Primary read
Bearish
Put-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
LAD options intelligence
Lithia Motors Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
53
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 1 Aug 2026 23:32 · complete available chain
Put-side pressure
Bearish pressure
LAD currently carries bearish options pressure with a 53/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 7.7%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.01.
Expected move
7.7%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.01
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
8.88
Put-side skew
Trend fit
11
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+13.0%
RS 15.6
Expected move
7.7%
Put-call volume
8.88
Volume / OI
0.01
Reference IV
0.40
Max pain
310.00
Underlying
385.42
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
560
Research Brief
LAD has a bearish chain read with 53/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 355.87–414.97; The largest call open-interest concentration is 310.00; the largest put concentration is 160.00. The most active strike by current volume is 380.00.
Priced range355.87–414.97
Call concentration310.00
Put concentration160.00
Max pain reference310.00
- Price remains weak while put-side concentration persists.
- Price recovers while put pressure fades or reverses toward calls.
- Options and the weekly trend are not yet giving the same message.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 355.87 to 414.97. Max pain at 310.00 lies outside the priced range, so it is a weak near-term anchor.
Spot
Max pain
355.87385.42 ± 29.55414.97
Confirmation level
A close beyond 414.97 or below 355.87 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 53/100
Pressure is 92/100 toward puts; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure92 × 42%
+38.5
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation26 × 22%
+5.7
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement11 × 26%
+2.8
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility59 × 10%
+5.9
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 310.00; the largest put concentration is 160.00. The most active strike by current volume is 380.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
81
160.00-58.5%
1
19
200.00-48.1%
2
60
250.00-35.1%
1
60
260.00-32.5%
0
14
270.00-29.9%
0
7
290.00-24.8%
19
20
300.00-22.2%
23
1
310.00-19.6%
104
16
320.00-17.0%
88
38
330.00-14.4%
31
1
340.00-11.8%
52
5
350.00-9.2%
80
5
360.00-6.6%
42
5
370.00-4.0%
12
13
380.00-1.4%
6
3
430.0011.6%
5
5
440.0014.2%
94
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Volatility Curve
Balanced volatility curve
Near- and longer-dated implied volatility are broadly aligned; no exceptional front-expiry premium is visible.
0.40
21 Aug
21d
0.38
18 Sep
49d
0.40
20 Nov
112d
0.39
18 Dec
140d
0.38
19 Mar
231d
Volatility by Strike
Downside protection premium
Out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than comparable calls, indicating richer downside protection.
310
320
330
340
350
360
370
380
390
400
410
420
430
440
450
460
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
- 560 / 560
- 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.
Put-side pressure is building while price is rising, a cautionary divergence.
Earnings/event positioning matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $102098 of estimated gross traded notional, puts · 8-21 days · atm, and a bearish flow against rising price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure-92
1W price+13.0%
Call premium9%
Put premium91%
Notional split
C 9% / P 91%
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
11/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Event window
4 Aug
Matched earnings event is 2 days away.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Puts · 8-21 days · ATM
puts cluster with 42 contracts traded, $47670 estimated gross traded notional, and 47% of visible notional.
$47670
Puts · 8-21 days · ITM
puts cluster with 8 contracts traded, $29460 estimated gross traded notional, and 29% of visible notional.
$29460
Puts · 46-90 days · OTM
puts cluster with 18 contracts traded, $14660 estimated gross traded notional, and 14% of visible notional.
$14660
Calls · 46-90 days · ATM
calls cluster with 2 contracts traded, $5110 estimated gross traded notional, and 5% of visible notional.
$5110
Calls · 46-90 days · OTM
calls cluster with 2 contracts traded, $2095 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$2095
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
The tape is pricing or displaying unusually elevated activity.
Expected move or upcoming earnings makes the setup more event-sensitive.
Options positioning is not confirming the underlying trend context.
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
Close385.42
1W+13.0%
RS15.6
Fair value+27.9%
Options pressure-92
Speculation26
Volatility59
Trend fit11
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 10:34
Mixed
Pressure 4
Move 10.7%
30 Jul 10:32
Bullish
Pressure 46
Move 9.4%
30 Jul 22:27
Volatility
Pressure -54
Move 20.3%
31 Jul 08:44
Mixed
Pressure 4
Move 20.3%
31 Jul 22:33
Volatility
Pressure -56
Move 15.2%
1 Aug 02:38
Volatility
Pressure -92
Move 15.2%
1 Aug 22:32
Bearish
Pressure -92
Move 7.7%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike145.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike150.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike155.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 6
Strike160.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 81
Strike165.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike170.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 5
Strike175.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike180.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 5
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts112
Avg IV0.40
Put-call13.00
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts116
Avg IV0.38
Put-call4.50
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts118
Avg IV0.40
Put-call-
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts112
Avg IV0.39
Put-call-
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Contracts102
Avg IV0.38
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.37
Put IV0.42
Skew0.06
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.37
Put IV0.41
Skew0.04
20 Nov 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.37
Put IV0.41
Skew0.05
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.36
Put IV0.40
Skew0.04
19 Mar 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.36
Put IV0.40
Skew0.04
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractLAD260821P00380000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike380.00
Volume42
OI13
IV0.39
ContractLAD260918P00330000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike330.00
Volume9
OI26
IV0.43
ContractLAD260918P00370000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike370.00
Volume6
OI5
IV0.38
ContractLAD260821P00430000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike430.00
Volume5
OI3
IV0.38
ContractLAD260821P00400000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike400.00
Volume3
OI3
IV0.38
ContractLAD260821C00430000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike430.00
Volume2
OI5
IV0.40
ContractLAD260918C00380000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike380.00
Volume2
OI2
IV0.39
ContractLAD260918C00410000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike410.00
Volume1
OI7
IV0.37
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.