The simplest option play in the book, and too juicy to pass up ... . Metrics: Probability of Profit: 65% Max Profit: $100 Max Loss/Buying Power Effect: $800, assuming you do nothing and the stock goes to zero/broker dependent Break Even: $8.00 Notes: I got this filled earlier today for a 1.00 ($100) credit. It's still going for .96 at the mid price, however.
Putting this on a touch early ... . High implied volatility rank/high implied volatility in advance of earnings. I'm looking for a volatility crush after earnings announcement and, of course, bullish or sideways movement ... . Metrics: Probability of Profit: 74% Max Profit: $48/contract Max Loss/Buying Power Effect: $1402 (assuming the stock goes to 0, and you...
Okay, so there's other "big pharma" that I like wayyy better than Valeant (e.g., BMY, GILD). The problem is that BMY and GILD are more expensive and don't have the implied volatility that VRX has (for obvious reasons: they don't have as many "warts" as VRX). Nevertheless, I'm watching VRX here because its implied volatility is so high (>100%), which makes...
Here, I'm looking to sell a touch of premium in an underlying that has both high implied volatility rank (99.6%) and high background implied volatility (99.2%). Metrics: Probability of Profit: 70% Max Profit: $85/contract Buying Power Effect: Varies by Broker.* Break Even: 10.15 Notes: I'll shoot to take this off at 50% max profit. However, I could also see...
I've never played this particular broad market ETF, but it beats trading SPY et al. here, particularly since you can get a 1.00 in credit out of a short put in an sub-$50 underlying ... . Metrics: Probability of Profit: 76% Max Profit: $101/contract Max Loss: Undefined (it would be $4499 if the ETF went to zero and you did absolutely nothing) Break Even:...
I figured I'd clean up this setup a little bit on the chart to show what's going on with this trade a little more clearly, since we're running into opex, and I'll have to do something with it here shortly. I also for mapping out what I'm going to do if price does certain things relative to my cost basis and original stock purchase price. The trade originally...
Here, I'm just trying to suck in a little bit of premium without being all in on the stock ... . (Filled for a .64 ($64)/contract credit). As usual, I'm selling the strike nearest 30 delta. I'm fine with getting assigned at 13 (after which I'd proceed to sell calls against), but would naturally prefer cheaper, so will keep an eye out for opportunities to roll...
Looking to either (a) keep the premium; (b) get put the stock cheaper, after which I'll proceed to sell calls against ... . Metrics: Probability of Profit: 75% P50: 84% Max Profit: $59/contract Break Even: 13.41
Having the highest implied volatility of all the SPDR's currently, I'm looking to sell a small amount of premium here at the 30 delta strike approximately 45 DTE as a possible alternative to doing a covered call in a mining underlying (such as GDX, GDXJ, KGC, AUY, HL, etc.). Here are the metrics: Probability of Profit: 74% P50: 89% Max Profit: .66...
Here, I'm looking to sell some premium at or around the 30 delta strike (this one's at the 25 delta). Probability of Profit: 70% Max Profit: $132/contract Break Even: 23.68 Notes: The notion here is either to keep the premium received if price stays above $25 into expiration or roll the option down and out for additional credit if it doesn't. I'm not sure at...
My "guess" is that AMD will not hold onto this level (I briefly considered going "monied" with the short call with the covered call setup, selling the 7 strike instead of the 8). However. implied volatility is fairly high here (64.6%), and my mechanical approach to most of these setups is basically to "ditch the guessing" and pull the trigger; price will go where...
I already have a covered call on in this little fella, but thought I'd sell some more premium here while I can. I'll either reduce cost basis further in the stock I already have or, push comes to shove, get assigned at 5, which I'm fine with. Filled for a .68 ($68)/contract credit ... .
I generally don't like to ride broncos right out of the stall, but I might make an exception here ... . This is because the Oct 21st 45 short put is currently bid 3.00, ask 3.80 (mid 3.40). That's $340 in premium for a one contract 58 and change underlying ... . Alternatives: Sept 16th 45 short put: bid .95, ask 1.11, mid 1.03. Oct 21st 40 short put: bid...
Here, I'm just looking to sell a little premium in the highest implied volatility, broad market underlying there is out there at the moment -- the Brazil exchange-traded fund, EWZ. The Olympics, after all, are over, and no doubt body parts will be washing up again soon on Copacabana beach, PBR will be undergoing yet another corruption/fraud/you-name-it scandal,...
Covered Call Metrics: Buy 100 shares stock at 13.68 Sell Oct 21st 14 call Whole Package: 12.36 db Max Profit: $164 (if called away at $14) ROC: 13.3% Alternative: Sell Oct 21st 12 put Probability of Profit: 71% Max Profit: $70 (if filled at the mid price) Max Loss: $1140 (if you do nothing and stock goes to $0 by expiration) Notes: The short put play would be...
Over the years, I have been strategically acquiring stock in SPY and selling calls against to reduce my cost basis in that stock. However, given the fact that SPY looks a bit "stretched" here, I thought I would look to be a little smarter about acquiring and look to "divide and conquer" the market by acquiring in individual sectors instead of the market as a...
... for a .91 ($91) credit ... . Here are the metrics: Probability of Profit: 76% Max Profit: $91/contract Max Loss/Buying Power Effect: Undefined/$175/contract Break Even: 16.59 Notes: I'll look to take this off at 50% max profit. Not interested in being married to a position with this cluster of a company ... .
With broad market volatility abysmally low (VIX <12), it's a game of hunt and peck for "diamonds in the rough" in terms of premium selling. For the most part, I'm looking for sub-$20 underlyings here with high implied volatility for either selling naked puts (bullish assumption) or initiating covered calls where the purchase of the stock, combined with selling...