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ESG Stocks And ETFs To Watch As SEC Weighs Greenhouse Gas Disclosure Requirement

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Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on Home Depot (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $420.

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Melius Research Initiates Coverage On Home Depot with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $420

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VSee Health shares are trading higher after the company reported a year-over-year increase in Q2 financial results.

Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on Sprouts Farmers Market (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFM#NASDAQ">SFM</a>) with a Hold rating and announces Price Target of $105.

Melius Research Initiates Coverage On Sprouts Farmers Market with Hold Rating, Announces Price Target of $105

Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on Best Buy Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BBY#NYSE">BBY</a>) with a Hold rating and announces Price Target of $100.

Melius Research Initiates Coverage On Best Buy Co with Hold Rating, Announces Price Target of $100

Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on Floor &amp; Decor Hldgs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FND#NYSE">FND</a>) with a Sell rating and announces Price Target of $80.

Melius Research Initiates Coverage On Floor & Decor Hldgs with Sell Rating, Announces Price Target of $80

<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-calls-for-massive-increases-in-psilocybin-ibogaine-and-thc-manufacturing-this-year-to-meet-research-demands/">https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-calls-for-massive-increases-in-psilocybin-ibogaine-and-thc-manufacturing-this-year-to-meet-research-demands/</a>
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is proposing a dramatic increase in its 2023 production quotas for marijuana compounds and psychedelics like psilocybin and ibogaine to "support research and clinical trials" into the substances.
DEA wants to nearly double the amount of psilocybin, psilocyn and delta-9 THC that's manufactured compared to initial levels set for this year, while quintupling how much ibogaine is produced. It also wants 23 times as much of "other tetrahydrocannabinol," raising the quota from 15,000 grams to 350,000 grams for 2023.
The agency had already increased its initial quota for various controlled substances, including cannabis and psychedelics, late last year when it finalized the numbers. But now, in a notice published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, DEA said that more significant changes are warranted.
For psilocybin, the proposed new quota is 15,000 grams, rather than 8,000 grams as previously set for 2023. DEA also wants 24,000 grams of the psychedelic compound psilocyn, double its prior 12,000-gram quota.
The now-increased initial 2023 levels for both of the "magic mushroom" components already represented significant increases from those set for prior years, demonstrating the ongoing heightened level of interest in researching psychedelics over time.
DEA is also proposing to manufacture 150 grams of ibogaine—five times the amount it called for in December 2022.
While the agency didn't change its 6.7 million-gram quota for marijuana for the year, it is now calling for the manufacturing of 628,460 grams of delta-9 THC, rather than 384,460 grams—a 63 percent increase.
For all other tetrahydrocannabinol, DEA wants 350,000 grams, a notable increase from its prior 15,000-gram quota—a massive 2,233 percent increase.
The proposed increases, which are subject to a 30-day public comment period starting on Tuesday, comes in the context of an ongoing administrative review into the scheduling status of cannabis that DEA is actively carrying after receiving a recommendation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/top-federal-health-agency-releases-highly-redacted-marijuana-scheduling-recommendation-letter-to-dea/">move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA)</a>.
It also comes as experts await a <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/after-latest-clinical-trial-mdma-therapy-for-ptsd-is-on-track-for-fda-consideration-next-year/">potential federal approval for certain psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA</a> as therapeutics for the treatment of serious mental health conditions.
The updated quotas reflect "the estimated medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs of the U.S., for lawful export requirements, and for the establishment and maintenance of reserve stocks," DEA <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2023-23931/proposed-adjustments-to-the-aggregate-production-quotas-for-schedule-i-and-ii-controlled-substances">said</a> in its new quota increase notice.
"DEA is proposing increases to the [aggregate production quotas] for the following schedule I substances: all other tetrahydrocannabinol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, ibogaine, psilocybin, and psilocyn," it said. "These proposed increases are to support research and clinical trials by DEA-registered schedule I researchers. These proposed increases demonstrate DEA's support for research with schedule I controlled substances."
