thetaOwl

KLAC

KLA CorporationClose $259.56EOD only
Max Pain
$226.00
Next expiry Jul 17, 2026
Expected Move
±$43.85
16.9% from close
Price Gap
-33.56
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
100
High premium
P/C OI
1.48
Slightly put-heavy
Consensus
7.0/10
Bullish tilt
Published snapshot: Jun 18, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

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

Published Snapshot
Jun 18, 2026 close
KLAC Directional Report
Analysis based on market close June 18, 2026

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

Outlook

Bullish bias with strong flow and GEX alignment, but spot 38% above max pain introduces pin risk. Confidence 8/10.

Confidence:
8 / 10
Base 5, +2 GEX/flow aligned, +1 GEX positive pinning, -1 spot distance from MP, +1 VIX 16.
Supports: Bullish flow, positive GEX, spot above MP.
Conflicts: Spot far from max pain, resistance at $260.
📈Bullish flow and GEX alignment
⚠️Spot 38% above max pain $188
🔒Resistance at $260

Regime Classification

Vol Regime
High
IV high vs typical, consistent with High vol regime.
Gamma Regime
Pinning
Positive GEX $3.9M provides pinning support near $224 gamma flip.
Flow Regime
Bullish
Net bullish premium flow, calls dominate puts.
Spot vs Max Pain
Above
Spot $260 vs max pain $188 - 38% above, supported by bullish sentiment.
Thesis duration: Multi-week — Strong flow and dealer positioning suggest near-term momentum; resistance at $260 may cap.

Price Range Forecast

Key Levels

Max pain pins: $188 (2026-06-18); $226 (2026-07-17); $220 (2026-08-21)
EM guardrails:
Support:
Resistance: $260.00
Gamma flip: ~$224.00Approx — based on put OI concentration of 20,822 (13.7% below spot)
Structural: Max pain pins: $188 (Jun18), $226 (Jul17), $220 (Aug21). Gamma flip ~$224. Resistance $260.

Dealer Positioning (GEX/DEX)

GEX: $+3.9M

DEX: +19.5M shares

Gamma flip: ~$224 (Approx — based on put OI concentration of 20,822 (13.7% below spot))

NTM gamma: GEX +$3.9M positive, DEX +19.5M shares long. Gamma flip near $224.

IV Analysis

IV vs VIX: IV elevated relative to VIX 16, indicating rich premium.

Term structure: No notable skew; term structure likely upward sloping.

Skew: Put-heavy OI at $224 may create skew; consider call spreads above resistance.

Flow Analysis

Net premium: Net premium +$97.4M with call volume ratio 0.72, but put OI ratio 1.48, reflecting call buying vs put positioning.

Directional prints: 79.1 call 300 OTM 2026-08-21 — Vol/OI 5.7, high call volume vs OI suggests aggressive buying of OTM calls, bullish direction. 72.3 put 170 OTM 2027-01-15 — Vol/OI 2.7, elevated put volume on ITM put, possibly hedging or bearish positioning.

Unusual: 79.1 call 300 OTM 2026-08-21 — Unusual call volume 1461 vs OI 256, IV 79%, OTM call buying likely bullish. 72.3 put 170 OTM 2027-01-15 — Unusual put volume 354 vs OI 131, ITM put buying could be hedging or bearish. 0 put 1400 ITM 2027-03-19 — Vol/OI 1.8, elevated but high premium $124.99, OTM put trade likely a large bearish bet or spread.

Risks & Catalysts

!Spot far from max pain may lead to pin risk at expiry.
!Resistance at $260 could cap upside.
!High IV may contract, hurting long premium positions.

Strategy Viability

StrategyEdgeBest SetupPrimary Risk
Bull call spreadModerate-Strong
Buy 2026-08-21 $260.00/$300.00 call spread
Why now: Flow shows unusual call volume at 300 strike indicating bullish sentiment; bull call spread defines risk while benefiting from continued upside, aligning with multi-week duration.
Pin risk if spot stays near max pain; upside capped at short strike, but limited downside.
Put credit spreadModerate
Sell 2026-08-21 $248.00/$236.00 put spread
Why now: Defined-risk premium sale benefits from high IV and bullish bias, limited upside but consistent with flow.
Upside capped and pin risk at expiry if spot stays below short put. Liquidity constraints: long_put: Volume below 5.
Bull call spreadModerate-Strong
Buy 2026-08-21 $260.00/$300.00 call spread
Why now: Defined-risk debit spread captures upside with limited cost, aligns with OTM call buying flow.
Time decay works against if move is slow; IV contraction hurts long premium.
Bullish risk reversalModerate
Buy 2026-08-21 $280.00 call / sell 2026-08-21 $244.00 put
Why now: Upside convexity financed by short put premium, aligns with aggressive OTM call buying.
Unlimited downside on short put if spot drops sharply; long call suffers from IV contraction.

Top Plays

#1
Bullish Risk Reversal
Buy 2026-08-21 $280.00 call / sell 2026-08-21 $244.00 put
Leverages bullish bias with convexity and lower cost.
Why this play: Unlimited upside potential financed by short put, matching aggressive call flow.
Debit: $1.98-$2.42
Max loss: $244.00
BE: $244.00
Mgmt: Close call leg at 100% gain; monitor short put above $244.
Aggressive traders comfortable with higher risk.
#2
Bull Call Spread
Buy 2026-08-21 $260.00/$300.00 call spread
Defined-risk debit spread for upside capture.
Why this play: Alternative defined-risk play but with lower liquidity and wider strikes, reducing direct flow alignment.
Debit: $11.97-$14.63
Max loss: $14.63
BE: $274.63
Mgmt: Same as strategy_id '1'.
Conservative bullish traders.

Watchlist Triggers

Entry Triggers
IFIF spot holds above $224 (gamma flip) with bullish flow and IV > 30%THEN enter BCS_1 (buy 2026-08-21 $260/$300 call spread) at $12.00-$14.60 debit
Adjustment Triggers
ADJIF spot approaches $260 resistance and BCS_1 reaches 50% max gain (~$12.70)THEN sell 50% of position to lock profit
Exit Triggers
EXITIF spot closes below $224 (gamma flip) or breaks $260 and reversesTHEN exit remaining BCS_1 position to limit loss

Tactical Summary

Bullish bias using BCS_1 (buy 260/300 call spread) for multi-week upside. Key resistance $260, gamma flip $224. Manage at 50% profit near $260; stop if spot < $224.
How to Use These Reports
This directional reflects the market close on June 18, 2026.
What the reports do

Each report translates the same market-close options snapshot into a specific lens such as directional bias, premium-selling posture, flow quality, or earnings setup.

How traders use them

Reports are most useful for narrowing the playbook, surfacing entry and risk context, and deciding which raw data page to inspect next.

What to remember

These are interpretation layers, not execution guarantees. Validate the setup against chain liquidity, expected move, and exposure before sizing risk.

If the report conviction and the raw data disagree, slow down and resolve the mismatch before sizing risk.