Traders Buy High Volume of Super Micro Computer Call Options (NASDAQ:SMCI)

Key Points

• Super Micro Computer saw unusually heavy call option buying on Friday, with 353,707 call contracts traded, about 42% above its average volume. That suggests traders were positioning for upside or increased volatility in SMCI.
• The stock rose 6.3% to $35.56 amid the options activity, though shares remain well below their 52-week high of $62.36. Trading and technical momentum have improved, but the stock is still volatile.
• Legal and export-related concerns continue to weigh on sentiment, including securities class actions and reports of investigations tied to alleged AI server/chip exports to China. Despite strong year-over-year revenue growth and better-than-expected EPS in the latest quarter, analysts largely rate the stock as Hold.

Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI - Get Free Report) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Stock investors acquired 353,707 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 42% compared to the average volume of 248,282 call options.

Key Headlines Impacting Super Micro Computer

Here are the key news stories impacting Super Micro Computer this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms filed or promoted securities class actions against Super Micro, with lead-plaintiff deadlines centered on May 26, 2026. The allegations say the company and certain executives hid risks related to alleged illegal exports of AI servers and chips to China, which keeps legal uncertainty high for shareholders. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Fresh reporting highlighted escalating export probes, including a Taiwan investigation involving suspected smuggling of high-performance AI servers and earlier U.S. Justice Department scrutiny. That combination reinforces concerns about compliance, possible penalties, and reputational damage. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst and market commentary shows SMCI remains a heavily watched stock, with recent price-target updates and trader interest suggesting continued volatility around the name rather than a clear change in fundamentals. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary points to improving short-term momentum after a sharp rebound from recent lows, but that technical strength is being overshadowed by the legal headlines. Article Title

Super Micro Computer Stock Up 6.3%

SMCI stock traded up $2.10 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $35.56. 26,768,551 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 36,437,902. Super Micro Computer has a 12 month low of $19.48 and a 12 month high of $62.36. The firm's 50-day moving average is $27.81 and its 200-day moving average is $30.96. The company has a market cap of $21.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.81, a PEG ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 2.66 and a quick ratio of 1.29.

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:SMCI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The company reported $0.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.63 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $10.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.39 billion. Super Micro Computer had a net margin of 3.70% and a return on equity of 17.49%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 122.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.31 EPS. Super Micro Computer has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 0.650-0.790 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Super Micro Computer will post 2.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Super Micro Computer

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Advisors Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Super Micro Computer during the first quarter valued at approximately $39,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Super Micro Computer by 42.4% during the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,479 shares of the company's stock worth $171,000 after buying an additional 1,036 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Super Micro Computer by 54.9% in the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 18,955 shares of the company's stock valued at $929,000 after purchasing an additional 6,718 shares in the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC acquired a new position in Super Micro Computer in the second quarter valued at approximately $277,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Super Micro Computer by 3.4% in the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 85,647 shares of the company's stock valued at $4,198,000 after purchasing an additional 2,799 shares in the last quarter. 84.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on SMCI. Citigroup reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $31.00 target price (up from $25.00) on shares of Super Micro Computer in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Super Micro Computer from $28.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. Wall Street Zen raised Super Micro Computer from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Sunday, February 15th. CJS Securities upgraded Super Micro Computer from a "market underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, Raymond James Financial reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Super Micro Computer in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Super Micro Computer currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $38.43.

About Super Micro Computer

Super Micro Computer, Inc (Supermicro) is a technology company that designs, develops and manufactures high-performance server, storage and networking solutions for enterprise, cloud, data center, high performance computing (HPC) and edge computing customers. The company's product portfolio includes rackmount and blade servers, storage subsystems, motherboards, chassis, power supplies and networking components, with an emphasis on high-density, energy-efficient configurations and platforms optimized for GPU-accelerated workloads and artificial intelligence applications.

Headquartered in San Jose, California, Supermicro combines in-house engineering with a global manufacturing and distribution footprint to deliver configurable, application-specific systems.

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