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Monday, February 28, 2022

Covered Calls Established in Bank of America Corporation and Kraft Heinz Company

This afternoon, Covered Calls were established in Bank of America Corporation (ticker symbol BAC) and Kraft Heinz Company (KHC).  

1. For Bank of America, 500 shares were purchased at $43.89 and 5 March 18th, 2022 Call options were sold at $3.31 at the $41.00 strike price.  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's current cautious Overall Market Meter outlook, a moderately in-the-money Covered Calls position was established -- the Delta was 79.2, which closely approximates the probability that the Call options will be in-the-money on the options expiration date.  In addition, the Implied Volatility of the Calls was 36.7 when the position was established.   BAC's stock goes ex-dividend this Thursday (3/3/2022) at $.21 per share (1.9% annualized dividend yield).  There is no quarterly earnings report prior to the March 18th options expiration date.

Some key numbers for this Bank of America Covered Calls position are:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $20,293.35
Profit if Assigned on Expiration Date: $311.65
Days Until Expiration: 19
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.5%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +29.5%

 

2. For Kraft Heinz Company, 300 shares were purchased at $38.86 and 3 March 25th, 2022 Call options were sold at $1.48 at the $38.00 strike price.  The Delta was 62.8 and the Implied Volatility was 25.7 when this position was transacted. The stock goes ex-dividend on March 10th, 2022 at $.40 per share (4.1% annualized dividend yield).  There is no earnings report prior to the March 25th options expiration date.

Some key numbers for this Kraft Heinz Covered Calls position are:

Covered Calls Cost Basis: $13,580.01

(a) Profit if Assigned Early (on day before 3/10/2022 ex-dividend): $183.99
Days Until Ex-Dividend Date: 10
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.6%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +59.9%; OR

(b) Profit if Assigned on 3/25/2022 Expiration Date: $303.99
Days Until Expiration: 26
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +2.7%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +38.0%

Instead of showing the detailed calculations for the numbers highlighted above, the Covered Calls Advisor will now often present only some key numbers for newly established positions.  Occasionally, I will still provide the detailed calculations that you have been used to seeing so you can see how the return-on-investment calculations are made; but I hope you can appreciate my need to save some of the time required in typing these posts, which is more productively used in my investment reading and research activities. 

As always, I do encourage your email questions related to Covered Calls which I try to reply to expeditiously. 

Jeff Partlow--The Covered Calls Advisor
partlow@cox.net

Saturday, February 26, 2022

February 25th, 2022 Options Expiration Results

Yesterday, the February 25th, 2022 (a Weekly options expiration date) Covered Calls position in Schlumberger Ltd. (ticker SLB) expired in-the-money, so the 500 Schlumberger shares were assigned (i.e. sold) at the $37.00 strike price.  As detailed below, the return-on-investment (ROI) result was  +1.3% absolute return (equivalent to +40.3% annualized return-on-investment for the 12 days holding period).

Schlumberger Ltd. (SLB) -- Covered Calls Position Closed Out by Assignment on the Options Expiration Date
The simultaneous buy/write transaction today was as follows:
2/14/2022 Bought 500 Schlumberger shares @ $39.25
2/14/2022 Sold 5 SLB 2/25/2022 $37.00 Call options @ $2.74
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Calls was 47.0 when this transaction was executed.
2/25/2022 The Schlumberger Feb. 25th, 2022 $37.00 Covered Calls position closed at expiration in-the-money (the stock price was $39.45), so the 5 SLB options expired and 500 Schlumberger shares were sold at the $37.00 strike price.

The overall performance results (including commissions) for this Covered Calls position were as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $18,258.35
= ($39.25 - $2.74) * 500 shares + $3.35 commissions

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$1,366.65
= ($2.74 * 500 shares) - $3.35 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: $0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (Schlumberger shares assigned at $37.00 strike price at options expiration): -$1,125.00
+($37.00 - $39.25) * 500 shares

Total Net Profit: +$241.65
= (+$1,366.65 options income + $0.00 dividend income - $1,125.00 capital appreciation)
 
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.3%
= +$241.65/$18,258.35
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +40.3%
= (+$241.65/$18,258.35) *(365/12 days)

Friday, February 25, 2022

Continuation of Covered Call Position in Meta Platforms Inc.

The Covered Call position in Meta Platforms Inc.(FB) expired well out-of-the-money at last Friday's options expiration date. Today, this Meta Platforms Covered Call position was continued by selling 1 March 18th, 2022 $215.00 Call option at $5.90 per share against the 100 FB shares currently held.  I retain my original conviction when the position was established that Meta's valuation is attractive--so by continuing with this position, I am attempting to nurse this losing position back toward profitability. Details of this position's transactions to-date and two potential return-on-investment outcomes are provided below.
  
