A striking options trade has surfaced on META Platforms Inc. (META), involving a single call sweep on the $1,000 strike with an expiration date of January 15, 2027—roughly 1.5 years out. This deep out-of-the-money trade was executed above the ask, signaling strong conviction and urgency by the buyer. With META’s spot price at $732.34, this reflects a highly bullish stance, expecting substantial upside over the long term.
The order size was 402 contracts, each priced at $55.35, amounting to a total premium of $2.2 million. Additionally, daily volume for this contract reached 598. Compared to an open interest of 1,786, the Vol/OI ratio sits at 0.33. The use of a sweep order further implies institutional participation seeking to quickly secure exposure across multiple exchanges. All factors points to the trade’s significance as a potential high-conviction long-term bet on META’s growth trajectory.
Volume and Open Interest Data
The volume and open interest (OI) data for the META $1,000 call expiring January 15, 2027, reveals a notable development on July 9th, 2025. 1,055 contracts traded hands, a dramatic spike compared to the near-zero volume seen on previous days. Interestingly, despite the surge in volume, OI decreased by 3 contracts, falling from 1,789 to 1,786. This suggests that the majority of the activity may have been closing out existing positions rather than establishing new ones.
The day’s volume could have included intraday trades that were opened and closed the same day. The contract price rose from $52.51 to $55.90, reflecting bullish sentiment, even as implied volatility slightly decreased. The relatively flat OI over the past week—hovering around 1,790—paired with the volume spike, hints at speculative short-term maneuvers rather than long-term accumulation.
Trade Side Distribution
The trade side distribution for the META $1,000 call option expiring January 15, 2027, paints a picture of extremely bullish sentiment and urgency from buyers. A significant 72% of the total premium volume—$2.2 million—was executed above the ask. This indicates that traders were not only eager to enter the trade but were willing to pay more than the asking price to secure their position. An additional 28% ($879.3K) occurred at the ask, bringing the combined bullish activity to 100% of the trades.
No volume traded at the bid, mid, or below the bid. This lopsided distribution underscores strong institutional interest, potentially based on conviction in META’s long-term upside or a strategic bet on future price appreciation beyond the $1,000 strike. Such behavior often reflects high-confidence directional plays, especially when supported by aggressive order types like sweeps.
More Notable Options Trades Observed
Bullish sentiment for META was not limited to the long-term. Today’s option flow also showed a substantial bullish call sweep on META targeting the $735 strike with a near-term expiration of August 15, 2025—just over a month away. The call was executed above the ask, reflecting aggressive buying sentiment. The buyer scooped up 2,399 contracts at $36.75 each. This implies a total of $8.8 million in committed capital, signaling high confidence in short-term upside. The underlying spot price at the time of the trade was $734.80, making this a slightly out-of-the-money (OTM) call.
The volume for the day was 2,583 contracts, closely aligning with the open interest of 2,723. This produces a V/OI ratio of ~0.95, which suggests a large portion of this flow represents fresh positioning or additions to existing bullish exposure. The use of a sweep order reinforces the notion of urgency, likely from an institution seeking execution across multiple venues without moving the market too much. Overall, this order indicates strong conviction in META’s ability to push higher in the very short term.
What’s Happening with Meta
In early 2025, Meta announced plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 5%, equating to around 3,600 employees. These layoffs primarily targeted underperforming staff as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s initiative to enhance performance management and pivot towards artificial intelligence (AI) investments . The company emphasized replacing these roles with new hires, particularly in machine learning and AI engineering, underscoring its commitment to advancing AI capabilities.
Despite the workforce reductions, Meta’s financial outlook has remained robust. Ahead of its Q2 earnings report scheduled for July 30th, analysts have raised their price targets, citing expectations of strong revenue growth and the positive impact of easing tariffs. Meta’s Q2 revenue is forecasted to grow 16% year-over-year to $44.6 billion, with earnings at $5.83 per share. The stock has recovered impressively, gaining over 50% since mid-April, and is currently trading around $733.01.
In addition to financial performance, Meta has made strategic investments to bolster its AI initiatives. The company announced a $3.5 billion investment for a 3% stake in eyewear company EssilorLuxottica, aiming to collaborate on AI-powered smart glasses . Furthermore, Meta has launched a “Meta Superintelligence Lab” to advance its AI research and development efforts.
About Meta
Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook Inc., is a global technology company headquartered in Menlo Park, California. It is best known for its social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads—which connect billions of users worldwide for communication, content sharing, and digital interaction.
In recent years, Meta has expanded its focus beyond social networking into emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI). Through its Reality Labs division, Meta is developing hardware like the Quest VR headset and smart glasses in pursuit of its vision for the “metaverse”—a fully immersive digital environment for work, play, and social connection. The company generates the majority of its revenue from advertising across its platforms, making it one of the world’s largest players in digital advertising.
Analyst Ratings
| Analyst Firm | Rating | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|
| CFRA | ★★★★ | 07/06/2025 |
| Market Edge | Long | 05/20/2025 |
| Argus | Buy | 06/18/2025 |
| Morningstar | ★★★ | 06/16/2025 |
| LSEG | Outperform | 07/09/2025 |
| Schwab Equity Ratings | B | 07/09/2025 |
The analyst sentiment for Meta Platforms Inc. (META) is predominantly bullish, with a majority of firms issuing strong ratings. CFRA and Market Edge both give META their highest possible endorsement—4 stars and a “Long” rating, respectively—signaling strong conviction in META’s growth potential. Argus also upgraded its stance to a “Buy”, while LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) marked META as “Outperform,” suggesting expected outperformance relative to peers.
Schwab Equity Ratings assigned META a “B”, indicating solid fundamentals and favorable positioning. The only somewhat neutral stance comes from Morningstar, which issued a 3-star rating, reflecting a fairly valued stock with balanced risks and rewards. Overall, these ratings collectively highlight growing confidence in Meta’s fundamentals, innovation in AI, and financial momentum.
Want to see more of these trades? Try out Cheddar Flow free for 7 days. Learn More
Disclaimer: Options trading involves significant risk and is not suitable for all investors. You may lose the entire investment, and certain strategies may result in losses exceeding the initial amount invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Always consult a financial or tax advisor before making investment decisions.
