptrend
- Market cap over $850B makes it institutional favorite
π‘ How Different Traders Should Play This
π° YOLO Traders
"I want to fade the smart money!" - Play: Buy $110 calls for December - Cost: ~$3.50 per contract - Risk: -100% if below $110 - Reward: Unlimited upside beyond $113.50 - Position Size: 1% of account MAX
π Swing Traders
"I'll copy their covered call strategy" - Play: Buy 100 shares + sell $105 calls - Cost: $103.67 per share minus call premium - Why Better: Income generation on stock holdings - Position Size: 5-10% of account in shares
π Premium Collectors
"I'll sell puts below current price" - Play: Sell $100 puts for September - Collect: ~$2.50 premium - Risk: Own WMT at $97.50 - Win If: Stock stays above $100
πΆ Entry Level Investors
"I'm learning, keep it simple" - Play: Buy shares on any dip - Entry: $103.67 current or lower - Stop Loss: $100 (-3.5%) - Target: $110 (+6.1%)
β οΈ The Risks (Let's Keep It Real)
What Could Go Wrong: - π Market Crash: If WMT drops below $80-83, call sellers face massive losses - π¨ Early Assignment: Deep ITM calls likely to be exercised early - π Missing the Rally: If WMT rips to $120, they cap their gains - β° Opportunity Cost: Holding stock vs selling for better opportunities - πΈ Margin Requirements: Deep ITM call selling requires significant margin
π― The Bottom Line
Real talk: This $79M+ call selling program is: 1. Institutional covered call writing against massive stock positions 2. Income generation strategy using deep ITM calls for max premium 3. Systematic approach to enhance returns beyond WMT's 2.3% dividend yield
The systematic selling across multiple strikes and expirations shows this is institutional money management!
π Your Action Checklist
β
If Following: Consider covered calls on any WMT holdings
β
If Bullish: Look for call spreads above $105
β
If Income Focused: Copy their strategy with smaller size
β
Mark Calendar: 2025-09-19 & 2026-01-16 expirations
β
Set Alerts: $80 & $83 (their call strikes), $103.67 (current price)
π Quick Reference Card
| Metric | Value | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Ticker | WMT | Walmart Inc. |
| Strategy | Deep ITM Call Selling | Income generation |
| Premium | $79M+ | Institutional size |
| Contracts | 86,100+ | Massive systematic selling |
| Primary Strikes | $80 & $83 | Deep ITM calls |
| Spot Price | $103.67 | Current stock price |
| Option Prices | $22.4 - $23.97 | Per contract |
| Expirations | 2025-09-19 & 2026-01-16 | Multi-term strategy |
| Intrinsic Value | $20.67 - $23.67 | Deep ITM |
| Time Premium | Minimal | Income from time decay |
| Assignment Risk | High | Deep ITM calls |
| Strategy Type | Covered Call | Income enhancement |
| Risk Level | π₯π₯ (2/5) | Lower risk income play |
π·οΈ Tags for This Trade
Time Horizon: #Monthly #LongTerm (2025-09-19 & 2026-01-16)
Strategy Type: #CoveredCall #IncomeGeneration
Risk Level: #LowRisk
Trader Types: #IncomeInvestor #InstitutionalStrategy
β οΈ Disclaimer: Deep ITM call selling requires significant capital and margin requirements. This $79M+ position represents institutional money with massive stock holdings. Early assignment risk is high with deep ITM calls. Size your trades appropriately based on your risk tolerance. This is education, not financial advice! π²