Meta Platforms Inc. (FB) -- Continuation of Covered Call Position
The Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order was transacted as follows:
2/3/2022 Bought 100 Meta Platforms shares @ $237.11
2/3/2022 Sold 1 Meta 2/18/2022 $225.00 Call option @ $18.74. 
2/18/2022 FB stock price was out-of-the-money (i.e. below the $225.00 strike price), so the option expired worthless and the 100 Meta shares were retained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
2/25/2022 Sold 1 Meta 3/18/2022 $215.00 Call option at $5.90 per share against the 100 Meta shares owned to continue this Covered Calls position.  Note: Meta's stock price was $208.90 when this transaction was executed.

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this Meta Platforms Covered Call position is as follows:
Covered Call Cost Basis: $21,837.67
= ($237.11 - $18.74) * 100 shares + $.67 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Option Income: +$2,462.66
= ($18.74 + $5.90) * 100 shares - $1.34 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If FB share price unchanged at $208.90 at options expiration date): -$2,821.00
+($208.90 - $237.11) * 100 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If FB shares assigned at $215.00 strike price at the 3/18/2022 options expiration date): -$2,211.00
+($215.00 - $237.11) * 100 shares

1. Total Net Profit (If Meta Platforms price unchanged at $208.90 at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$358.34
= (+$2,462.66 option income +$0.00 dividend income -$2,821.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If Meta Platforms shares assigned at $215.00 strike price at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): +$251.66
= (+$2,462.66 option income +$0.00 dividend income -$2,211.00 capital appreciation) 
 
1. Absolute Return-on-Investment  (If Meta shares price unchanged at $208.90 on the March 18th, 2022 expiration date): -1.6%
= -$358.34/$21,837.67
Annualized Return-on-Investment: -13.6%
= (-$358.34/$21,837.67) * (365/44 days); or
2. Absolute Return-on-Investment  (If Meta shares assigned at $215.00 on the March 18th, 2022 expiration date): +1.2%
= +$251.66/$21,837.67
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +9.6%
= (+$251.66/$21,837.67) * (365/44 days)

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Cash-Secured Put Position Established in Boeing Company

A new 100% Cash-Secured Put was sold in Boeing Company (ticker symbol BA) at the March 18th, 2022 $180.00 strike price at $5.20 per share.   The stock price was at $188.80 when this transaction occurred.   

The probability of the option expiring worthless on the March 18th expiration date was approximately 68% when this position was established and the Implied Volatility of this Put option was 48.6.

Some key numbers for this Boeing Cash-Secured Put position are:
Cash-Secured Put Cost Basis: $17,480.67
Profit if Stock Price Above $180 Strike Price on March 18th, 2022 Expiration Date: $519.33
Days Until Expiration: 23
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +2.97%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +47.1%

Regards and Godspeed,
Jeff Partlow (The Covered Calls Advisor)
partlow@cox.net

Cash-Secured Put Position Established in Mercado Libre Inc.

Shortly after market open today at 9:34am, one Cash-Secured Put was sold in Mercado Libre Inc. (ticker symbol MELI) at the March 18th, 2022 $800.00 strike price at $36.32 per share.   The stock price was at $863.52 when this transaction occurred which was 6.2% below yesterday's closing price of $920.57.  

Mercado Libre in Spanish translates to "Free Market" in English.  It has been on my watch list and I had established an $880 price alert with my broker (Schwab), who notified me by email immediately after the market open that MELI's price had declined below my specified price.  Worldwide stock markets opened with precipitous declines in immediate response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Mercado Libre's 6.2% decline at the open seems like an over-reaction since their business model in Latin America is unlikely to be substantially impacted.  Nevertheless, given my current Slightly Bearish Overall Market Meter outlook, a moderately out-of-the-money (i.e. strike price below the stock price) Cash-Secured Put position was established.  The probability of the option expiring worthless on the March 18th expiration date was 77.4% when this position was established.  The Implied Volatility of this Put option was 77.5 when the position was established--a very high level given that there is no quarterly earnings report prior to the options expiration date.

Mercado Libre is often referred to as the "Amazon of Latin America" because of their similar leading position in their fast-growing e-commerce and fintech payments business throughout Latin America.  But unlike Amazon, Mercado Libre does not have their own web services platform business.  According to Reuters Research, Mercado Libre has a solid Buy rating from the twenty-four analysts covering the company.  Seventeen analysts rate it as either Buy or Outperform, 7 rate it Neutral, and none rate it as either Underperform or Strong Sell.  Their current average target price is $1,663.57 which is +92.6% above its current price. 

Some key numbers for this Mercado Libre Cash-Secured Put position are:
Cash-Secured Put Cost Basis: $76,368.67
Profit if Stock Price Above $800 Strike Price on March 18th, 2022 Expiration Date: $3,631.33
Days Until Expiration: 23
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +4.75%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +75.5%

As always, I do encourage your email questions related to Covered Calls (and their synthetically equivalent Cash-Secured Puts). 

