Exit strategies for our covered call writing and put-selling portfolios allow us to mitigate potential losses and enhance gains to even higher levels. In my books and DVDs, I detail the 20%/10% guidelines as one of the exit strategies available to us for both strategies. Although the name is the same, the circumstances are different […]
Comparing the Cost-to-Close with Initial Trade Goal
When we enter our covered call trades, we make our stock and option selection based on our initial time-value return goal (2% – 4% for 1-month expirations in my case). If the strike moves deep in-the-money as share price accelerates, we may consider closing both legs of the trade or rolling the option out or […]
Protective Puts and The Poor Man’s Covered Call
The Poor Man’s Covered Call (PMCC) is a covered call writing-like strategy where the underlying security is a LEAPS options (1 -2 years expirations) rather than the stock itself. The technical term is a long call diagonal debit spread. Since the cost of the option is lower than the price of the stock, the return […]
Comparing ITM Calls and OTM Puts in Bear Markets
Covered call writing and selling cash-secured puts are both outstanding low-risk strategies that can outperform the overall market on a consistent basis. I am on record as favoring covered call writing in normal to bull markets and include put-selling in bear markets. In normal to bull markets, covered call writing gives us the flexibility to […]
Realized Versus Unrealized Capital Gains: A Real-Life Example with GWRE
Covered call writing calculations include initial and final computations. Since our trades incorporate both long stock and short option positions, it can become confusing when determining final capital gains (losses). In July 2019, Ralph shared with me a covered call trade he executed with Guidewire Software, Inc. (NYSE: GWRE). He sold an out-of-the-money (OTM) strike […]
Should I Unwind My Covered Call Trade 1 Week Prior to Contract Expiration?: A Real-Life Example with Alibaba Group
Covered call writing exit strategies are critical to our overall success. There are times, however, when the best action is no action at all. On July 25th 2019, Rob shared with me a successful trade he executed and was considering closing 1 week prior to the 8/2/2019 expiration. For an answer, we need to turn […]
Rolling Decisions on Expiration Friday: A Real-Life Example with Veeva Systems
Position management is the 3rd required skill for our covered call writing and put-selling success. On 7/19/2019, Larry shared with me a series of trades he executed with Veeva Systems Inc. (NYSE: VEEV). He astutely “hit a double” and was now looking to roll the option to the following month. Larry’s trades and inquiry (in […]
Evaluating Stock Purchase Price and Breakeven When Rolling Out-And-Up
When we write a covered call, our breakeven is stock purchase price – entire call premium. If we buy a stock for $48.00 and sell an option for $2.50, the breakeven is $45.50. In June 2019, John shared with me a series of trades he executed with Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT) where he wrote […]
Is This Trade a Winner or a Loser?: A Real-Life Example with XLE
Covered call writers must understand and evaluate the success (or lack thereof) of our trades. Simply stated, are they winners or losers? In June 2019, Van shared with me trades he executed with the exchange-traded fund (ETF), Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE: XLE). He was trying to categorize his trade as a winner or […]
Analyzing 4-Day and 2-Month Trades with XBI
Mario was generous in sharing his covered call writing trades with SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (NYSE: XBI). The trades were executed over a 2-month time-frame, the last of which was a 4-day Weekly option. Mario’s trades with XBI 4/17/2019: Buy XBI at $84.95 4/17/2019 – 6/2019: Sell calls and “hit doubles” to lower cost-basis […]
