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Unusual Activity Report

This daily report focuses on three key components that can lead to market momentum: unusual options activity, insider buying, and institutional sponsorship. By scanning for these signals each day, we uncover potential stock movements driven by notable trades, insider transactions, and institutional investments. Using advanced algorithms and proprietary research methods, we sift through vast amounts of data to identify unique opportunities, offering timely insights highlighting emerging market momentum.

Disclaimer: All data and information presented in this report are sourced from publicly available materials intended for informational purposes only. The content is not a recommendation to buy or sell securities and should not be relied upon as financial advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before making any investment decisions.

Standout Options Trades

This section highlights notable options trades reflecting significant sentiment—bullish, bearish, or mixed—characterized by high-dollar-value transactions or large trade sizes exceeding prior open interest. When open interest rises from the previous day, it often indicates the creation of new positions rather than the closing of existing ones, suggesting a fresh outlook on the underlying stock or ETF.

For instance, call buying generally signals an expectation of upward movement, while selling calls suggest the trader anticipates the price will stay below a certain level. Put selling reflects confidence that the price will hold above the strike, implying stability. In contrast, put buying may reveal a bearish outlook or serve as a hedge against a larger bullish position elsewhere.

Note: This report highlights large, unusual options trades identified for their size and potential impact, representing individual sentiment rather than broad market consensus. These trades are informational and are not intended as buy or sell signals. They reflect noteworthy activity observed during the trading day and should be viewed as one part of a broader analysis.

Options Flow Analysis: Trading Day 2024-12-18

The following analysis focuses on the Stock Options Flow Leaderboard for the trading day 2024-12-18. Each section highlights significant institutional activity, providing sentiment, key observations, and market expectations based on the data. All numbers represent large block trades likely executed by institutional players, not total-market figures.

MicroStrategy Incorporated (MSTR)
Sentiment: Bullish
Options Activity: Significant call premium purchased totaling $87,184,003, overshadowing call premium sold at $23,632,481. Put activity was minimal, with $1,499,295 in put premiums purchased and $14,636,251 in put premiums sold.
Total Values: Net premium: $76,688,478
Strike Price: Not specified but indicates a focus on upward momentum.
Expectations: Spot price analysis suggests strong bullish sentiment with calls outweighing puts by a large margin, signaling confidence in upward price movement.

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA)
Sentiment: Bullish
Options Activity: Calls purchased with a premium of $112,180,644 against $78,078,338 in calls sold. Put premiums purchased and sold were $21,308,803 and $28,831,092, respectively, reflecting a cautious but bullish stance.
Total Values: Net premium: $41,624,595
Strike Price: Likely targeting higher ranges relative to the current spot price.
Expectations: Institutional activity heavily favors calls, pointing to a positive outlook despite some hedging via put sales.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)
Sentiment: Bullish
Options Activity: Call premiums bought totaled $20,484,116, substantially higher than the $7,221,588 sold. Put activity was subdued with $4,397,071 in purchased premiums against $7,488,225 sold.
Total Values: Net premium: $16,353,682
Strike Price: Focused on an upward trajectory.
Expectations: Calls dominate with significant premiums, reflecting confidence in potential price appreciation.

Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)
Sentiment: Mixed
Options Activity: Modest call premium purchased at $5,490,186 versus $4,722,053 sold. Put premiums bought and sold totaled $1,351,452 and $12,661,411, respectively.
Total Values: Net premium: $12,078,092
Strike Price: Put-selling activity suggests a belief in stability or mild upward movement.
Expectations: The market shows cautious optimism, with put selling suggesting downside protection is less of a concern.

Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER)
Sentiment: Bullish
Options Activity: $6,038,990 in call premiums purchased, slightly outpacing $5,535,193 sold. Minimal put activity supports a bullish lean, with $481,552 in purchased premiums and $6,566,993 sold.
Total Values: Net premium: $6,589,238
Strike Price: Anticipating moderate upside.
Expectations: Institutional flows favor upward movement with strong put-selling activity reinforcing stability.

Moderna, Inc. (MRNA)
Sentiment: Bearish
Options Activity: Minimal call activity with $172,645 in premiums purchased versus $595,143 sold. Puts dominate, with $7,030,243 in premiums bought and $13,502,964 sold.
Total Values: Net premium: $6,050,223
Strike Price: Focused on downside risk.
Expectations: Heavily bearish sentiment with puts dominating activity, reflecting negative outlook or hedging against downside risks.

Zoetis Inc. (ZTS)
Sentiment: Bullish
Options Activity: Call premiums purchased totaled $6,000,800, with no significant put activity recorded.
Total Values: Net premium: $6,000,800
Strike Price: Indicative of expectations for price appreciation.
Expectations: Strong bullish signal driven by concentrated call buying.

Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD)
Sentiment: Bullish
Options Activity: Call premiums purchased reached $10,755,300 against $4,985,412 sold. Put premiums bought and sold were $625,879 and $564,400, respectively.
Total Values: Net premium: $5,708,409
Strike Price: Likely targeting upside movements.
Expectations: Bullish sentiment with calls heavily outweighing puts in premium values.

Concluding Observations:

Institutional activity for 2024-12-18 heavily favored bullish sentiment in high-profile tech stocks such as MSTR, NVDA, and AMD, with significant call purchases dominating the flow. Conversely, Moderna exhibited bearish sentiment driven by large put activity. The leaderboard highlights overall positive sentiment with targeted upward expectations for major players, barring a few outliers.

Insider Transactions

Each day, insider transactions provide insights into the movements of key executives and shareholders within various companies. These transactions can signal confidence in future performance or a need to liquidate holdings. Today’s report identified the most significant insider purchases and sales, highlighting influential figures and companies that made notable moves.  Let’s take a look at some of today’s standout transactions.

US Insider Purchases

Gladstone Alternative Income Fund (GAIAX)
Buyer: Gladstone David (CEO, Large Shareholder)
Shares Purchased: 500,000 (+102.0%)
Price: USD 10.00
Total Value: USD 5,000,000

Gladstone Alternative Income Fund (GAIAX)
Buyer: Gladstone Investment Corporation/DE (Large Shareholder)
Shares Purchased: 250,000 (+100.0%)
Price: USD 10.00
Total Value: USD 2,500,000

Global Partners LP (GLP)
Buyer: Global GP LLC (General Partner)
Shares Purchased: 3,000 (+1.0%)
Price: USD 48.84
Total Value: USD 146,520

Sunrise Realty Trust, Inc. (SUNS)
Buyer: Tannenbaum Leonard M (Executive Chairman, Large Shareholder)
Shares Purchased: 39,000 (+2.9%)
Price: USD 13.42
Total Value: USD 523,380

US Insider Sales

BigBear.ai Holdings Inc (BBAI)
Seller: BBAI Ultimate Holdings, LLC (Non-Executive Director, Large Shareholder)
Shares Sold: 2,860,843 (-3.9%)
Price: USD 3.59
Total Value: USD 10,270,426

Watsco Inc (WSO)
Seller: Logan Barry S (Executive Vice President)
Shares Sold: 10,998 (-100.0%)
Price: USD 508.21
Total Value: USD 5,589,294

Liberty Broadband Corp (LBRDA)
Seller: Maffei Gregory B (CEO, Large Shareholder)
Shares Sold: 118,825 (-7.1%)
Price: USD 80.60
Total Value: USD 9,577,865

DoorDash Inc (DASH)
Seller: Xu Tony (CEO, Large Shareholder)
Shares Sold: 59,508 (-57.9%)
Price: USD 180.28
Total Value: USD 10,727,864

Altice USA Inc (ATUS)
Seller: Next Alt S.a.r.l. (Large Shareholder)
Shares Sold: 268,410 (-2.6%)
Price: USD 25.68
Total Value: USD 6,893,735

CDN Insider Purchases

Linamar Corporation (LNR) – Bold
Buyer: Hasenfratz, Linda (Director and Senior Officer)
Shares Purchased: 50,000 (+32.4%)
Price: CAD 60.01
Total Value: CAD 3,000,500

Logan Energy Corp (LGN)
Buyer: Archibald, Donald (Director)
Shares Purchased: 685,000 (+8.3%)
Price: CAD 0.73
Total Value: CAD 500,050

Logan Energy Corp (LGN)
Buyer: Greenslade, Reginald James (Director)
Shares Purchased: 685,000 (+12.7%)
Price: CAD 0.73
Total Value: CAD 500,050

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc (CRDL)
Buyer: Elsley, David (Director and Senior Officer)
Shares Purchased: 40,000 (+3.3%)
Price: CAD 1.88
Total Value: CAD 75,072

Superior Plus Corp (SPB)
Buyer: Smith, David Paul (Director)
Shares Purchased: 11,500
Price: CAD 6.22
Total Value: CAD 71,530

CDN Insider Sales

Descartes Systems Group Inc (DSG)
Seller: Brett, Allan (Senior Officer)
Shares Sold: 5,260 (-15.4%)
Price: CAD 171.60
Total Value: CAD 902,616

SPARQ Systems Inc. (formerly SPARQ Corp.)
Seller: Baronson Trust (10% Security Holder)
Shares Sold: 1,000,000 (-8.8%)
Price: CAD 0.70
Total Value: CAD 700,000

Docebo Inc (DCBO)
Seller: Warburg Pincus LLC (10% Security Holder)
Shares Sold: 11,500 (-0.4%)
Price: CAD 50.19
Total Value: CAD 577,211

Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)
Seller: Walsh, Julie (Senior Officer)
Shares Sold: 7,836 (-84.6%)
Price: CAD 78.42
Total Value: CAD 614,499

Methanex Corporation (MEOH)
Seller: Fuchslocher, Priscilla (Senior Officer)
Shares Sold: 7,720 (-31.1%)
Price: USD 46.05
Total Value: USD 355,506

Institutional Spotlight: Neuronetics (STIM)

Institutional activity in Neuronetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: STIM) has seen a noteworthy surge, marked by recent filings with the SEC. Madryn Asset Management LP (Avinash Amin) disclosed a 100% new ownership stake in the company, amounting to 24,237,061 shares, representing 43.60% of the shares outstanding as of December 10, 2024. This substantial acquisition highlights the growing interest among institutional investors despite a challenging year for the stock.

Neuronetics has 82 institutional owners holding a combined total of 13,738,588 shares, with major players such as Vanguard Group Inc, Cannell Capital LLC, and Balyasny Asset Management LLC among the top holders. Notably, Kent Lake Capital LLC and Masters Capital Management LLC also feature prominently on the shareholder list, demonstrating confidence in the company’s long-term potential. Filing types such as Schedule 13D suggest active involvement by some investors aiming to influence strategy, while others, filing Schedule 13G, indicate passive but significant stakes exceeding 5%.

The stock price currently stands at $1.39 per share (as of December 18, 2024), a steep decline from its $2.46 per share price on December 19, 2023, reflecting a 43.38% year-over-year drop. Despite this decline, institutional sponsorship, particularly Madryn Asset Management’s recent move, suggests a potential inflection point or strategic shift. Investors and analysts will likely monitor the company closely for signs of operational changes or new initiatives catalyzed by its significant shareholders.

Institutional Momentum Watchlists

Welcome to the Institutional Momentum Watchlist, an exclusive feature for our members. This list highlights stocks that have recently caught the attention of institutional investors, either through new purchases or significant additions. These stocks are selected based on promising technical setups that suggest potential momentum. Our systematic approach filters for opportunities where institutional sponsorship aligns with favorable technical conditions, offering a unique edge in your trading strategy. Keep an eye on this watchlist as we update it each weekend with the latest insights from the market.

Click on the CandleGlance chart to view it in full size. Find a chart that matches your criteria or interests. You can easily save it to your watchlist on StockCharts.com for further analysis and tracking or copy and paste the ticker list into your chart provider.

US Institutional Momentum Watchlist

EXPORT – US – Institutional – 2024-12-13

ONDS, AVGO, BNED, ASPI, SATX, DPRO, CRDO, MRVL, DBI, CLS, ALAB, XPOF, SQFT, AWH, INVZ, BNOX, REE, IKT, CIEN, BKKT, CDTX, KINS, VRNA, ANET, WGS, TNXP, TSM, USD, MU, TSLA, RDW, VSCO, PLTR, PGR, REVG, RAIL, VVOS, ARQT, MIND, RSSS, QFIN, MOD, ALGS, UTZ, AFRM, TARS, BIRK, REPL, ARM, NEXT, DCTH, DKS, COHR, AESI, DCGO, LITE, BEAT, WSM, TPX, MTSI, PYPL, PMTS, FNGS, BOW, FBTC, GLBE, MIR, VITL, BTM, COOP, GDOT, SPR, RTX, DECK, QNST, SRE, TWN, YPF, SPG, FR, FOUR, KTOS, CHWY, MTUM, STK, GLPI, EGP, IRON, SMTC, AZO, EQH, ENFN, USFD, CIM, NCDL, CRWD, SPOT, GEV, AXP, HDB, CAAP, CME, CIO, ECX, PFGC, GPI, PENG, XLK, CMPO, USM, SKX, FWONK, CW, V, EURK, CNP, FFIV, AGR, AAPL, USDU, BKLN, BOXX, APH, XMTR

Canadian Institutional Momentum Watchlist

EXPORT – CDN – Institutional – 2024-12-13

CLS.TO, TH.TO, GLXY.TO, FCU.TO, DRM.TO, MTA.V, VHI.TO, ECN.TO, YGR.TO, CPX.TO, TA.TO, CVE.TO, FC.TO, ARX.TO, PPTA.TO, DCBO.TO, BEPC.TO, ATD.TO, TCW.TO, MFC.TO, TPZ.TO, BDI.TO, BNS.TO, AFN.TO, MDA.TO, OLA.TO, AIM.TO, X.TO, SES.TO, TFII.TO, EMA.TO, CHP/UN.TO, LB.TO, IGM.TO

To conclude our report, we thank you for your engagement and insights. Your feedback is valuable, and we encourage you to share your recommendations. Stay attentive to the Daily Setups, the Workspace, and the Watchlists for emerging opportunities. Additionally, explore the PDFs of the scanner results provided in the Daily Setups report. Until next time, happy trading!