Regards and Godspeed,

Jeff Partlow (The Covered Calls Advisor)--partlow@cox.net

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Established Covered Calls in KeyCorp Inc. and Pioneer Natural Resources Company Using Dividend Capture Strategy

Covered Calls positions were established in KeyCorp Inc.(ticker symbol KEY) and Pioneer Natural Resources Company(PXD) when the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit orders were executed. For KeyCorp, 400 shares were purchased at $25.33 and 4 March 18th, 2022 Call options were sold at $1.57 at the $24.00 strike price.   For Pioneer Natural Resources, 100 shares were purchased at $224.8831 and 1 March 18th, 2022 Call option was sold at $17.32 at the $210.00 strike price.  

Given the Covered Calls Advisor's current cautious outlook, moderately in-the-money Covered Calls positions were established for both companies.  The Delta was 75.2 for the KeyCorp position and 78.5 for the Pioneer Natural Resources position and Delta approximates the probability that the Call options will be in-the-money on the options expiration date. In addition, there are upcoming ex-dividends of $.195 per share for KeyCorp next Monday on February 28th and a regular dividend of $.78 plus a special dividend of $3.00 per share for Pioneer Natural, both this Friday (February 25th.

Early assignment is very unlikely since the ex-dividends occur very soon (within the next 5 days for both positions) and the stocks would have to rise dramatically before then to cause the time value remaining in the Calls to decrease to a level that would incentivize the Call owners to exercise early on the day prior to the ex-dividend dates. Finally, and fortunately, there is no quarterly earnings report for either company prior to their March 18th, 2022 options expiration dates.

The transactions and potential return-on-investment results if the stocks are in-the-money at the March 18th options expiration for both positions are as follows: 

  • For KeyCorp Inc.: +1.8% absolute return (equivalent to +27.8% annualized return-on-investment for the next 24 days) if the stock is assigned on the March 18th options expiration date.
  • For Pioneer Natural Resources Company: +3.0% absolute return (equivalent to +43.7% annualized return-on-investment for the next 25 days) if the stock is assigned on the March 18th options expiration date.


1.  KeyCorp Inc. (KEY) -- New Covered Calls Position
The buy/write transaction was:
2/23/2022 Bought 400 KeyCorp shares @ $25.33
2/23/2022 Sold 4 KEY 03/18/2022 $24.00 Call options @ $1.57
Note: the Time Value (aka Extrinsic Value) in the Call options was $.24 per share = [$1.57 Call options premium - ($25.33 stock price - $24.00 strike price)]
2/28/2022 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.195 per share

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this KeyCorp Covered Calls position is as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $9,506.68
= ($25.33 - $1.57) * 400 shares + $2.68 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$628.00
= ($1.57 * 400 shares)
(b) Dividend Income (If KeyCorp stock assigned at March 18th, 2022 expiration): +$78.00
= ($.195 dividend per share x 400 shares)
(c) Capital Appreciation (If KEY shares assigned at $24.00 strike price at options expiration): -$532.00
+($24.00 - $25.33) * 400 shares

Total Net Profit (If KeyCorp shares assigned at $24.00 strike price at March 18th, 2022 expiration): +$174.00
= (+$628.00 +$78.00 -$532.00)
 
Absolute Return-on-Investment (If KeyCorp shares assigned at $24.00 at March 18th, 2022 options expiration): +1.8%
= +$174.00/$9,506.68
Annualized Return-on-Investment (If  shares assigned at $24.00 at 3/18/22 expiration): +27.8%
= (+$174.00/$9,506.68)*(365/24 days)

2.  Pioneer Natural Resources Company (PXD) -- New Covered Calls Position
The buy/write transaction was:
2/22/2022 Bought 100 PXD shares @ $224.8831
2/22/2022 Sold 1 PXD 3/18/2022 $210.00 Call options @ $17.32
2/25/2022 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividends of $.78 per share plus a special ex-dividend of $3.00 per share.

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this PXD Covered Calls position is as follows:
Stock Purchase Cost: $20,755.64
= ($224.8831 - $17.32) * 100 shares + $.67 commission

Net Profit:
(a) Options Income: +$1,732.00
= ($17.32 * 100 shares)
(b) Dividend Income (If PXD assigned at March 18th, 2022 expiration): +$378.00
= ($.78 + $3.00 dividends per share) x 100 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If PXD assigned at $210.00 strike price at expiration): -$1,488.31
+($210.00-$224.8831) * 100 shares
 
Total Net Profit (If PXD shares assigned at $210.00 at March 18th, 2022 expiration): +$621.69
= (+$1,732.00 options income +$378.00 dividend income - $1,488.31 capital appreciation)
 
Absolute Return (If PXD assigned at $210.00 at the 3/18/2022 expiration): +3.0%
= +$621.69/$20,755.64
Annualized Return (If JPM assigned at $120.00 at the Jan. 15th, 2021 expiration): +43.7%
= (+$621.69/$20,755.64) * (365/25 days)


Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Continuation of Covered Calls in American Eagle Outfitters Inc.

