Strike price selection is one of the 3-required skills when selling covered calls or cash-secured puts. This article will highlight the choices and rationale for our decisions when selling puts for World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) on 9/24/2018. Bullish price chart for WWE Option-selling lowers our cost-basis and therefore we make […]

Strike Price Selection When Selling Cash-Secured Puts: A Real-Life Example with WWE
Posted on March 9, 2019 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Put-selling, Stock Option Strategies, Technical Analysis

Evaluating an Initial Covered Call Writing Portfolio
Posted on November 17, 2018 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Investing, Stock Option Strategies, Technical Analysis
Setting up our covered call writing and put-selling portfolios requires common sense analysis once our watch lists have been established. Considerations include proper stock and industry diversification, appropriate cash allocation to each position and. strike selection that will maximize our returns and reflect personal risk-tolerance and overall market assessment. In this article, I will dissect […]

Selecting Deep In-The-Money Strikes: A Real-Life Example
Posted on April 21, 2018 by Alan Ellman in Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Option selection is the second required skill when selling call and put options. On 9/26/2017, George shared with me a trade he executed with Biogen, Inc. (BIIB). An in-the-money strike was sold and share price immediately accelerated. George was inquiring about how deep in-the-money (ITM) the strike prices should be set. George’s initial trade […]

Seeking the Highest Option Premiums is a Losing Strategy
Posted on February 10, 2018 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
One of the common mistakes made by covered call writers and put-sellers is to make investment decisions based primarily on the highest premium returns. Certainly, we all want to generate the highest levels of success but only when factoring in the risk we will be incurring. This article will look at high premium returns from […]

Using Technical Indicators to Assist with Strike Selection
Posted on June 3, 2017 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies, Technical Analysis
When selling covered call or put options, strike price selection is one of the three required skills. Here are the main factors we evaluate when determining which strike price to select: Overall market assessment Personal risk tolerance Return goals Technical price chart In this article, we will focus in on the technical parameters that will […]

Using Out-Of-The-Money Puts and In-The-Money Calls to Manage Bear Markets
Posted on January 16, 2016 by Alan Ellman in Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Put-selling, Stock Option Strategies
Strike price selection should be a focus when selling call and put options. With the stock market bearish and volatile at the start of 2016, this article will highlight how such choices will offer significant protection while still allowing for compelling returns. The stock I selected to demonstrate the main points is Adobe Systems, Inc., […]

“Moneyness” Of Call And Put Options: Understanding Strike Prices
Posted on October 4, 2014 by Alan Ellman in Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Strike price selection is such a key part of options trading basics and options calculations. There are 3 types of strike prices for both put and call options: in-the-money, at-the-money (and the closely related near-the-money) and out-of-the-money. Moneyness tells option holders whether exercising will lead to a profit. Moneyness looks at the value of an option […]

Achieving The Highest Covered Call Writing Returns Using The Blackjack Analogy
Posted on March 1, 2014 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Covered call writers and all investors using stock options strategies have one thing in common: we all want to achieve the highest possible returns within the framework of our own personal risk tolerance. The focus of this site and The Blue Collar Investor is to provide the education and to share ideas that will help […]

Selecting A Specific Strike Price For Our Covered Call Positions
Posted on February 15, 2014 by Alan Ellman in Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
We must master strike price selection to maximize our covered call writing returns. In our BCI methodology, strike price selection is ultimately determined after our careful stock screening analysis and overall market assessment. By developing a watchlist of eligible candidates with elite fundamentals and strong price chart technicals along with passing our common sense screens […]

Selling Deep Out Of The Money Covered Call Options
Posted on September 21, 2013 by Alan Ellman in Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
Strike price selection is a critical concept needed to master covered call writing. Selling in-the-money strikes is the most conservative approach to this strategy and selling out-of-the-money strikes is the most bullish. We use the latter when the overall market is bullish and chart technicals are bullish and confirming. Once we have decided that a […]
Podcast
- 99. Anatomy of a Reverse Stock Split
- 98. Analyzing LEAPS Options for the Poor Man's Covered Call
- 97. Managing Our Poor Man's Covered Call Trades When Share Price Drops Substantially
- 96. Protecting Our Covered Call Trades: Protective Puts and In-the-Money Strikes
- 95. Covered Call Writing to Generate Premium and Dividend Income
- 94. Covered Call Writing Net Debit Limit Orders
- 93. WHEN CALL STRIKES MOVE DEEP ITM EARLY IN A CONTRACT
- 92. Selling Deep OTM Cash-Secured Puts to Create High-Probability Returns
- 91. Portfolio Overwriting Analyzed
- 90. Entering a Collar Trade
Subscribe To Our Free Newsletter
Categories
- Ask Alan (14)
- Covered Call Exit Strategies (206)
- Exchange-Traded Funds (59)
- Exit Strategies (202)
- Fundamental Analysis (44)
- Investment Basics (528)
- Just Alan (6)
- Option Trading Basics (542)
- Options Calculations (367)
- Options Trade Execution (189)
- paper trading (4)
- Podcasts (102)
- Put-selling (84)
- Stock Investing (114)
- Stock Option Strategies (497)
- Stock Trading & Taxes (19)
- Technical Analysis (47)
- Uncategorized (20)
Recent Posts
- BCI PODCAST 100: Analyzing LEAPS for The Poor Man’s Covered call Strategy (PMCC)
- Technical Analysis for Options: A Real-Life Example with Deckers Outdoor Corp. (NYSE: DECK)
- Establishing 84% Probability of Success Put Trades in Bear Markets
- How to Calculate Dividends into Our Covered Call Writing Calculations
Premium Membership
How Alan Got Started with Stock Options
Why Covered Call Options May Be Your Best Investing Strategy
Nasdaq Interviews Alan Ellman
© 2020 The Blue Collar Investor. All Rights Reserved.
Beginners Corner Enhanced & Updated
- Lesson 1: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing: 2nd Edition
- Lesson 2: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing- 2nd Edition: Option Basics
- Lesson 3: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing- Stock Selection
- Lesson 4: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing-2nd Edition
- Lesson 5: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing
- Lesson 6: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing
- Lesson 7: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing: 2nd Edition
- Lesson 8: Beginner's Corner for Covered Call Writing
- Video 9: Premium Membership
Beginners Corner Selling-Puts
- Lesson 1: What Is Puts Selling?
- Lesson 2: Puts-Selling Option Basics
- Lesson 3:puts-selling-technical analysis
- Lesson 4:puts-selling-Common Sense Considerations
- Lesson 5:puts-selling-Calculating Returns
- Lesson 6:puts-selling-Executing Put-Selling
- Lesson 7:puts-selling- Exit Strategies
- Lesson 8:puts-selling-Mastering Put-Selling
Recent Comments