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Tag Archives: early exercise
covered call writing and dividends

Early Exercise Due to Dividend Capture: Theoretical and Practical Applications

When we write a covered call option we are obligated to sell our shares at any time from the option sale to contract expiration if the option buyer decides to take possession of our shares. This is because we are dealing with American Style options. European Style options (apply mainly to indexes, not stocks) can […]

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dividend capture and covered call writing

Combining Dividend Capture with Covered Call Writing: Pros and Cons

Why not use covered call writing with only dividend-bearing stocks to generate three income streams; option premium, share appreciation to the (out-of-the-money) call  strike plus the dividend itself? This article will explore the pros and cons of this approach to covered call writing.   Strategy theory We screen for stocks that have ex-dividend  dates  (also […]

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early exercise of stocks options

Reasons for Early Exercise

Our covered call writing and put-selling options can be exercised at any time from the moment we sell these options until 4 PM ET on expiration Friday. This is the definition of American Style Options, the type associated with our stocks and exchange-traded funds. Early exercise (prior to contract expiration) is rare because option holders […]

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Over-Trading Our Option Positions: Good for Brokers, Not Good For Us

Exit strategies for covered call writing are essential for achieving the highest levels of success. In the BCI methodology, we have a series of guidelines that assist us in determining which position management techniques should be instituted and when we should consider them. Not taking appropriate action when responses to changes in our stock and option positions […]

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Covered call writing option basics

Option Prices: The Role Of Interest Rates And Dividends

Mastering options trading basics includes understanding the factors that impact our option premiums. The original Black Scholes pricing model was designed to evaluate European Style options which can only be exercised on expiration Friday, not earlier. Here is a brief summary of the factors considered in these original pricing models:   These four main factors […]

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In-the-money strikes and early exercise

When And Why Will My In-The-Money Strike Be Exercised?

Covered call writers receive option premiums for undertaking the obligation to sell our shares to the option holder if that holder decides to exercise that right. Understanding when and why exercise will take place is critical to the implementation of appropriate exit strategies and therefore maximizing our option and stock profits. Let’s first look at […]

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Using LEAPS to increase dividend yield

Using LEAPS Covered Calls to Increase Dividend Yield

Innovative covered call writers can develop ideas of implementing a strategy in unconventional ways. For example, we can invest in a money market or CD and perhaps not even beat the inflation rate with those dividends. We can buy a quality bond and wait six months to receive our first (ho-hum) return. Covered call writers can […]

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