Last Friday's Covered Calls position in American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (ticker AEO) expired out-of-the-money. Despite losses so far in this position, my positive outlook for American Eagle remains unchanged. So, this morning when the stock price was $21.55, this Covered Calls position repair effort was continued by selling five March 18th, 2022 $23.00 Call options at $.82 per share. The details of this position since it was originally established are provided below.

American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (AEO) -- Continuation of Covered Calls Position
The transaction today was as follows:
11/24/2021 Bought 500 American Eagle Outfitters Inc. shares @ $27.43
11/24/2021 Sold 5 AEO 12/17/2021 $26.00 Call options @ $2.11
12/09/2021 Quarterly ex-dividend of $.18 per share
12/17/2021 5 Call options expired out-of-the-money and 500 shares of AEO retained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
12/23/2021 Sold 5 AEO 12/31/2021 $24.00 Call options @ $.22 per share when the stock price was $23.23 per share.
12/30/2021 Rolled-Up-and-Out: Bought-to-Close the 12/31/2021 $24.00 Calls for $1.92 and simultaneously Sold-to-Open the 1/7/2022 $26.00 Calls at $.77.  The AEO stock price was $25.90 when this debit spread transaction was executed.
1/07/2021 Rolled-Down-and-Out: Bought-to-Close the 1/07/2022 $26.00 Calls for $.01 and simultaneously Sold-to-Open the 1/14/2022 $25.00 Calls at $.44.  The AEO stock price was $23.99 when this credit spread transaction was executed.
1/14/2022 5 AEO Calls expired out-of-the-money so the 500 shares remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
1/24/2022 Continued the American Eagle Covered Calls position by rolling it out to the February 18th, 2022 $23.00 strike by selling 5 AEO Calls at $.70 per share.
2/18/2022 5 AEO Calls expired out-of-the-money so the 500 shares remained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
2/22/2022 Continued this American Eagle Covered Calls position by selling 5 March 18th, 2022 $23.00 Call options @ $.82 per share.

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this American Eagle Outfitters Inc. Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $12,663.35
= ($27.43 - $2.11) * 500 shares + $3.35 commissions

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$1,548.25
= ($2.11 + $.22 - $1.92 +$.77 - $.01 +$.44 + $.70 +$.82) * 500 shares - $13.40 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$90.00
= $.18 per share x 500 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If American Eagle share price unchanged at $21.55 at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$2,940.00
= +($21.55 - $27.43) * 500 shares ;or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If AEO shares assigned at $23.00 strike price at the 3/18/2022 options expiration): -$2,215.00
= +($23.00 - $27.43) * 500 shares

1. Total Net Profit (If American Eagle share price unchanged at $21.55 at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$1,301.75
= (+$1,548.25 options income +$90.00 dividend income - $2,940.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If AEO shares assigned at $23.00 strike price at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$576.75
= (+$1,548.25 + $90.00 - $2,215.00)

1. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If American Eagle share price unchanged at $21.55 at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -10.3%
= -$1,301.75/$12,663.35
Annualized Return-on-Investment: -32.6%
= (-$1,301.75/$12,663.35) * (365/115 days); or
2. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If AEO shares assigned at $23.00 strike price at the March 18th, 2022 options expiration date): -4.6%
= -$576.75/$12,663.35
Annualized Return-on-Investment (If AEO stock assigned at $23.00 at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -14.5%
= (-$576.75/$12,663.35) *(365/115 days)


Saturday, February 19, 2022

Monthly Options Expiration Results through February 18th, 2022

Each month on the day after the monthly options expiration date, this summary report provides the results on all positions that have been closed out during the past month (since the prior month's options expiration date). So this post covers the period from the day after last month's January 21st, 2022 options expiration through yesterday's February 18th, 2022 monthly options expiration date. During this past month, the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio closed a total of thirteen positions.   Eleven positions were closed out at a profit and two are continuing positions that expired out-of-the-money.  A summary of results for all thirteen positions is provided below:
  • Four Covered Calls positions expired in-the-money (stock price above the strike price) on their February 18th, 2022 options expiration dates--so the options expired and the stocks were sold at their respective strike prices with the following results: 
  1. Ally Financial Inc. (ALLY) -- +2.6% absolute return in 23 days (equivalent to +40.7% annualized return-on-investment).  
  2. Citigroup Inc. (C) -- +2.1% absolute return in 32 days (equivalent to +24.2% annualized return-on-investment). 
  3. General Electric Company (GE) -- +2.4% absolute return in 24 days (equivalent to +36.1% annualized return-on-investment).  
  4. iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) -- +0.5% absolute return in 8 days (equivalent to +24.6% annualized return-on-investment).

