10 Hot Stocks to Watch — Thursday, August 13, 2026

Super Micro Computer exploded higher today on the back of robust demand signals and improving profitability—the chipmaker booked over $60 billion in Q4 orders and raised FY2027 revenue guidance to $65–72 billion. The options market is firmly constructive: call-to-put ratio sits at 15.97, with heavy buying concentrated in the $35–40 strike range through August 2026. Watch $40 as the key near-term resistance; a breach would confirm momentum into the seasonal AI-driven rally.

Rocket Lab surged 9.46% on beat Q2 earnings and analyst upgrades, with the Neutron rocket launch and $2.36B backlog fueling a path to FY27 profitability. Options traders are aggressively long, with a 4.19 call-to-put ratio and heavy vol in $85–$90 strikes expiring Thursday, signaling conviction for further upside. Watch $85 support and $90 resistance through the near-term expiry as institutional buyers test conviction ahead of the Neutron commercial flight.

SoundHound AI tumbled 8.65% today despite Thursday's 26% earnings-driven surge, as analyst downgrades tempered momentum. DA Davidson and Piper Sandler both lowered price targets—to $10 and $7 respectively—signaling divergence on the voice AI story. Yet options markets remain decidedly constructive: a 5.21 call-to-put ratio and heavy call volume across $7.50–$8.00 August 2026 strikes suggest traders are positioning for mean reversion toward $8 ahead of near-term catalysts.

Oracle rallied 5.36% today after announcing a multi-year deal with Quantinuum to integrate Helios quantum computing into its cloud infrastructure alongside GPU and HPC capabilities. The partnership positions ORCL as a cornerstone play in enterprise quantum computing as the sector heats up. Options markets are screaming bullish: call-to-put ratio hit 8.80, with heavy positioning in August 2026 $155–$160 calls showing conviction above current levels. Watch $160 as near-term resistance; a breach could signal institutional confidence in the quantum-cloud thesis.

Moderna climbed 5.12% to $63.67 following FDA clearance of mFLUSIVA, establishing the first standalone mRNA seasonal flu shot. The options market is screaming bullish: a 10.35 call-to-put ratio and 7,137 contracts trading the $70 August 2026 call suggest traders are positioning for a move toward $70—just 10% upside from current levels. However, a patent settlement with Arbutus and mounting questions about vaccine uptake amid policy headwinds warrant caution. Watch $70 as the key resistance point.

Micron surged 4.92% to $911.29 Wednesday, pushing its market cap back above $1 trillion amid broad semiconductor strength tied to positive memory supply signals and AI infrastructure demand. Options traders are hedging aggressively: the $1,000 call (Aug 2026) saw 30,099 contracts trade, signaling conviction in upside, while the $550 put (same expiry) drew 24,066 volume—suggesting portfolio protection against downside risk. With beta at 2.24, volatility cuts both ways; watch the $920–$950 resistance zone as near-term barometer before the stock tests its 52-week high of $1,255.

Lam Research rallied 4.72% to $326.11 as benign inflation and strong AI earnings lifted semiconductor stocks across the board. Taiwan Semi's bullish 2026 guidance underscores sustained chip equipment demand, supporting LRCX's role in the $1.3 trillion cloud capex cycle. Yet options traders are hedging aggressively: put volume is 1.5x call volume, with heavy accumulation of $280 puts (Aug 2026) and $255 puts (Aug 2026), suggesting conviction tops around $335. Watch the $335–$350 band for resistance.

Applied Materials climbed $23.50 to $548.15 today, extending its year-to-date advance to 105%, as tech stocks benefited from cooling inflation data and strong AI-infrastructure earnings. Yet William Blair's newly assigned Market Perform rating and the stock's 25% pullback from June highs inject wariness into the momentum. Options traders are hedging aggressively: put volume towers over calls (C/P 0.80), with heavy interest in the $410–$450 puts expiring August 14, suggesting institutional players are protecting gains ahead of Q3 earnings and key revenue guidance.

Meta slumped 3.38% to $578.85 Wednesday, underperforming the Communication Services sector as weak technicals exposed vulnerability amid broad tech rotation. Options markets signal conviction above current levels: heavy call buying (2.65 C/P ratio) concentrates on $600 and $590 strikes expiring mid-August, suggesting traders are positioned for a $21+ rebound. Investors should monitor whether the stock can recapture $595 support; sustained weakness could test the 52-week low of $520.

VXX dropped 2.99% to $19.45 as implied volatility across equities and commodities contracted following softer US economic data that tilted Fed pause expectations higher. Options traders are aggressively buying calls, with a 7.31 call-to-put ratio and over 9,100 contracts trading across August 2026 expirations at strikes $20–$22.50, signaling conviction in a near-term bounce. Watch the $20 strike on August 14 expiry as a key technical flashpoint; open interest suggests fresh positioning ahead of potential economic releases.