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Friday, February 7, 2025

Established Covered Calls Position in Baker Hughes Company

A Covered Calls position was established this afternoon (with less than 30 minutes prior to the market close) in Baker Hughes Company (ticker symbol BKR) when the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order at $44.60 was executed.  Five hundred shares were purchased at $46.26 and 5 February 21st, 2025 Call options were sold at $1.66 per share at the $45.00 strike price.  The corresponding extrinsic value (i.e. time value) was $.40 per share [$1.66 Call options premium - ($46.26 stock purchase price - $45.00 strike price)], all of which will be profit if the stock is assigned (either by early assignment next Thursday on the last business day prior to next Friday's February 14th ex-dividend date or at the February 21st options expiration date).

At today's purchase price, the upcoming ex-dividend of $.23 on February 14th has a 2.0% annualized dividend yield.  The Implied Volatility of the Call options was 22.9 which (as preferred by the Covered Calls Advisor) is above the current 16.5 of the S&P 500 Volatility Index (i.e. VIX) and the probability that this position will be in-the-money on the 2/21/2025 options expiration date was 71.3% when this position was established.

This relatively short-term (only 14 days until options expiration) position is established to take advantage of the potential to achieve a high annualized return-on-investment in a position that meets all nine criteria of the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy (see table below at the end of this post).  Baker Hughes is among several attractively priced companies at present in the Oil and Gas Equipment and Services industry.  It appeared today in four of my stock screeners including my Quality+Value+Growth screener where all 17 filters are met:

As detailed below, two potential return-on-investment results are: 

  •  +0.9% absolute return (equivalent to +46.0% annualized return for the next 7 days) if the stock is assigned early on the day prior to next Friday's ex-dividend date); OR 
  • +1.4% absolute return (equivalent to +36.4% annualized return over the next 14 days) if the stock is assigned on the February 21st options expiration date.

Baker Hughes Company (BKR) -- New Covered Calls Position
The buy/write transaction was:
2/7/2025 Bought 500 Baker Hughes shares @ $46.26
2/7/2025 Sold 5 BKR 2/21/2025 $45.00 Call options @ $1.66 per share.
2/14/2025 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.23 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this Baker Hughes Company Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $22,303.35
= ($46.26 - $1.66) * 500 shares + $3.35 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$826.65
= ($1.66 * 500 shares) - $3.35 commission
(b) Dividend Income (If option exercised early on February 13th, the last business day prior to the Feb. 14th ex-div date): +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If Baker Hughes stock assigned at the February 21st, 2025 options expiration date, in which case the $.23 dividend is captured): +$115.00
= ($.23 dividend per share x 500 shares)
(c) Capital Appreciation (If BKR Call options assigned early on 2/13/2025): -$630.00
+($45.00 - $46.26) * 500 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If shares assigned at $45.00 strike price at the 2/21/2025 options expiration date): -$630.00
+($45.00 - $46.26) * 500 shares

1. Total Net Profit [If option exercised on 2/13/2025 (business day prior to the 2/14/2025 ex-dividend date)]: +$196.65
= (+$826.65 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$630.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If Baker Hughes shares assigned at $45.00 on the August 21st, 2025 options expiration date): +$311.65
= (+$826.65 +$115.00 -$630.00)

1. Absolute Return-on-Investment [If option exercised on Feb. 13th (business day prior to the ex-dividend date)]: +0.9%
= +$196.65/$22,303.35
Annualized Return-on-Investment (If option exercised early): +46.0%
= (+$196.65/$22,303.35) * (365/7 days); or
2. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Baker Hughes shares assigned at $45.00 at the 2/21/18/2025 options expiration date): +1.4%
= +$311.65/$22,303.35
Annualized Return-on-Investment (If BKR shares assigned at $45.00 at the Feb. 21st, 2025 options expiration date): +36.4%
= (+$311.65/$22,303.35) * (365/14 days)

Either outcome provides an attractive return-on-investment result for this Baker Hughes Company investment.  These returns will be achieved as long as the stock is above the $45.00 strike price at assignment.  If the stock declines below the strike price, the breakeven price of $44.37 ($46.26 -$1.66 -$.23) provides a 4.1% downside protection below today's stock purchase price.