 

  • Four Covered Calls positions that were Weeklies (i.e. had options that expired on Weekly options expiration dates) and that expired in-the-money; so their options expired and the positions were assigned by the sale of their stock at their respective strike prices on their expiration dates with the following results:
  1. iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) -- +1.1% absolute return in 16 days (equivalent to +24.8% annualized return-on-investment).
  2. Micron Technology Inc. (MU) -- +2.3% absolute return in 15 days (equivalent to +55.5% annualized return-on-investment).
  3. Pfizer Inc. (PFE) -- +2.3% absolute return in 22 days (equivalent to +38.6% annualized return-on-investment).
  4. Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) -- +1.5% absolute return in 8 days (equivalent to +66.9% annualized return-on-investment).


  • One position was closed out profitably prior to its options expiration date based on a decision made by the Covered Calls Advisor to unwind the position early since the overwhelming majority of the maximum potential profit had already been achieved with 9 days remaining until the options expiration date, thereby achieving the following results:
  1. Schlumberger N.V. (SLB) -- +2.5% abolute return in 16 days (equivalent to +56.1% annualized return-on-investment).

 

  • Two Covered Calls positions were closed by Early Assignment on the day prior to their ex-dividend dates with the following results:
  1. MetLife Inc. (MET) -- +1.6% absolute return in 13 days (equivalent to +46.1% annualized return-on-investment).
  2. Truist Financial Corporation (TFC) --  +1.0% absolute return in 9 days (equivalent to +42.3% annualized return-on-investment).

 

  • Two Covered Calls positions expired out-of-the-money on the February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.  Five hundred shares of American Eagle Outfitters Inc. and and one hundred shares of Meta Platforms Inc. now remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio (shown in the right sidebar of this blog).  Decisions will be made soon to either sell these shares or to continue with their Covered Calls positions by selling future Call options against the shares currently held.

 

During the past year (last 12 months) 125 of 132 positions (94.7%) in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio (CCAP) were closed out at a profit, which exceeded by a wide margin the Covered Calls Advisor's objective that at least two-thirds (66.7%) of positions be closed profitably.  The CCAP weighted average annualized return-on-investment was +32.3% during the past year and the average holding period for these 132 closed positions was 21.8 days.  In comparison, the benchmark S&P 500 index (SPY) returned +12.8% during the same prior one-year period.  Note: This 19.5 percentage points (32.3% minus 12.8%) outperformance during the past year by the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio exceeds that which can normally be expected using the Covered Calls investing strategy.  As indicated in this post made earlier this year on this blog site (Link) -- "by exploiting our Covered Calls investing "edges", we can expect to achieve (over a period of several years) an average annualized-return-on-investment above the S&P 500 benchmark index of approximately 3 to 5 percentage points annually".

My preference is to identify opportunities to utilize my Dividend Capture Strategy (with ex-dividend dates prior to the options expiration dates) for relatively low-growth dividend-paying companies within these lower-growth Sectors -- Consumer Staples, Energy, Financials, Industrials, Materials, Real Estate, and Utilities.  Higher growth companies in Sectors with fewer dividend-paying companies includes the Communication Services, Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare, and Information Technology Sectors.  There is a greater likelihood that Covered Calls or Cash-Secured Puts positions in these higher-growth Sectors will be established without utilizing the Dividend Capture Strategy (i.e. without ex-dividend dates prior to their options expiration dates).  

My current sentiment regarding each of the 11 sectors is:         

  •  Bullish -- Financials, Energy, and Healthcare; 
  •  Neutral -- Consumer Discretionary, Communication Services, and Materials; and 
  •  Bearish -- Consumer Staples, Industrials, Real Estate, and Utilities    

As shown in the right sidebar, there are currently nine open positions in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.  Given the 8.6% decline in the S&P 500 (SPY) so far in 2022, some of these positions are currently held at a net loss.  Future transactions and return-on-investment results for these positions plus the details of all future newly established positions will be posted on this blog site on the same day the transactions occur.  New positions will be focused on companies that have, at a minimum, the following characteristics: (1) good valuation metrics (for example, historically low price-to-free cash flow); (2) appear in one of the many Covered Calls Advisor's screeners; and (3) have estimated next year earnings-per-share above that of their actual prior year. 

This Covered Calls Advisor blog is a free service available to anyone interested in learning about Covered Calls.  As always, I welcome your emails whenever you have any comments or questions related to this post or anything related to Covered Calls investing.

Best Wishes and Godspeed,
Jeff Partlow
Covered Calls Advisor
partlow@cox.net

Friday, February 18, 2022

Rolled-Up-and-Out Covered Calls in Nucor Corporation

On January 5th, 2022 the Covered Calls Advisor established a Covered Calls position in Nucor Corporation (ticker NUE) at the January 21st, 2022 options expiration date at the $115.00 strike price.  The stock price declined precipitously to the low $90s largely because of the decline in the spot steel price.  At that time (on January 24th) Nucor out-of-the-money February 18th, 2022 $97.50 Call options were sold to begin an attempt to repair this losing Covered Calls position.  Prices had bounced back to $110.34 on January 21st when I decided to roll up $12.50 from the $97.50 strike price to the $110.00 strike price and at the same February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.  Then, on February 11th, Nucor had continued to increase further to the $118 range when I rolled up again to the same Feb 18th expiration but at the $119.00 strike price.

