The Significance of Breakeven When Constructing Our Poor Man’s Covered Call (PMCC) Trades: A Real-Life Example with International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM)

The Significance of Breakeven When Constructing Our Poor Man’s Covered Call (PMCC) Trades: A Real-Life Example with International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM)

Nov 26, 2022 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies

The PMCC Strategy involves buying LEAPS call options (expirations 1 – 2 years out) and selling short-term call options against the long position. The technical term is a long call diagonal debit spread. In our BCI methodology, the trade construction must meet a...
Entering and Adjusting Our Covered Call Trades Using the BCI Trade Management Calculator: A Real-Life Example with WBA

Entering and Adjusting Our Covered Call Trades Using the BCI Trade Management Calculator: A Real-Life Example with WBA

Nov 19, 2022 | Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies

Entering, managing and archiving our covered call writing and put-selling trades are critical to our overall success as well as allowing us to learn and benefit from our investment history. To demonstrate how to achieve a high level of organization and management of...
20%/10% Guidelines: “Hitting a Double” in the Same Day: A Real-Life Example with Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP)

20%/10% Guidelines: “Hitting a Double” in the Same Day: A Real-Life Example with Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLP)

Nov 12, 2022 | Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies

After entering our covered call writing trades, we immediately enter our 20%/10% BTC (buy-to-close), GTC (good-until-cancelled) limit orders. If and when these thresholds are reached (resulting from share price decline) are short calls will be closed (bought back). At...
Why Did Option Value Decline After Stock Price Accelerated? A Real-Life Example with United Health Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH)

Why Did Option Value Decline After Stock Price Accelerated? A Real-Life Example with United Health Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH)

Nov 4, 2022 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies

We, as covered call writers and sellers of cash-secured puts, are on the sell-side of options. Every so often, I receive interesting emails with educational value from members who buy options. On 4/21/2022, Kevin shared with a trade he executed with UNH where share...
Evaluating Pre- and Post-Market Opening Calculations; A Real-Life Example with The Simply Good Foods Company: (Nasdaq: SMPL)

Evaluating Pre- and Post-Market Opening Calculations; A Real-Life Example with The Simply Good Foods Company: (Nasdaq: SMPL)

Oct 29, 2022 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies

Preparing for our initial covered call writing and cash-secured put trades starts pre-market. After developing a watchlist of eligible securities, we turn to the option-chains to determine if initial time-value returns align with our stated goals. Market-makers will...