At least eight of the nine metrics used in the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy spreadsheet must be 'YES' prior to establishing a position.  As shown below with this Baker Hughes position, all nine criteria are achieved.


Monday, February 3, 2025

Closed Covered Calls Positions in Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and Dell Technologies Inc.

Last Friday, the Covered Calls positions in Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ticker ANF) and Dell Technologies Inc. (ticker DELL) closed out-of-the-money, so their Call options expired and their shares remained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.  Today I decided to close out both positions by selling the 300 shares of Abercrombie at $115.20 and the 300 shares of DELL at $100.20. The transactions history for these positions and their associated return-on-investment results are detailed below.


1. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (ANF) -- Closed Out the Covered Calls Position

The Buy/Write limit order was executed as follows:
1/16/2025 Bought 300 shares of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. stock @ $128.35 per share.  
1/16/2025 Sold 3 A&F January 31st, 2025 $120.00 Call options @ $10.37 per share.
1/31/2025 Three Call options expired out-of-the-money with stock at $119.38 per share and the 300 ANF shares remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
2/3/2025 Closed out this ANF Covered Calls position by selling the 300 remaining shares at $115.20. 

The overall performance result (including commissions) for this Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Covered Calls position is as follows:
Stock Purchase Cost: $35,396.01
= ($128.35 - $10.37) *300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit:
(a) Options Income: +$3,108.99
= ($10.37 *300 shares) - $2.01 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00

(c) Capital Appreciation: -$3,945.00

+($115.20 - $128.35) * 300 shares


Total Net Loss: -$836.01 
= (+$3,108.99 options income +$0.00 dividend income - $3,945.00) capital appreciation
 
Absolute Return-on-Investment: -2.4%
= -$836.01/$35,396.01
Annualized Return-on-Investment: -47.9%
= (-$836.01/$35,396.01) * (365/18 days)


2. Dell Technologies Inc. (DELL) -- Closed Out the Covered Calls Position
The simultaneous buy/write transaction was:
1/14/2025 Bought 300 Dell Technologies Inc. shares @ $110.04.
1/14/2025 Sold 3 DELL 1/31/2025 $105.00 Call options @ $6.86 per share.
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Call options was 37.6 when this position was established.
1/22/2025 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.445 per share.
1/31/2025 Three Call options expired out-of-the-money with stock at $103.60 per share and the 300 DELL shares remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
2/3/2025 Closed out this DELL Covered Calls position by selling the 300 remaining shares at $100.20. 

The overall performance results (including commissions) for this Dell Technologies Inc. Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $30,956.01
= ($110.04 - $6.86) * 300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$2,055.99
= ($6.86 * 300 shares) - $2.01 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$133.50
= ($.445 dividend per share x 300 shares)

(c) Capital Appreciation: -$2,952.00
+($100.20 - $110.04) * 300 shares

Total Net Loss: -$762.51
= (+$2,055.99 options income + $133.50 dividend income - $2,952.00 capital appreciation)

Absolute Return-on-Investment: -2.5%
= -$762.51/$30,956.01
Annualized Return-on-Investment: -45.0%
= (-$762.51/$30,956.01) * (365/20 days)

Friday, January 31, 2025

Established Covered Calls in Jefferies Financial Group Inc.

This afternoon, a Covered Calls position was established in Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (ticker JEF) with the purchase of 200 shares at $76.36 per share and two February 21st, 2025 monthly Call options were sold for $4.60 per share at the $72.50 strike price.  An in-the-money Covered Calls positions was established with the probability that the Calls will expire in-the-money on the 2/21/2025 options expiration date was 77.5%.  In addition to the $.74 potential time value decay profit at assignment for this position, Jefferies also goes ex-dividend at $.40 per share (2.1% dividend yield) on February 14th which is prior to the February 21st options expiration date -- so this dividend is included in the potential return-on-investment results detailed below.  As I prefer, the next quarterly earnings report on March 26th, 2025 is after the February 21st options expiration date.