Today is the February 18th options expiration date for Nucor.  Fortunately, Nucor's stock price has continued its rise, so at 2:00pm this afternoon when the stock price was $123.245, I continued my position repair approach and rolled-up-and-out to the $124.00 strike price for two weeks more on March 4th.   A vertical debit spread transaction was executed at a net debit of $.34 ($4.37 - $4.03) per share -- so $4.66 time value per share ($124.00 new strike price - $119.00 old strike price - $.34 net debit) was added to this Covered Calls position.  

As detailed below, a potential return-on-investment result for this Nucor Corporation Covered Calls position is now -1.8% absolute return in 58 days (equivalent to a -11.4% annualized return-on-investment) if the stock price closes above the $124.00 strike price on the March 4th options expiration date. 

Nucor Corporation (NUE) -- Continuation of Covered Calls Position
The original simultaneous buy/write transaction was as follows:
1/5/2022 Bought 300 Nucor shares @ $121.94
1/5/2022 Sold 3 Nucor 1/21/2022 $115.00 Call options @ $8.55
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Calls was 37.5 when this transaction was executed, well above the S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) of 16.7.
1/21/2022 Three Nucor Call options expired out-of-the-money and 300 shares of Nucor retained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
1/24/2022 Continued the Nucor Covered Calls position by rolling it out to the February 18th, 2022 $97.50 strike by selling 3 NUE Calls at $3.05 per share.
2/02/2022 Rolled-Up the NUE Covered Calls position by the following debit spread transaction:  Simultaneously Bought-to-Close the three Feb. 18th $97.50 Calls @ $13.20 per share and Sold-to-Open three Feb. 18th $110.00 Calls @ $4.50 per share.
2/11/2022 Rolled-Up the NUE Covered Calls position by the following debit spread transaction:  Simultaneously Bought-to-Close the three Feb. 18th $110. Calls @ $10.08 per share and Sold-to-Open three Feb. 18th $119.00 Calls @ $3.38 per share.
2/18/2022 Rolled-Up-and-Out the NUE Covered Calls position by the following debit spread transaction:  Simultaneously Bought-to-Close the three Feb. 18th $119.00 Calls @ $4.37 per share and Sold-to-Open three March 4th $124.00 Calls @ $4.03 per share.

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this Nucor Corporation Covered Calls position is as follows:

Covered Calls Cost Basis: $34,019.01
= ($121.94 - $8.55) * 300 shares + $2.01 commissions

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: -$1,402.05
= ($8.55 + $3.05 - $13.70 + $4.50 +3.38 - $10.08 -$4.37 +$4.03) * 300 shares - $10.05 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If Nucor shares assigned at $124.00 strike price at options expiration): -$618.00
+($124.00 - $121.94) * 300 shares

Total Net Profit (If Nucor shares assigned at the $124.00 strike price at the March 4th, 2022 expiration): -$784.05 = (-$1,402.05 options income + $0.00 dividend income - $618.00 capital appreciation)  

Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Nucor shares assigned at $124.00 strike price on March 4th, 2022 expiration): -1.8%   = -$618.00/$34,019.01

Annualized Return-on-Investment (If Nucor stock assigned at $124.00 at the March 4th, 2022 expiration): -11.4%
= (-$618.00/$34,019.01) *(365/58 days)
 
 
 

Established Covered Calls Position in iShares China Large-Cap ETF

A two-week Covered Calls position was established in iShares China Large-Cap ETF (ticker FXI) with a February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.   At 1:25pm this afternoon, my buy/write net debit order at $34.67 per share was executed. Six hundred shares of iShares China Large-Cap ETF were purchased at $36.69 and six March 4th, 2022 Call options were sold at the $35.00 strike price at $2.02 per share. This is intended as a replacement of the existing 600 shares FXI Covered Calls position expiring at market close today at the $36.00 strike price. The Implied Volatility of these Calls was 31.6 when this transaction was executed.

The Delta was 76.7 for this position which approximates the probability of 76.7% that the Call options will be in-the-money at the options expiration date. Given the current daily volatility in the market and the Slightly Bearish trend so far this year, a more conservative than usual strike price was selected with substantial 4.6% downside protection to the strike price for a relatively short (two-week) Covered Calls position. Given the current volatility in the market, I have decided to take a somewhat more conservative stance with greater downside protection in my new positions. Consequently, I am increasing the Delta on new positions to a range of 75 to 85 (from and average of 65 to 75 previously). As a result, I've also lowered my minimum annualized-return-on-investment threshold from 20.0% to 15.0%. However, as detailed below, the potential annualized-return-on-investment if assigned at expiration for this position exceeds the prior minimum at +22.7% .    

