Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
PRLB options intelligence
Proto Labs Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
46
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 1 Aug 2026 14:00 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
PRLB currently carries bullish options pressure with a 46/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 10.3%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.03.
Expected move
10.3%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.03
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.30
Call-side skew
Trend fit
37
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
-4.1%
RS 16.2
Expected move
10.3%
Put-call volume
0.30
Volume / OI
0.03
Reference IV
0.45
Max pain
75.00
Underlying
78.24
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
138
Research Brief
PRLB has a bullish chain read with 46/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 70.22–86.26; The largest call open-interest concentration is 80.00; the largest put concentration is 70.00. The most active strike by current volume is 85.00.
Priced range70.22–86.26
Call concentration80.00
Put concentration70.00
Max pain reference75.00
- Price holds or improves while call-side concentration remains elevated.
- Price weakens while call pressure fades or reverses toward puts.
- Options and the weekly trend are not yet giving the same message.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 70.22 to 86.26. Max pain at 75.00 sits inside that range, 4.1% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
70.2278.24 ± 8.0286.26
Confirmation level
A close beyond 86.26 or below 70.22 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 46/100
Pressure is 64/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure64 × 42%
+26.7
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation9 × 22%
+1.9
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement37 × 26%
+9.7
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility72 × 10%
+7.2
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 80.00; the largest put concentration is 70.00. The most active strike by current volume is 85.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
0
40.00-48.9%
0
0
45.00-42.5%
0
0
50.00-36.1%
0
0
55.00-29.7%
0
0
60.00-23.3%
0
6
65.00-16.9%
1
7
70.00-10.5%
0
2
75.00-4.1%
4
0
80.002.2%
42
0
85.008.6%
29
0
90.0015.0%
5
0
95.0021.4%
1
0
100.0027.8%
1
0
105.0034.2%
0
0
110.0040.6%
0
0
115.0047.0%
0
0
120.0053.4%
0
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.
0.45
21 Aug
21d
0.43
18 Sep
49d
0.41
16 Oct
77d
0.42
15 Jan
168d
Volatility by Strike
Downside protection premium
Out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than comparable calls, indicating richer downside protection.
65
70
75
80
85
90
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
- 138 / 138
- 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
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate
Activity is spread across expirations with heavier open interest than current volume, which can be consistent with position maintenance.
Options are leaning call-side while the stock is down on the week, a divergence that needs price confirmation.
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $4770 of estimated gross traded notional, puts · 8-21 days · itm, and a bullish flow against weak price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure+64
1W price-4.1%
Call premium55%
Put premium45%
Notional split
C 55% / P 45%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.03
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
37/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Roll detection is conservative because opening and closing legs are not directly observable in this snapshot.
Puts · 8-21 days · ITM
puts cluster with 2 contracts traded, $2050 estimated gross traded notional, and 43% of visible notional.
$2050
Calls · 46-90 days · ITM
calls cluster with 2 contracts traded, $1045 estimated gross traded notional, and 22% of visible notional.
$1045
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 2 contracts traded, $650 estimated gross traded notional, and 14% of visible notional.
$650
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 2 contracts traded, $548 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$548
Calls · 46-90 days · ATM
calls cluster with 1 contracts traded, $238 estimated gross traded notional, and 5% of visible notional.
$238
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.
Call pressure is building while the stock sits above Sharemaestro fair value.
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
Close75.05
1W-4.1%
RS16.2
Fair value+74.6%
Options pressure64
Speculation9
Volatility72
Trend fit37
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 11:03
Volatility
Pressure 100
Move 14.0%
30 Jul 10:52
Volatility
Pressure 70
Move 14.5%
31 Jul 10:34
Bullish
Pressure 50
Move 12.3%
1 Aug 13:00
Bullish
Pressure 64
Move 10.3%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike40.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike45.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike50.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike55.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike60.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike65.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 6
Strike70.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 1 · OI 7
Strike75.00
Calls · V 2 · OI 4
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts34
Avg IV0.45
Put-call0.60
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts32
Avg IV0.43
Put-call-
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Contracts36
Avg IV0.41
Put-call-
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts36
Avg IV0.42
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.49
Put IV0.43
Skew-0.06
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.48
Put IV0.44
Skew-0.04
16 Oct 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.40
Put IV0.42
Skew0.03
15 Jan 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.45
Put IV0.41
Skew-0.05
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractPRLB260821C00085000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike85.00
Volume3
OI29
IV0.41
ContractPRLB260821C00075000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike75.00
Volume2
OI4
IV0.43
ContractPRLB260821P00085000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike85.00
Volume2
OI-
IV0.43
ContractPRLB260821P00070000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike70.00
Volume1
OI7
IV0.43
ContractPRLB270115C00095000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike95.00
Volume1
OI5
IV0.42
ContractPRLB261016C00075000
SideCall
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike75.00
Volume1
OI4
IV0.40
ContractPRLB260918C00075000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike75.00
Volume1
OI3
IV0.41
ContractPRLB260918C00080000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike80.00
Volume1
OI1
IV0.38
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
No upcoming matched earnings event.
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.