Two potential return-on-investment results are: (a) +1.1% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +28.9% annualized return-on-investment for the next 14 days) if the stock is assigned early on February 13th (the last trading day prior to the February 14th, 2025 ex-dividend date); OR (b) +1.6% absolute return (equivalent to +27.6% annualized return over the next 21 days) if the stock is assigned on the February 21st, 2025 options expiration date. 



Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) -- New Covered Calls Position

The simultaneous buy/write transaction was as follows:
1/31/2025 Bought 200 shares of Jefferies Financial stock @ $76.36 per share.  
1/31/2025 Sold 2 JEF Feb. 21st, 2025 $72.50 Call options @ $4.60 per share.
2/14/2024 Upcoming ex-dividend of $.40 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) would be as follows:
Covered Calls Net Investment: $14,353.34
= ($76.36 - $4.60) * 200 shares + $1.34 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$920.00
= ($4.60 * 200 shares)
(b) Dividend Income (If Jefferies shares assigned on 2/13/2025, the business day prior to the 2/14/2025 ex-dividend date): = +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If Jefferies shares assigned at the 2/21/2025 options expiration): +$80.00
= $.40 per share x 200 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If Jefferies shares assigned early on 2/14/2025): -$772.00
= ($72.50 strike price - $76.36 stock purchase price) * 200 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If JEF shares assigned with stock above the $72.50 strike price at the Feb. 21st options expiration date): -$772.00
= ($72.50 - $76.36) * 200 shares

1. Potential Net Profit (If Jefferies shares assigned on the Feb. 14th ex-dividend date): +$148.00
= (+$920.00 options income +$0.00 dividend income - $772.00 capital appreciation)
2. Potential Net Profit (If Jefferies stock price is above the $72.50 strike price at the Feb. 21st options expiration): +$228.00
= (+$920.00 options income +$80.00 dividend income - $772.00 capital appreciation)

1. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Jefferies shares assigned early on the Feb. 14th, 2025 ex-dividend date): +1.1%
= +$148.00/$14,353.34
Equivalent Annualized Return-on-Investment (If assigned early): +28.9%
= (+$148.00/$14,353.34) * (365/14 days)

2. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Jefferies stock price is above the $72.50 strike price at the December 21st options expiration): +1.6%
= +$228.00/$14,353.34
Equivalent Annualized Return-on-Investment (If assigned on the 2/21/2025 options expiration date): +27.6%
= (+$228.00/$14,353.34) * (365/21 days)

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Covered Calls Position Closed in Nvidia Corporation

Today I closed out my Covered Calls position in Nvidia Corporation (NVDA).  The position was unwound by selling-to-close the 300 shares and simultaneously buying-to-close the 3 January 31st, 2025 $130.00 Call options.  Because of the Deepseek AI announcement, Nvidia stock has declined by 10.8% since I purchased it two weeks ago.  The net loss on this position was $2,198.40 and the detailed transactions history and return-on-investment results are provided below.

 
Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) -- Covered Calls Position Closed

The buy/write market order transaction was as follows:
1/16/2025 Bought 300 Nvidia Corporation shares at $134.61.
1/16/2025 Sold 3 NVDA 1/31/2025 $130.00 Call options @ $7.25 per share.  The Implied Volatility of the Calls was 39.9 when these Calls were sold.
1/30/2025 Closed out this NVDA Covered Calls position by selling-to-close 300 NVDA shares @ $120.3154 per share and buying-to-close 3 Jan. 31st, 2025 $130.00 Calls @ $.27 per share.

The overall performance result (including commissions) for this Nvidia Corporation Covered Calls position is as follows:
Covered Calls Net Investment: $38,210.01
= ($134.61 - $7.25) * 300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit:
(a) Options Income: +$2,089.98
= ($7.25 Calls sell-to-open price - $.27 Calls Buy-to-close price) * 300 shares - $4.02 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation: -$4,288.38
+($120.3154 stock sell-to-close price - $134.61 stock purchase price) * 300 shares

Total Net Loss: -$2,198.40
= (+$2,089.98 options income + $0.00 dividend income - $4,288.38 capital loss on sale of stock)

Absolute Return-on-Investment: -5.8%
= -$2,198.40/$38,210.01
Potential Annualized Return-on-Investment: -150.0%
= (-$2,198.40/$38,210.01) * (365/14 days)