Latest Insights in Stock Market Investing
Implied Volatility and Expected Price Movement of our Stocks During the Life of a Contract
Implied volatility (IV) is directly related to the value of the premiums we receive when selling covered call and put options. The more volatile the underlying security, the greater the premium and risk exposure. I have written quite a bit about IV over the years and...
Delta as the Sole Criteria for Covered Call Writing Strike Selection
Strike selection is the second required skill when writing covered call options or selling cash-secured puts. Over the years I have been asked to suggest a specific Delta for strike selection implying that this statistic would be the sole criterion to determine strike...
Rolling Up in the Same Contract Month: A Real-Life Example with KMX
Position management or exit strategies for covered call writing and selling puts is the third required skill to achieve the highest possible return levels (stock and option selection are the first two). First, we must determine if an exit strategy opportunity actually...
Rolling Deep OTM Puts to a Higher Strike: A Viable Mid-Contract Strategy?
After selling an out-of-the-money (OTM) cash-secured put and then stock price accelerates substantially, the put value will decline. Share price and put value are inversely-related. This allows us to take advantage of our 20%/10% put-selling guidelines exit strategy...
Why Was My Short Out-Of-The-Money Put Exercised?
When we sell covered calls or cash-secured puts, we understand that if a strike ends up in-the-money at expiration, that option will be exercised over the weekend and shares will be sold or purchased depending on the option type (for calls, our shares are sold; for...
Converting a Covered Call Trade to a Collar Trade: An Analysis Using ALXN
When we sell and in-the-money or at-the-money strike and share price moves up substantially, we have an unrealized maximum return. On 4/5/2019, Doug wrote to me about such a situation he was in with Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN). He was considering...
Stock Selection: Using Secondary Parameters from Our Premium Stock Reports
Stock selection is the first of 3-required skills essential to become an elite option-seller. Option selection and position management are the other two. On 3/31/2019, Sunny wrote to me inquiring about 2 stocks, Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EW) and Regeneron...
Can We Manage Our In-The-Money Strikes to Create a No-Risk Investment Strategy?
Covered call writing is a low-risk cash-generating strategy. It is not a no-risk strategy. As we become educated and master the 3-required skills (stock selection, option selection and position management), it is understandable why BCI members try to figure out...
Timing Our Covered Call Trades: The Best Time to Sell Our Options After Buying the Stock
The goals of covered call writing include generating monthly cash flow and preserving capital. We use every fundamental, technical and common-sense principle available to maximize our profits and protect our cash. Paul A. previously sent me an excellent question that...
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The Blue Collar Investor was founded with a simple mission: to empower everyday individuals with the knowledge to invest wisely in the stock market. Our blog focuses on demystifying stock options, providing readers with the tools they need to succeed. We believe that anyone can learn to invest effectively, regardless of their background or experience.
Our story began when our founder Dr. Alan Ellman, realized the lack of accessible resources for average investors. Determined to bridge this gap, we created a platform that offers comprehensive guides, expert tips, and real-world strategies. Today, The Blue Collar Investor is a trusted resource for thousands of readers seeking to enhance their financial literacy and achieve their investment goals.

