ThetaOwl

AAPL

Apple Inc.Close $260.48EOD only
Max Pain
$255.00
Next expiry Apr 13, 2026
Expected Move
±$3.20
1.2% from close
Price Gap
-5.48
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
67
High premium
P/C OI
0.73
Slightly call-heavy
Consensus
6.5/10
Consensus signal
Published snapshot: Apr 10, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

This page reflects AAPL options positioning from the latest published market-close snapshot. Intraday price and contract changes are not displayed.

Published Snapshot
Apr 10, 2026 close
AAPL Theta Report
Analysis based on market close April 8, 2026

Historical consensus-supported lens with full content, report chain context, and metric rail.

You are viewing an older report from April 8, 2026. A newer theta report is available for April 10, 2026.

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Theta Verdict

Attractiveness8.5 / 10
Sizing: Moderate
Primary: Sell cash-secured puts (or defined-risk put spreads) near the 255–260 pin cluster
Invalidation: Close below 1-week EM lower guardrail $253.16 — if price closes below $253.16, shift to defensive management
Confidence:
9 / 10
base 5; +2 GEX/flow strongly aligned; +1 GEX positive (pinning); +1 spot at MP

IV Environment

IV Regime
Normal
IV vs VIX
IV 30.6% vs VIX N/A (Use provided Avg IV 30.6%)
Favorable?
Yes

Term structure: Short-dated IV ~24-27% (2-2 week expiries), 23-30% hump at 23-44d with ATM ~30% at 23-44d (ATM: 2026-04-10 27.5%; 2026-05-08 30.3%)

💰Avg IV 30.6% is adequate for premium sellers — better credits in 23-44 DTE pockets (30d ATM ~30.3%)
📌Gamma pinning (GEX +$258.7M) concentrates dealers around $257.50–$260.00, tightening realized ranges

Pin Risk Assessment

Spot vs MP: At (pre-computed: Spot vs MP: At; Max pain today $258 / MP expirations show $257.50 for 2026-04-08)

GEX regime: Pinning (GEX +$258.7M) — strong dealer hedging centered near-the-money

OI concentrations: Near-term call OI clusters at $260 (12,981 OI), $265 (17,511 OI), $270 (14,414 OI); structural call wall $280-$310. Put OI concentration lighter but notable at $247.50 (8,164 OI) and $250 (5,091 OI).

Verdict: Favorable — dealer pinning around $255–$262 supports selling premium, particularly puts or defined-risk put spreads near 255–260

Premium Opportunities

#1
CSP
Sell 255 Put 2026-05-08 (30 DTE) — cash-secured put
Pinning + positive GEX centered near 255–257.5 (GEX +$11.8M at $255; +$9.7M at $257.50) and bullish flow favor collecting premium with margin of safety. 30d IV (~30.3%) gives attractive credit vs short-dated vols.
Credit: $1.90-$2.30
Max loss: $25290.00
BE: $252.10
Mgmt: Take profits at 50–65% of collected premium; roll down and out if price closes below $253.16 (1-week EM lower guardrail) or roll to a defined-risk put spread; cut losses / buy back if AAPL closes below $250 or option reaches 100% of max loss on mark-to-market.
#2
Put spread
Sell 260 / Buy 250 Put spread 2026-05-08 (30 DTE)
Defined-risk sell within the 260 pin magnet (GEX +$17.3M at $260) gives better capital efficiency than naked CSP while keeping bullish pin bias intact. Spread width $10 limits tail risk where max pain trend is downward but short-term pin supports the structure.
Credit: $1.80-$2.40
Max loss: $760.00
BE: $258.20
Mgmt: Close at 60–70% of max profit; if price tests short strike (260) with strong momentum, roll down 1 strike and/or widen to keep defined risk; close and flip to wider put spread if AAPL prints a daily close below $253.16.
#3
Iron condor
Sell 245/240 Put (buy 240) and Sell 265/270 Call (buy 270) 2026-05-08 (30 DTE)
Market is range-bound short term (2d–2w EM bounds $254.68–$263.12 and $249.87–$267.92). Pinning and strong call OI above means upside is more resisted; the wings sit inside ±~3.5% expected move, collecting decent premium with defined risk.
Credit: $1.10-$1.45
Max loss: $355.00
BE: 241.90 / 266.90
Mgmt: Close at 50% of max profit; tighten/widen or close if either short strike is touched intraday; if volatility collapses or a directional break occurs (daily close outside EM guardrails), exit early.
#4
Covered call (capital owner)
Sell 260 Call 2026-05-08 (30 DTE) against long AAPL shares (covered call)
If you already own AAPL, selling the May8 260 call captures a large premium (unusual activity shows May8 260C last $8.30) and sits right at the 260 pin magnet; fits bullish flow while producing income and a reasonable chance of expiring OTM with pinning.
Credit: $8.00-$9.00
Max loss: Stock exposure (unlimited downside) minus premium collected
BE: $250.90
Mgmt: If AAPL rallies and threatens assignment (close to 260), consider rolling up-and-out to the next month for credit; take 50% profit on premium if decay hits target; if price sells off below $253.16, consider buying back and reestablishing later.
#5
Short-dated defined-risk put spread (weekly, only if you prefer short DTE exposure)
Sell 257.5 Put / Buy 252.5 Put 2026-04-10 (2 DTE) — defined-risk (weekly)
High GEX pinning and large OI at 257.50 (6,254 OI; Vol spike) make very-short-dated defined-risk spreads attractive for experienced managers seeking rapid theta; use only if you can actively manage through pin events.
Credit: $1.20-$1.60
Max loss: $380.00
BE: $256.30
Mgmt: Close for 60–75% profit into EOD prior to expiration or if price moves against you and touches the short strike intraday; do not hold naked through weekend pin events; cut losses if price prints outside 2d EM $254.68–$263.12.

Risk Alerts

!Max pain trend is falling toward $250 over the next several expirations — skew favors puts being more expensive longer-dated; monitor for directional bias shift.
!Gamma pinning (GEX +$258.7M) concentrates price action near $255–$262; short-dated shorts can be magnetized—use defined-risk or active management around key expirations.
!IV term structure rises into late-Apr/May (30d ATM ~30.3%) — while helpful for sellers, any sudden demand (buying flow) could lift IV further and widen wings; manage rolls if IV spikes.
!Unusual flow at $260 strikes (large net call flow and put flow) indicates institutional positioning around 260—be cautious selling naked through that exact level and prefer defined-risk structures if uncomfortable.
!Earnings on 2026-04-30 (outside 2 weeks) — no immediate restriction, but do not sell naked short-dated premium through the April 30 announcement window if your position would cross the event.

Read the Theta analysis for AAPL for 2026-04-08. Each report is a market-close snapshot with regime read, key levels, and strategy context that translates options positioning into an actionable setup.