 DEA's prior "final" quotas that were published late last year already <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-proposes-dramatic-increases-in-marijuana-and-psychedelics-production-in-2023-for-research/">contained increases compared to its initial proposal</a>, with <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-proposes-even-higher-2023-production-quotas-for-psychedelics-like-mdma-and-psilocyn/">the agency calling for the manufacturing of more psychedelic compounds</a> such as MDMA, psilocyn and 5-MeO-DMT.
This year's 6.7 million-gram quota for marijuana is more than double DEA's final <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-again-boosts-2022-production-goals-for-psychedelics-like-psilocybin-mdma-and-dmt/">cannabis quota for 2022, which was 3.2 million grams.</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-boosts-psilocybin-mdma-and-dmt-production-levels-again-in-final-quotas-for-2021/">It was 2 million grams for 2021</a>.
Growing millions of grams of cannabis may be easier since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-finally-breaks-federal-marijuana-grower-monopoly-with-two-new-companies-harvesting-cannabis-approved-by-agency/">DEA finally authorized additional manufacturers</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of the year. Those approved cultivators are now able to apply for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/top-federal-drug-agency-seeking-marijuana-grower-able-to-cultivate-and-analyze-4-million-grams-of-cannabis/">a contract to be federal marijuana suppliers</a>&nbsp;for study purposes under the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
The agency has touted its Schedule I drug production quotas as evidence that is supports rigorous research into the substances, but it's faced criticism from advocates and scientists over actions that are viewed as antithetical to promoting studies.
Following pushback, DEA recently retreated on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-abandons-proposal-to-ban-two-more-psychedelics-after-being-challenged-by-scientists/">a proposed ban on psychedelic compounds</a>&nbsp;that scientists say have research value.
That marked another win for scientific community, coming just one month after DEA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/dea-cancels-proposed-ban-of-five-psychedelics-giving-scientists-more-time-to-research-therapeutic-benefits/">abandoned separate plans to place five tryptamine psychedelics in Schedule I</a>.
Meanwhile, a federal appeals court recently ruled against DEA in a <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/federal-appeals-court-rules-against-dea-in-psilocybin-rescheduling-lawsuit-brought-by-doctor-who-wants-to-give-psychedelic-to-cancer-patients/">lawsuit over a Washington State doctor's petition to reschedule psilocybin</a>. The court said DEA failed to explain its reasoning when it denied the petition, and it ordered the agency to provide a more complete justification.
With respect to the agency's marijuana scheduling review, a coalition of 31 bipartisan House lawmakers has sent a letter to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, urging her to <a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/31-bipartisan-house-lawmakers-push-dea-to-consider-merits-of-marijuana-legalization-as-it-completes-scheduling-review/">take into account congressional and state marijuana legalization efforts</a> as it completes that assessment. They also criticized the limitations of simple rescheduling as they push for complete a complete removal of marijuana from the CSA.
The letter serves as a counterbalance to other recent messages DEA has received from congressional opponents of reform and former DEA and White House drug czars who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/marijuana-rescheduling-would-supersize-the-industry-former-dea-heads-and-white-house-drug-czars-warn-biden-administration/">argue that even moving marijuana to Schedule III would go too far</a>.
A coalition of 14 Republican congressional lawmakers recently&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/14-gop-congressional-lawmakers-tell-dea-to-keep-marijuana-in-schedule-i-and-reject-top-health-agencys-recommendation/">urged DEA to "reject" the top federal health agency's recommendation to reschedule marijuana</a>&nbsp;and instead keep it in the most restrictive category under the CSA.
Meanwhile, two GOP senators, including the lead Republican sponsor of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/watch-live-a-u-s-senate-committee-is-voting-on-a-marijuana-banking-bill/">a marijuana banking bill that cleared a key committee last month</a>, recently filed new legislation to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marijuanamoment.net/gop-senators-file-bill-to-block-biden-marijuana-rescheduling-effort-without-congressional-approval/">prevent federal agencies from rescheduling cannabis&nbsp;without tacit approval from Congress</a>.

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'DEA Calls For Massive Increases In Psilocybin, Ibogaine And THC Manufacturing This Year To Meet Research Demands'  - Marijuana Moment

Ascendiant Capital analyst Lucas Ward reiterates Heart Test Laboratories (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HSCS#NASDAQ">HSCS</a>) with a Buy and maintains $15 price target.

