There are typically two ways that investors can express their views on a stock, which is by buying it and making a profit if prices go up (the classic buy-low-sell-high method) or through a more complex process of shorting a stock so that a profit is made if the underlying prices lower from the entry point of the investor. However, when conviction is higher than usual, there is another method that traders tend to implement in order to get the best bang for their buck.
This is through trading stock options, which offer one massive benefit, though at one similarly sized cost. By trading stock options, traders have access to leverage, so their potential gains (if they are right about the direction of the trade) can be amplified significantly. However, this benefit comes at the cost of timing since options have an expiration date, therefore making these views shorter-term in nature.
As recently as late February 2025, up to $7.2 million worth of call options were reported as bought for Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI), where call options make a profit if the underlying stock price increases by or before a specific date which as mentioned makes the view shorter-term in nature. Taking leverage into account, this makes for a massive bet that Super Micro Computer stock might be headed higher in the coming weeks if not months.
Industry Tailwinds Stand Strong for Super Micro Computer
Professional traders, perhaps the same ones that made this $7.2 million bet on Super Micro Computer stock, follow economic data in order to come up with their views and convictions. According to the manufacturing PMI index, the electronics industry has seen three consecutive months of expansion, which is the foundation for this bullish view.
Being a part of the industry, as Super Micro Computer makes some of the world’s leading heat efficiency and supply systems to support the growth of data centers in the technology sector, makes the company a prime target to be exposed in this expansion tailwind, giving confidence for this traders to be in the options position and maybe even add more to it.
As Wall Street likes to say, always add to a winner. Over the past quarter, Super Micro Computer has delivered a net return of up to 30.1%, massively above the broader S&P 500 index, which has declined by nearly 5% as recent volatility spikes cause money to move elsewhere for more safety.
Despite this impressive quarter's performance, Super Micro Computer still trades at only 38% of its 52-week high level, making it a favorable place for buyers today. Considering that the downside is now severely limited due to this low level, any bullish conviction seems worthy of being leveraged, hence the $7.2 million call options bet being made today.
Optimism Remains in Super Micro Computer
From this bullish price action, other market players might have safely assumed that the stock could keep pushing for higher ceilings in the near future, proving these call option traders right while at it. This is why investors can note up to $4.4 billion worth of institutional capital finding its way into Super Micro Computer stock over the past quarter.
[content-module:Forecast|NASDAQ: SMCI]Leading the way in recent buying as of February 2025 were some of the company’s largest holders. Those from Northern Trust decided to build up a stake of as much as $149.3 million, followed by those from UBS Asset Management and their new $85.8 million position in the stock.
There are those who still lean on the bearish case for this company, however, as allegations of wrongful accounting practices and other potential issues were floated to threaten the company’s future reputation and stability. Some of these concerns have been put to rest in recent weeks, though, and markets seem to be reacting well to this.
Investors are still unsure whether the skies are clear for Super Micro Computer to take off; they need to remember that the markets are forward-looking. If they are now pushing the stock higher, it must be because these concerns have been put to the side, giving the stock a clear path higher.
This could be the reason why some analysts are still willing to put their necks and reputations on the line by boosting their outlooks in the stock. As of March 2025, analysts from Rosenblatt Securities decided to initiate coverage of Super Micro Computer stock, placing a Buy rating on it alongside a valuation target of $60 per share.
That view would imply that the company has up to 42.5% upside potential from where it trades today. The setup itself looks bullish, but it means a lot more for investors when they consider that analysts aren’t always willing to boost a stock that’s been as beaten down as Super Micro Computer has, amplifying its positive effect.
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