thetaOwl

LLY

Eli Lilly and CompanyClose $1018.87EOD only
Max Pain
$975.00
Next expiry May 22, 2026
Expected Move
±$24.27
2.4% from close
Price Gap
-43.87
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
18
Low premium
P/C OI
1.23
Slightly put-heavy
Consensus
4/4
Partial coverage
Published snapshot: May 20, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

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

Published Snapshot
May 20, 2026 close
LLY Theta Report
Analysis based on market close March 31, 2026

Consensus-supported lens with chain history and key metrics in the rail.

Theta Verdict

Attractiveness6.5 / 10
Sizing: Moderate
Primary: Sell put spreads near OI support, favoring 30-45 DTE.
Invalidation: Close below $890 (major OI support) or above $1000 (call wall).
Confidence:
5 / 10
base 4; +1 normal IV; +1 spot at max pain; -1 trending GEX; -1 liquidity constraints

IV Environment

IV Regime
Normal
IV vs VIX
IV 48% — Normal for LLY. No VIX comparison provided.
Favorable?
Yes

Term structure: Humped at 4/02 (52.2%), dips to 41.7% by 4/17, rises again for May expirations.

💰IV ~48% provides decent premium for selling.
📅Term structure hump at 4/02 offers high IV for short-dated defined-risk spreads.

Pin Risk Assessment

Spot vs MP: At max pain ($920.00). Spot is $919.77.

GEX regime: Trending (GEX -$2.7M — pro-cyclical)

Gamma flip: ~$400.00Gamma flip estimated at ~$400, far below spot. Negative GEX suggests dealers amplify moves, increasing trend risk.

OI concentrations: Major Put OI: $400 (3,177), $790 (2,908). Major Call OI: $1000 (2,262), $1100 (1,726).

Verdict: Mixed. Spot at max pain is favorable for pinning, but negative GEX warns of trending moves. The $400 put wall is a distant magnet.

Premium Opportunities

#1
put spread
Sell $890/$880 put spread 2026-04-24 (24 DTE)
Sells into high OI support at $890 (OI: 1,676). 24 DTE captures decent theta decay while avoiding the IV hump of the 4/02 expiry. Max pain for 4/24 is $920, providing a buffer.
Credit: $1.80-$2.20
Max loss: $8.00
BE: $888.20
Mgmt: Close at 65% profit. Exit if LLY closes below $890. Roll down/out if tested, but be mindful of earnings on 4/30.
#2
call spread
Sell $1000/$1010 call spread 2026-04-17 (17 DTE)
Defined-risk play against the major call wall at $1000 (OI: 2,262). IV of 41.7% for 4/17 is favorable. Flow data shows massive net premium to calls at $1000, suggesting strong seller interest there.
Credit: $1.50-$1.90
Max loss: $8.50
BE: $1001.50
Mgmt: Close at 50% profit. Exit if LLY closes above $995. Do not hold through earnings (4/30).
#3
iron condor
Sell $890/$880P x $1000/$1010C 2026-04-17 (17 DTE)
Combines the OI-defined support ($890) and resistance ($1000) into one trade. Collects premium from both sides in a range-bound, max-pain pinning scenario. 17 DTE offers faster theta decay.
Credit: $2.80-$3.40
Max loss: $7.20
BE: 882.20 / 1007.20
Mgmt: Close at 50% profit. Manage wings independently; roll tested side. Exit entirely if spot breaches either short strike.
#4
cash-secured put
Sell $850 put 2026-05-15 (45 DTE)
For capital-secure sellers. Strikes below $850 have minimal OI, suggesting a potential cliff. 45 DTE collects substantial premium (IV 47.1%) and allows time for management. Max pain for 5/15 is $980, far above.
Credit: $18.00-$22.00
Max loss: $832.00
BE: $832.00
Mgmt: Roll down/out at 21 DTE if challenged. Be prepared to take assignment well below current price. Close before earnings (4/30) to avoid IV crush.

Risk Alerts

!Earnings estimated 2026-04-30 — Close all short premium positions at least 1 week prior to avoid event risk and IV crush.
!Trending Gamma Regime (GEX -$2.7M) — Negative gamma means price moves can accelerate, increasing risk for naked or wide spreads.
!High Unusual Call Volume at $1050 (4/10) and $1100 (4/02) — Indicates institutional bullish bets that could push price toward those strikes.
!Falling Max Pain Trend — Long-term max pain drifts from $920 down to $850-$890, indicating put accumulation and a potential bearish bias over time.
!Moderate Liquidity — Bid-ask spreads may be wide, especially on multi-leg strategies. Use limit orders and assume mid-point for credit estimates.
How to Use These Reports
This theta reflects the market close on March 31, 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.