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HSCS

Ascendiant Capital Reiterates Buy on Heart Test Laboratories, Maintains $15 Price Target

Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/upst#NASDAQ">UPST</a>), the artificial intelligence-driven fintech, has surged by 71.1% in just three months, outpacing both the broader tech sector and the S&amp;P 500. While the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund ETF remained relatively flat, and the S&amp;P 500 posted modest growth of 4.2%, Upstart&#39;s surge has left many wondering: Have they missed the window of opportunity, or is there more room for the stock to climb?
<h3>3-Month Price Return Performance</h3>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/cd/78744.jpg?v=862728547" style="height:305px; width:600px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>Why Upstart Shares Have Outperformed</h2>
The fintech world is buzzing with optimism, and much of Upstart&#39;s recent success is tied to macroeconomic expectations around the U.S. Federal Reserve policy. Upstart&#39;s business model is highly sensitive to interest rates because it primarily deals in personal and auto loans. When rates are high, borrowing becomes expensive, and demand shrinks. But when rates drop, loan affordability rises, and Upstart thrives.
Over the past few years, Upstart&#39;s annual revenue run rate has halved from around $1 billion due to aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. These rate increases were designed to curb inflation, but they also hit Upstart&#39;s loan origination business hard, reducing demand across the board.
However, the tide is turning. The Fed, which had been hiking rates, has been signaling a shift in policy over the past few months. This instilled investors&#39; optimism about the company&#39;s turnaround in the near term. Going with market expectations, the central bank lowered the benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to a 4.75%-5% range last week and indicated a further half-percentage point cut by the end of 2024. For UPST, this policy change is nothing short of a lifeline.
Upstart&#39;s ability to grow its institutional funding base has been crucial in turning the company around. In the second quarter of 2024, Upstart locked in multiple long-term funding partnerships, which reduced the need for the company to fund loans using its balance sheet. During the second-quarter earnings call, CEO Dave Girouard highlighted that this internal progress &mdash; driven by improvements in AI models and operational efficiency &mdash; has set the stage for Upstart&#39;s comeback.
<h2>Interest Rate Cuts: A Catalyst for UPST&#39;s Growth</h2>
The recent 50-basis-point rate cut is a game-changer for Upstart. Its platform, which leverages AI to assess creditworthiness beyond the traditional Fair Issac Corporation (&quot;FICO&quot;) score, stands to gain immensely in an environment where interest rates are falling. Upstart&#39;s model is designed to capture a wider range of borrower profiles by using unconventional data points like education and employment history to predict credit risk.
When rates are high, loan demand shrinks because borrowers either can&#39;t afford or are hesitant to take on more debt. However, in a falling-rate environment, borrowing becomes cheaper and more attractive. This dynamic is critical for Upstart, which has been working to regain its loan origination volume after years of declines due to high interest rates. In the second quarter of 2024, Upstart&#39;s revenues fell to $128 million, down from its previous highs. However, the Fed&#39;s easing policies could help the company reclaim much of its lost business.
If the Fed continues to lower rates as expected, Upstart could experience a surge in loan originations, leading to revenue growth. As the company&#39;s lending platform brings more borrowers into the fold &mdash;especially those previously priced out by high interest rates &mdash; Upstart&#39;s market share is likely to expand further.
<h2>Upstart Stands Out on AI-Powered Innovation</h2>
Upstart&#39;s success doesn&#39;t just hinge on interest rate movements. Its core strength lies in its innovative use of AI to outperform traditional lenders like SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sofi#NASDAQ">SOFI</a>) and LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lc#NYSE">LC</a>). Upstart has enhanced its AI models over the past few years, automating the vast majority of its loan approval process. As of the second quarter of 2024, 91% of Upstart&#39;s loans were fully automated &mdash; no human intervention was required &mdash; a massive efficiency boost compared to its peers.
This level of automation allows Upstart to offer lower annual percentage rates (APRs) to riskier borrowers without compromising on credit performance. By contrast, competitors like SoFi and LendingClub still rely heavily on traditional credit assessment methods, which can be less effective at accurately predicting default risk in non-prime borrowers. While SoFi has diversified into areas like banking and investing to cushion the impact of interest rate fluctuations, it hasn&#39;t made the same strides in loan approval efficiency as Upstart.
Upstart&#39;s AI capabilities enable it to expand its loan portfolio across multiple product lines. Beyond personal loans, the company has also made substantial progress in auto loans, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and small-dollar relief loans. Upstart&#39;s move into these new markets provides revenue streams and solidifies its position as a comprehensive lending platform.
<h2>Upstart&#39;s Attractive Valuation: A Silver Lining</h2>
Despite the recent upswing, Upstart&#39;s current valuation presents a compelling opportunity. The stock&#39;s current forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio indicates that it trades at a hefty discount to the Zacks Computers &ndash; IT Services industry average. Also, at the closing price of $39.74 as of Sept. 20, UPST shares have been trading way below its all-time high of $390, indicating a strong upside potential.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/d0/78745.jpg?v=633566993" style="height:305px; width:600px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Upstart has been projecting strong growth in the top and bottom lines over the coming years, reinforcing the fundamental case for the stock&#39;s continued rise. In the short term, any further interest rate cuts by the Fed are likely to serve as additional catalysts for Upstart&#39;s growth.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/11/78746.jpg?v=2056824731" style="height:305px; width:600px" />
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
<h2>Conclusion: Buy Upstart Stock Now</h2>
Upstart&#39;s 71% rally might make it seem like the stock is already fully valued, but its unique positioning in the fintech space suggests otherwise. The interest rate environment is becoming more favorable, and Upstart&#39;s AI-driven platform gives it a significant competitive edge over traditional lenders. As borrowing costs fall, the company&#39;s loan originations are poised to increase, driving revenue growth and profitability.
For growth-oriented investors, Upstart offers a compelling opportunity. Its focus on innovation, automation and expanding access to credit positions it as a leader in the rapidly evolving fintech sector. With positive macroeconomic tailwinds and the company&#39;s internal improvements, it&#39;s clear that Upstart&#39;s rally isn&#39;t over yet. Now is the time to buy this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock while it&#39;s still riding the wave of momentum and before it potentially reaches new highs.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2339649/upstart-soars-71-in-3-months-is-it-too-late-to-buy-the-stock?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|most_popular_stocks-2339649">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

