Stock Markets June 24, 2026 10:46 AM

McCormick Options Volume Spikes to Year-Plus High as Calls Dominate Activity

Call contracts drove the surge, with two near-term strikes accounting for the bulk of volume as the stock climbed modestly

By Caleb Monroe
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MKC

Options volume in McCormick & Co. rose sharply to 5,945 contracts by 10:21 a.m. New York time on Wednesday, led overwhelmingly by call options. Two call strikes - a January 15, 2027 $60 and a September 18, 2026 $55 - together represented the majority of contracts. The underlying stock traded higher, up 1.89% to $48.28.

McCormick Options Volume Spikes to Year-Plus High as Calls Dominate Activity
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Key Points

  • Total options volume in McCormick reached 5,945 contracts by 10:21 a.m. New York time on Wednesday, per exchange data compiled by Bloomberg.
  • Call options dominated the session with 5,795 contracts, the highest call volume since May 29, 2025; put options were 150 contracts.
  • Two call strikes concentrated most activity: the January 15, 2027 $60 call (3,022 contracts, open interest 3,699) and the September 18, 2026 $55 call (2,181 contracts, open interest 5,335).

Summary: Options activity in McCormick & Co. intensified on Wednesday morning, reaching a total of 5,945 contracts by 10:21 a.m. New York time, according to exchange data compiled by Bloomberg. Call options made up nearly all of the flow, while the company's shares ticked up during the same session.


Intraday options snapshot

By the 10:21 a.m. New York time mark on Wednesday, a combined 5,945 options contracts in McCormick & Co. (NYSE: MKC) had traded, per exchange data compiled by Bloomberg. Call options accounted for 5,795 of those contracts, while put options totaled 150 contracts.

The call volume represented the largest single-day call count for McCormick since May 29, 2025, when call activity last reached comparable levels.


Concentration by strike

Two specific call strikes made up the bulk of activity. The January 15, 2027 $60 call option represented 3,022 contracts traded, and that series had open interest of 3,699 contracts. The September 18, 2026 $55 call option accounted for 2,181 contracts traded, with open interest on that series at 5,335 contracts.


Share movement

On the equities side, McCormick shares rose 1.89% to trade at $48.28 during the session. The price move coincided with the surge in options transactions noted above.


Note on interpretation

The exchange data provides a clear tally of contracts traded and open interest at specific strikes. The figures do not, by themselves, identify the motivations behind the trades, such as hedging versus directional speculation, nor do they disclose the identities of the parties involved.

This report is based on exchange data compiled by Bloomberg and reflects activity through 10:21 a.m. New York time on Wednesday.

Risks

  • The data does not reveal whether the elevated call activity reflects hedging, speculative positioning, or other trading motivations; this limits interpretation of market intent and potential implications for McCormick stock.
  • Concentration of volume in a small number of strikes could contribute to near-term volatility in McCormick's options market and potentially in the underlying shares, depending on subsequent trading behavior.
  • The snapshot covers activity only through 10:21 a.m. New York time on Wednesday and does not capture later intraday or after-hours trades, leaving the full-day picture incomplete.

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