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Tag Archives: option chain
technical analysis

An Annualized Return of 5000% and Feeling Miserable: Interpreting Our Covered Call Trades

Whether we are using covered call writing, put-selling or any other investment strategy, investor interpretation of results is an interesting topic to analyze. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? On October 5th, 2018, Gene wrote me about two covered call positions he was holding and expressed deep concern over the status of those trades. This […]

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option liquidity and bid-ask spreads

After-Hours Bid – Ask Spreads Can Be Deceiving

One of the BCI guidelines for selling covered call and cash-secured put options is that we require a bid-ask spread of $0.30 or less and/or an open interest of 100 contracts or more. Typically, options with large open interest will also be associated with smaller spreads. This makes it easier to close short positions at […]

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covered call writing option

Increasing Capital Gains When Selling Stock: Another Use for Covered call Writing

Covered call writing is a low-risk option-selling strategy typically used to generate monthly cash flow. When we capture call premium into our brokerage accounts, we are lowering our cost basis thereby increasing the opportunities for successful trades. This strategy can also be crafted to increase our capital gains (or decrease capital losses) when we decide […]

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covered call writing calculations

Covered Call Writing with Only One Security

Diversification is one of the key common-sense requirements when selling covered calls or cash-secured puts. When using individual stocks, the BCI guidelines are a minimum requirement of 5 different stocks in 5 different industries where any one position cannot represent more than 20% of our entire portfolio.  We can use fewer securities when using exchange-traded […]

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covered call writing calculations

Strike Selection for Portfolio Overwriting Low Cost-Basis Stocks

Portfolio Overwriting is covered call writing using existing long-term buy-and-hold securities. It implies low cost-basis shares, dividend-bearing stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Since we don’t want our shares called away while generating additional option premium, cash flow decisions must be made on the best strike prices to select for our short calls. What is the […]

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covered call writing strike price selection

In-The-Money Call Strikes: Intrinsic Value Protects Time Value

Strike price selection is one of the 3 required skills for covered call writing and put-selling. When we sell in-the-money call options we are protecting our positions to the downside while still generating the time value initial profits we have established in our strategy goals. In return, we are relinquishing any opportunity to generate additional […]

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covered strangle strategy

The Covered Strangle: Selling Both Call and Put Options while Owning the Underlying Stock

Why not sell both covered calls and cash-secured puts on the same stock? I’ve been asked this question numerous times. There is actually a strategy that incorporates both BCI go-to strategies into one overall game plan. It is known as the covered strangle.   Components of the covered strangle Buy stock Sell call option Sell […]

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Beware of High Premium Returns

Covered call writers and put-sellers must set goals regarding targeted premium returns before entering trades. These objectives are based on personal risk tolerance, market assessment and chart technicals. One of the most flagrant mistakes made by option sellers is to make trade decisions based on the highest premium returns. Covered call writing and put-selling are […]

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covered call writing option premiums

Exercise Of Options From The Call Buyer’s Perspective

Since we are selling call and put options we know there are traders or market makers who are buying them. In this article we will explore why only about 10% of all call options are actually exercised by the option holders even when the holders want to own the underlying shares.   Why are call […]

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covered call writing and early exercise

Early Exercise: I Don’t Want To Sell My AAPL Shares

Covered call writing obligates us to sell our shares to the option buyer at any time up to 4PM ET on expiration Friday should the buyer choose to exercise those options. That is the definition of American Style options, the type we are dealing with when selling options against stocks and ETFs.  The buyer is in […]

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