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Upstart Soars 71% in 3 Months: Is it Too Late to Buy the Stock?

Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on Casey's General Stores (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CASY#NASDAQ">CASY</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $435.

CASY

Melius Research Initiates Coverage On Casey's General Stores with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $435

Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASMB#NASDAQ">ASMB</a>) released interim pharmacokinetic (PK) and safety results from healthy participants in the Phase 1a portion of its ongoing Phase 1a/b study of ABI-5366, an investigational long-acting herpes simplex virus (HSV) helicase-primase inhibitor candidate for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/09/g40978068/assembly-biosciences-reports-positive-interim-phase-1a-results-from-clinical-trial-evaluating-long" rel="noreferrer noopener">recurrent genital herpes</a>.
Due to its extended PK profile, ABI-5366 was well-tolerated and showed a favorable safety profile with exposure of up to 70 days.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/09/40817991/gsk-halts-herpes-simplex-virus-vaccine-development-clears-path-for-other-contenders-like-moderna-" rel="noreferrer noopener">GSK Halts Herpes Simplex Virus Vaccine Development, Clears Path For Other Contenders Like Moderna, BioNTech</a>.
Single doses of ABI-5366 at dose levels reached in Phase 1a surpassed Assembly Bio&#8217;s target plasma concentrations for antiviral efficacy, a target established from PK modeling and projected to reach increased efficacy compared to approved therapies.
ABI-5366&#8217;s half-life across the doses evaluated to date of approximately 20 days when dosed orally supports the company&#8217;s once-weekly oral dosing target and the evaluation of a once-monthly oral dosing profile.
&#8220;With the exceptional oral half-life of ABI-5366, we look forward to exploring its potential for both once-weekly and once-monthly oral dosing. To that end, we initiated screening for the Phase 1b portion of the study in participants with recurrent genital herpes and expect to report interim results in the first half of 2025,&#8221; said Jason Okazaki, CEO of Assembly Bio.
ABI-5366 was well-tolerated, and a favorable safety profile was observed with exposure of up to 70 days.
Treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate in intensity and considered not related to study treatment by the study investigators; there were no serious AEs in any dose arm.
Interim results exceeded Assembly Bio&#8217;s objectives for this Phase 1a study and support ABI-5366&#8217;s progression into Phase 1b.
Assembly Bio has initiated screening for Part B (Phase 1b) in participants seropositive for HSV-2 with recurrent genital herpes, which will evaluate multiple ascending doses of ABI-5366.
Part B of the study will evaluate weekly and monthly oral regimens of ABI-5366 over a 29-day treatment interval in four cohorts.
In addition to assessing safety, tolerability and PK, Part B will also evaluate antiviral activity by assessing changes in viral parameters.
Price Action: ASMB stock is down 9.42% at $17.60 at last check Monday.
Photo via Shutterstock
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/09/40984428/biohaven-stock-spikes-after-drug-candidate-to-treat-rare-neurodegenerative-disease-shows-promise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biohaven Stock Spikes After Drug Candidate To Treat Rare Neurodegenerative Disease Shows Promise</a>.</li>
</ul>

