Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
SEZL options intelligence
Sezzle Inc. options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
51
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 2 Aug 2026 06:06 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
SEZL currently carries volatility options pressure with a 51/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 19.7%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.01.
Expected move
19.7%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.01
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.57
Call-side skew
Trend fit
84
Options agree with trend context
Weekly backdrop
+0.6%
RS 59.5
Expected move
19.7%
Put-call volume
0.57
Volume / OI
0.01
Reference IV
1.03
Max pain
125.00
Underlying
154.75
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
920
Research Brief
SEZL has a volatility chain read with 51/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 124.25–185.25; The largest call open-interest concentration is 175.00; the largest put concentration is 170.00. The most active strike by current volume is 155.00.
Priced range124.25–185.25
Call concentration175.00
Put concentration170.00
Max pain reference125.00
- A clear directional pressure reading develops and price begins to agree.
- The current chain read already agrees with the stored weekly trend context.
- Volatility falls and the chain remains directionally mixed.
- Front-expiry volatility is rich, so the signal may be event-driven and vulnerable to volatility compression.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 124.25 to 185.25. Max pain at 125.00 sits inside that range, 19.2% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
124.25154.75 ± 30.50185.25
Confirmation level
A close beyond 185.25 or below 124.25 at the 21 Aug expiry would exceed the move currently priced by this chain.
Important limitation
The range is a pricing reference, not a forecast; volatility can reprice sharply after news or as expiry approaches.
Score Construction
Why conviction is 51/100
Pressure is 33/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure33 × 42%
+13.9
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation24 × 22%
+5.3
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement84 × 26%
+21.9
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility96 × 10%
+9.6
The intensity of implied volatility and the priced move.
Positioning by Strike
Where open interest and current activity concentrate
The largest call open-interest concentration is 175.00; the largest put concentration is 170.00. The most active strike by current volume is 155.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
27
100.00-35.4%
430
35
115.00-25.7%
255
43
120.00-22.5%
845
53
125.00-19.2%
1008
62
130.00-16.0%
1064
78
145.00-6.3%
1006
479
150.00-3.1%
148
176
155.000.2%
288
185
160.003.4%
1069
76
165.006.6%
791
1198
170.009.9%
185
152
175.0013.1%
2261
48
185.0019.5%
410
121
190.0022.8%
240
2
195.0026.0%
1296
4
200.0029.2%
428
10
210.0035.7%
350
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Volatility Curve
Front-loaded volatility
Near-term options are materially richer than later expirations, consistent with concentrated event or immediate-risk pricing.
1.03
21 Aug
21d
0.96
18 Sep
49d
0.91
16 Oct
77d
0.93
20 Nov
112d
0.91
18 Dec
140d
0.90
15 Jan
168d
0.88
19 Feb
203d
0.90
19 Mar
231d
Volatility by Strike
Balanced wings
Comparable upside calls and downside puts carry broadly similar implied volatility.
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180
185
Put IV Call IV
Historical Replay
How matured reads behaved through expiry
Forward validation is building. The earliest eligible stored read expires 21 Aug 2026; its result will appear after the matched closing reference is stored.
Directional follow-through-
Moves contained by pricing-
Average expiry move-
Validation readiness
- Versioned calculationv2 observations only
- Independent entryone read per market session
- Point-in-time referencerequired at entry
- Matched expiry closereported only after maturity
Only v2 snapshots with a point-in-time market reference are eligible. Each observation uses one read per market session and the first weekly close on or immediately after expiry. It is an evidence audit, not an executable strategy or evidence of future performance.
Evidence Quality
High
Retained chain100%
Implied volatility100%
Two-sided quotes100%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 31 Jul 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 920 / 920
- No material coverage gap was detected in the retained chain.
Aggregate chain data supports concentration, participation and pricing analysis. It does not identify trade aggressor, opening versus closing activity, multi-leg intent or dealer inventory.
Options Intent Radar
Earnings/event positioning
Options activity is concentrated around a live event window, so the cleanest read is event positioning rather than pure direction.