The iShares China Large-Cap ETF provides some geographic diversification to the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.  It holds 57 companies with the top 3 holdings (Meituan, Tencent, and Alibaba) representing about 25% of the total assets of $4.0 billion in this ETF.  Importantly to the Covered Calls Advisor, the FXI investment manager (BlackRock) is now managing all of FXI's assets on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and not on the American OTC and NYSE Exchanges, thus avoiding some of the recent governance concerns and controls of the central governments of both China and the U.S. that has contributed substantially to the 25% decline in FXI during the past year.  But with this decline, FXI now seems undervalued relative to the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) since: (1) FXI's  Price-to-Cash Flow ratio is only 11.6 compared with SPY's 15.1; and (2) FXI's Price-to-Sales ratio is 1.5 compared with SPY's 2.9.     

As detailed below, a potential return-on-investment result is +0.9% absolute return (equivalent to +22.7% annualized return for the next 15 days) if the stock price is in-the-money (i.e. above the $35.00 strike price) and therefore assigned on the March 4th options expiration date.

 
iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) -- New Covered Calls Position 
The Buy/Write transaction was as follows:
2/18/2022 Bought 600 shares of iShares China Large-Cap ETF shares @ $36.69 per share 
2/18/2022 Sold 6 FXI March 4th, 2022 $35.00 Call options @ $2.02 per share

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this iShares China Large-Cap ETF Covered Calls position is as follows:
Stock Purchase Cost: $20,806.02
= ($36.69 - $2.02) * 600 shares + $4.02 commission

Net Profit:
(a) Options Income: +$1,207.98
= ($2.02 * 600 shares) - $4.02 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If 600 iShares China Large-Cap ETF shares assigned at $35.00 strike price at expiration): -$1,014.00
+($35.00 - $36.69) * 600 shares

Total Net Profit (If 600 iShares China Large-Cap ETF shares assigned at $35.00 strike price at expiration): +$193.98
= (+$1,207.98 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$1,014.00 capital appreciation)

Absolute Return-on-Investment: +0.9%
= +$193.98/$20,806.02
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +22.7%
= (+$193.98/$20,806.02) * (365/15 days)

Covered Call Established in FedEx Corporation

Today a Covered Call position was established in FedEx Corporation (ticker symbol FDX) when the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order was executed. One hundred shares were purchased at $210.22 and 1 March 18th, 2022 Call option was sold at $23.27 at the $190.00 strike price--so, the corresponding time value was $3.05 per share [$23.27 Call option premium - ($210.22 stock purchase price - $190.00 strike price)].  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's current cautious Overall Market Meter outlook, a deep in-the-money Covered Call position was established -- the Delta was 80.1, which closely approximates the probability that the Call options will be in-the-money on the options expiration date.  In addition, the Implied Volatility of the Calls was significantly higher than normal for FedEx at 50.4 when the position was established.  Part of this elevated probability can be attributed to the next quarterly earnings report on the day prior to the March 18th options expiration date and also the spike higher today in the S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) to 34.2.  There is an upcoming ex-dividend on March 4th of $.75 per share (1.4% annual dividend yield), which is included in the potential return-on-investment results shown below.

Two potential return-on-investment results for this FedEx Corporation Covered Call position are: (a) +1.6% absolute return (equivalent to +74.3% annualized return for the next 8 days) if the stock is assigned early [on the last trading day prior to the ex-dividend date]; OR (b) +2.1% absolute return (equivalent to +33.1% annualized return over the next 23 days) if the stock is assigned on the March 18th, 2022 options expiration date. 

FedEx Corporation (FDX) -- New Covered Call Position
The buy/write transaction was:
2/24/2022 Bought 100 FedEx shares @ $210.22
2/24/2022 Sold 1 FedEx 3/18/2022 $190.00 Call option @ $23.27
Note: the Implied Volatility of these Call options was 50.4 when this position was established.
3/04/2022 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.75 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this
FedEx Covered Call position are as follows:
Covered Call Cost Basis: $18,694.33
= ($210.22 - $23.27) * 100 shares + $.67 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$2,326.33
= ($23.27 * 100 shares) - $.67 commission
(b) Dividend Income (If option exercised early on the business day prior to the ex-div date): +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If FedEx shares assigned at March 18th, 2022 expiration): +$75.00
= ($.75 dividend per share x 100 shares)
(c) Capital Appreciation (If FedEx shares assigned early): -$2,022.00
+($190.00 strike price -$210.22 stock purchase cost) * 100 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If FedEx shares assigned at $190.00 strike price at options expiration): -$2,022.00
+($190.00- $210.22) * 100 shares