Equities

Health Care

ASMB

Assembly Biosciences' Investigational Herpes Treatment Shows Antiviral Efficacy, Safety In Healthy Participants

Wells Fargo analyst Mohit Bansal reiterates Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/REGN#NASDAQ">REGN</a>) with a Overweight and maintains $1200 price target.

REGN

Wells Fargo Reiterates Overweight on Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Maintains $1200 Price Target

Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on BJ's Wholesale Club (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BJ#NYSE">BJ</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $90.

Melius Research Initiates Coverage On BJ's Wholesale Club with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $90

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CDC Says No Cases Of Clade IA Mpox Have Been Reported Outside Central African Countries Where Clade IA MPVX Is Endemic

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Lexaria Bioscience 13D/Amended Filing Shows Wayne W. Boos Reported A 3.795% Stake In The Co As Of August 31, 2024 Vs 5.79% As Of July 31, 2024

What&rsquo;s the right way to measure Cannabis company leverage?&nbsp;&nbsp;
The standard answer is Debt/EBITDA; however,&nbsp; Viridian believes the single best valuation measure is Total Liabilities / Market Cap, which reflects the market&rsquo;s estimation of the asset value above liabilities. It is immune to accounting manipulations and reacts instantly to news that changes investors&rsquo; views of company value.
<img alt="valley.png" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/2024/September/23/valley.png" style="height:574px; width:624px" />
Some investors, however, are more comfortable with an accounting-based measure, and Viridian also makes use of these ratios in the Viridian Capital Credit Tracker model. We are in the process of incorporating a new measure into the model utilizing several core principles:
Leases make up a large portion of the capital of many cannabis companies and should be treated as debt. Lease liabilities make up 82% of combined debt and leases at Planet 13 (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/plnh#OTC">PLNH</a>), 63% at 4Front (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ffntf#OTC">FFNTF</a>), 47% at Green Thumb (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gtii#OTC">GTII</a>) and Ascend (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aawh#OTC">AAWH</a>), and 46% at Curaleaf (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/curlf#OTC">CURLF</a>). They represent long-term fixed obligations, often on &ldquo;mission critical&rdquo; facilities, and they frequently contain cross-default clauses to other obligations. Defaulting on a lease cannot technically trigger bankruptcy, but there are no bankruptcy protections afforded cannabis companies anyway.
Cannabis companies have recently been failing to pay their taxes and are basically borrowing money from the government, often at rates that are better than they could get in the market. Viridian considers accrued tax liabilities in excess of one-quarter of tax expense as debt, irrespective of whether the company classifies these liabilities as current or long-term.
Viridian calculates adjusted net debt by adding leases and excess taxes to total debt before subtracting cash.
But, since operating lease payments reduce EBITDA, it is not fair to include leases as debt without also adjusting EBITDA. Viridian adds lease expenses to EBITDA to calculate EBITDAR. Since analysts generally do not project forward lease expenses, we annualized the most recent quarterly rent in our estimates.
Shouldn&rsquo;t the standard EV/EBITDA valuation metric be similarly adjusted?
Yes, although Viridian calculates these standard ratios as part of our valuation work, we believe a more sophisticated metric is also warranted. We calculate Enterprise value by adding our adjusted net debt measure to market cap. We then use EBITDA as the denominator in the EV/EBTIDAR ratio.
The graph shows baseline values for the new leverage and valuation metrics. The inclusion of leases and taxes generally produces higher leverage and valuation metrics. This week&rsquo;s tracker will investigate some of the relative impacts on both leverage and valuation of these metrics, which we believe are more representative of financial reality.
The Viridian Capital Chart of the Week highlights key investment, valuation and M&amp;A trends taken from the Viridian Cannabis Deal Tracker.
The <a href="https://viridianca.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=078ead34a8bbcfd77b0486326&amp;id=c89a19f9ee&amp;e=2699f9b787">Viridian Cannabis Deal Tracker</a> provides the market intelligence that cannabis companies, investors, and acquirers utilize to make informed decisions regarding capital allocation and M&amp;A strategy. The Deal Tracker is a proprietary information service that monitors capital raise and M&amp;A activity in the legal cannabis, CBD, and psychedelics industries. Each week the Tracker aggregates and analyzes all closed deals and segments each according to key metrics:
<ul>
<li>
Deals by Industry Sector (To track the flow of capital and M&amp;A Deals by one of 12 Sectors - from Cultivation to Brands to Software)
</li>
<li>
Deal Structure (Equity/Debt for Capital Raises, Cash/Stock/Earnout for M&amp;A) Status of the company announcing the transaction (Public vs. Private)
</li>
<li>
Principals to the Transaction (Issuer/Investor/Lender/Acquirer) Key deal terms (Pricing and Valuation)
</li>
<li>
Key Deal Terms (Deal Size, Valuation, Pricing, Warrants, Cost of Capital)
</li>
<li>
Deals by Location of Issuer/Buyer/Seller (To Track the Flow of Capital and M&amp;A Deals by State and Country)
</li>
<li>
Credit Ratings (Leverage and Liquidity Ratios)
</li>
</ul>
Since its inception in 2015, the Viridian Cannabis Deal Tracker has tracked and analyzed more than 2,500 capital raises and 1,000 M&amp;A transactions totaling over $50 billion in aggregate value.
The preceding article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Cannabis