Options are pricing movement more than direction; compare expected move with the stock's actual weekly change.
Earnings/event positioning matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $519420 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 46-90 days · otm, and a volatility flow versus price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure+33
1W price+0.6%
Call premium78%
Put premium22%
Notional split
C 78% / P 22%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.01
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
84/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Event window
6 Aug
Matched earnings event is 4 days away.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Calls · 46-90 days · OTM
calls cluster with 59 contracts traded, $116820 estimated gross traded notional, and 22% of visible notional.
$116820
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 14 contracts traded, $114175 estimated gross traded notional, and 22% of visible notional.
$114175
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 23 contracts traded, $56310 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$56310
Calls · 8-21 days · OTM
calls cluster with 61 contracts traded, $45940 estimated gross traded notional, and 9% of visible notional.
$45940
Puts · 8-21 days · ATM
puts cluster with 28 contracts traded, $42840 estimated gross traded notional, and 8% of visible notional.
$42840
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
Positioning agrees with the Sharemaestro trend backdrop.
The tape is pricing or displaying unusually elevated activity.
Expected move or upcoming earnings makes the setup more event-sensitive.
Activity Anomaly
Warming up
3 of 10 completed market sessions are available. More session history is needed before activity can be compared with a reliable normal.
Baseline: 3 completed sessions
Volume rank-
Volume/OI rank-
IV rank-
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close154.75
1W+0.6%
RS59.5
Fair value+184.1%
Options pressure33
Speculation24
Volatility96
Trend fit84
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 10:44
Bearish
Pressure -44
Move 21.4%
30 Jul 10:40
Bearish
Pressure -29
Move 20.6%
31 Jul 10:25
Mixed
Pressure -12
Move 19.9%
31 Jul 13:43
Bullish
Pressure 31
Move 20.6%
31 Jul 15:58
Volatility
Pressure 33
Move 19.8%
31 Jul 16:55
Volatility
Pressure 33
Move 20.0%
2 Aug 05:06
Volatility
Pressure 33
Move 19.7%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike30.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike35.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 5
Puts · V 0 · OI 5
Strike40.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 3
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike45.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 7
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike50.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 5
Puts · V 0 · OI 19
Strike55.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 4
Puts · V 0 · OI 6
Strike60.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 8
Puts · V 0 · OI 23
Strike65.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 42
Puts · V 0 · OI 9
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts86
Avg IV1.03
Put-call0.90
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts86
Avg IV0.96
Put-call0.20
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Contracts86
Avg IV0.91
Put-call0.04
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts86
Avg IV0.93
Put-call-
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts88
Avg IV0.91
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV1.00
Put IV1.04
Skew0.04
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.95
Put IV0.96
Skew0.01
16 Oct 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.89
Put IV0.91
Skew0.02
20 Nov 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.96
Put IV0.94
Skew-0.02
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.92
Put IV0.91
Skew-0.01
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractSEZL261016C00170000
SideCall
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike170.00
Volume50
OI72
IV0.93
ContractSEZL260821P00155000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike155.00
Volume28
OI176
IV1.04
ContractSEZL260821C00155000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike155.00
Volume26
OI288
IV1.03
ContractSEZL260821P00120000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike120.00
Volume17
OI43
IV1.05
ContractSEZL260821C00145000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike145.00
Volume14
OI1006
IV1.03
ContractSEZL260821C00160000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike160.00
Volume13
OI1069
IV1.02
ContractSEZL260821C00200000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike200.00
Volume12
OI428
IV1.06
ContractSEZL260821C00180000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike180.00
Volume12
OI81
IV1.00
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
No recent ticker-specific news yet.
Market Watch
No recent market-watch posts yet.
Earnings
Plain English Guide
Options context
What usually looks constructive
What usually looks cautious
Options can move quickly and can lose value fast. Treat this as research context, not a buy or sell instruction.