AAWH

CURALEAF HLDGS INC by Curaleaf Hldgs Inc.

CURLF

FFNTF

GTII

PLNH

Chart Of The Week: Improved Leverage And Valuation Metrics For Cannabis MSOs

Melius Research analyst Karen Short initiates coverage on Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DLTR#NASDAQ">DLTR</a>) with a Hold rating and announces Price Target of $70.

DLTR

Melius Research Initiates Coverage On Dollar Tree with Hold Rating, Announces Price Target of $70

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Health Care sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>PFE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$32.50</td>
<td>$70.5K</td>
<td>38.1K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BMY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/04/24</td>
<td>$51.00</td>
<td>$32.5K</td>
<td>829</td>
<td>797</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BNTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$34.5K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>625</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/27/24</td>
<td>$355.00</td>
<td>$71.7K</td>
<td>16</td>
<td>505</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TGTX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$137.7K</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>383</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JNJ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$45.4K</td>
<td>513</td>
<td>382</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BHVN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$45.00</td>
<td>$48.4K</td>
<td>74</td>
<td>365</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VKTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$189.7K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
<td>172</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GMED</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$70.00</td>
<td>$31.6K</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>122</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MNKD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$3.50</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>121</td>
<td>100</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For PFE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PFE#NYSE">PFE</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1500 contract(s) at a $32.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 47 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $70.5K, with a price of $47.0 per contract. There were 38163 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2583 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BMY (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMY#NYSE">BMY</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 11 day(s) on October 4, 2024. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $51.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 24 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.5K, with a price of $65.0 per contract. There were 829 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 797 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BNTX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BNTX#NASDAQ">BNTX</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 25 day(s) on October 18, 2024. Parties traded 150 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.5K, with a price of $230.0 per contract. There were 1345 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 625 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CI (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CI#NYSE">CI</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on September 27, 2024. Parties traded 239 contract(s) at a $355.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 15 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $71.7K, with a price of $300.0 per contract. There were 16 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 505 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TGTX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TGTX#NASDAQ">TGTX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 82 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 12 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $137.7K, with a price of $1680.0 per contract. There were 2 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 383 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JNJ (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 88 day(s) on December 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 329 contract(s) at a $175.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $45.4K, with a price of $138.0 per contract. There were 513 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 382 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BHVN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BHVN#NYSE">BHVN</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 25 day(s) on October 18, 2024. This event was a transfer of 149 contract(s) at a $45.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $48.4K, with a price of $325.0 per contract. There were 74 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 365 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding VKTX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VKTX#NASDAQ">VKTX</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. Parties traded 150 contract(s) at a $60.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $189.7K, with a price of $1265.0 per contract. There were 4588 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 172 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GMED (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GMED#NYSE">GMED</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 88 day(s) on December 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 102 contract(s) at a $70.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 31 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.6K, with a price of $310.0 per contract. There were 7 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 122 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MNKD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MNKD#NASDAQ">MNKD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $3.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $300.0 per contract. There were 121 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 100 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

BHVN

BNTX

GMED

MNKD

TGTX

VKTX

10 Health Care Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Consumer Discretionary sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$27.4K</td>
<td>7.1K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NWL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$7.00</td>
<td>$116.2K</td>
<td>54</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$232.4K</td>
<td>9.3K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NKE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$26.8K</td>
<td>5.7K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CVNA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/27/24</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$45.0K</td>
<td>302</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$106.3K</td>
<td>42.3K</td>
<td>998</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$32.50</td>
<td>$50.7K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>923</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>F</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$11.00</td>
<td>$34.2K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>778</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBUX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$42.3K</td>
<td>5.4K</td>
<td>487</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LVS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$80.0K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td>445</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 1716 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 46 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.4K, with a price of $16.0 per contract. There were 7102 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3921 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NWL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NWL#NASDAQ">NWL</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 2898 contract(s) at a $7.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 71 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $116.2K, with a price of $40.0 per contract. There were 54 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3020 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $250.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $232.4K, with a price of $2322.0 per contract. There were 9353 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2394 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NKE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 270 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 61 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 23 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.8K, with a price of $440.0 per contract. There were 5778 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1293 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CVNA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVNA#NYSE">CVNA</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 4 day(s) on September 27, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $175.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $45.0K, with a price of $450.0 per contract. There were 302 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1036 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $106.3K, with a price of $1063.0 per contract. There were 42381 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 998 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding FL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FL#NYSE">FL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. Parties traded 922 contract(s) at a $32.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 39 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.7K, with a price of $55.0 per contract. There were 1296 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 923 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For F (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 179 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 311 contract(s) at a $11.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.2K, with a price of $110.0 per contract. There were 1552 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 778 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SBUX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 94 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 15 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $42.3K, with a price of $450.0 per contract. There were 5434 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 487 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LVS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LVS#NYSE">LVS</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 53 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 200 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $80.0K, with a price of $400.0 per contract. There were 1491 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 445 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

BABA

CVNA

SBUX

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/27/24</td>
<td>$117.00</td>
<td>$34.6K</td>
<td>18.6K</td>
<td>67.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/27/24</td>
<td>$465.00</td>
<td>$58.4K</td>
<td>343</td>
<td>4.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$17.50</td>
<td>$28.2K</td>
<td>5.8K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$177.0K</td>
<td>6.0K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/27/24</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SNOW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>200</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$27.6K</td>
<td>10.1K</td>
<td>853</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DOCN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$42.50</td>
<td>$25.0K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
<td>783</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$74.3K</td>
<td>6.9K</td>
<td>694</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HPE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$40.7K</td>
<td>6.5K</td>
<td>582</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on September 27, 2024. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $117.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.6K, with a price of $173.0 per contract. There were 18651 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 67802 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on September 27, 2024. Parties traded 40 contract(s) at a $465.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $58.4K, with a price of $1460.0 per contract. There were 343 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4461 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $17.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.2K, with a price of $282.0 per contract. There were 5804 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3450 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 25 day(s) on October 18, 2024. This event was a transfer of 3000 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $177.0K, with a price of $59.0 per contract. There were 6088 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3343 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on September 27, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $145.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $300.0 per contract. There were 1154 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1942 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SNOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 151 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 195 contract(s) at a $170.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $154.0 per contract. There were 200 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1199 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 88 day(s) on December 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 93 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.6K, with a price of $297.0 per contract. There were 10187 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 853 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DOCN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCN#NYSE">DOCN</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 25 day(s) on October 18, 2024. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $42.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.0K, with a price of $125.0 per contract. There were 3193 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 783 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 52 contract(s) at a $155.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $74.3K, with a price of $1430.0 per contract. There were 6928 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 694 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For HPE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPE#NYSE">HPE</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 116 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 194 contract(s) at a $20.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 30 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.7K, with a price of $210.0 per contract. There were 6500 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 582 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

DOCN

MARA

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SMCI

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