1. Total Net Profit [If option exercised on March 3rd, 2022 (last business day prior to the March 4th ex-dividend date)]: +$304.33
= (+$2,326.33 option income +$0.00 dividend income -$2,022.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If FedEx shares assigned at $60.00 at Feb. 18th, 2022 options expiration): +$389.33
= (+$2,326.33 +$75.00 -$2,022.00)

1. Absolute Return (If FedEx option exercised early on the business day prior to the expiration date): +1.6%
= +$304.33/$18,694.33
Annualized Return (If option exercised early): +74.3%
= (+$304.33/$18,694.33) * (365/8 days); or
2. Absolute Return (If FedEx shares assigned at $190.00 strike price at March 18th, 2022 expiration): +2.1%
= +$389.33/$18,694.33
Annualized Return (If FedEx stock assigned at $190.00 at the March 18th expiration): +33.1%
= (+$389.33/$18,694.33) * (365/23 days)

Either outcome would provide an attractive return-on-investment result.  These returns will be achieved as long as the stock is above the $190.00 strike price at assignment.  If the stock declines below the strike price, the breakeven price of $186.20 ($210.22 -$23.27 -$.75) provides a substantial 11.4% downside protection below today's purchase price.

At least eight of the nine metrics used in the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy spreadsheet (see below) must be 'YES' prior to establishing a new Covered Calls position using the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture strategy.  As shown in the chart below, eight of the nine criteria are achieved for this FedEx Covered Call position.


As always, I encourage your email questions related to Covered Calls at any time.  My email address is partlow@cox.net.

Best Wishes,

Jeff Partlow (The Covered Calls Advisor)

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Covered Calls Established in General Motors Company

Today a Covered Calls position was established in General Motors (ticker symbol GM) when the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order was executed -- 300 shares were purchased at $49.24 and 3 March 4th, 2022 Call options were sold at $3.98 at the $46.00 strike price.  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's current cautious Overall Market Meter outlook, a moderately in-the-money Covered Calls position was established -- the Delta was 76.9, which closely approximates the probability that the Call options will be in-the-money on the options expiration date.  In addition, the Implied Volatility of the Calls was 43.8 when the position was established and there is no quarterly earnings report or ex-dividend date prior to the options expiration date.

According to Reuters Research, General Motors has a Strong Buy rating by the 19 analysts covering the company.  Relative to all companies rated, seventeen analysts rate it as either Buy or Outperform, 2 rate it Neutral, and none rate it as either Underperform or Strong Sell.  Their current average target price is $75.44 which is +53.2% above today's $49.24 purchase price.  GM's valuation is attractive with a current P/E ratio of only 7.2 and their 2022 earnings per share are expected to slightly exceed 2021s results. 

Some key numbers for this GM Covered Calls position are:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $13,580.01
Profit if Assigned on Expiration Date: $219.99
Days Until Expiration: 18
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.6%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +32.8%

Instead of showing the detailed calculations for the numbers highlighted above, the Covered Calls Advisor will now often present this simplified presentation of the key numbers for newly established positions.  Occasionally, I will still provide the detailed calculations that you have been used to seeing, but I hope you can appreciate my need to save some of the time required in typing these posts, which is more productively used in my investing reading and research activities. 

As always, I do encourage your email questions related to Covered Calls which I try to reply to expeditiously. 

Regards and Godspeed,

Jeff Partlow (The Covered Calls Advisor)

Monday, February 14, 2022

Established Covered Calls Position in Schlumberger N.V.

Today a Covered Calls position was established in Schlumberger (ticker symbol SLB) when the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order was executed -- 500 shares were purchased at $39.25 and 3 February 25th, 2022 Call options were sold at $2.74 at the $37.00 strike price.  This position (as well as all other current positions in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio) is shown in the right sidebar on the homepage of this blog.  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's current cautious Overall Market Meter outlook, a moderately in-the-money Covered Calls position was established -- the Delta was 75.8, which closely approximates the probability that the Call options will be in-the-money on the options expiration date.  There is no quarterly earnings report or ex-dividend date prior to the options expiration date.

Some key numbers for this position are:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $18,258.35
Profit if Assigned at Expiration: $241.65
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.3%
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +40.3%

Instead of showing the detailed calculations for the numbers highlighted above, the Covered Calls Advisor will now often present this simplified presentation of the key numbers for newly established positions.  Occasionally, I will still provide the detailed calculations that you have been used to seeing, but I hope you can appreciate my need to save some of the time required in typing these posts, which is more productively used in my investing reading and research activities. 

As always, I do encourage your email questions related to Covered Calls which I try to reply to expeditiously. 

Regards and Godspeed,

Jeff Partlow (The Covered Calls Advisor)

Covered Calls Established in Uber Technologies Inc.

At 10:01am this morning, a Covered Calls position was established by buying 300 shares of Uber Technologies Inc.(ticker symbol UBER) stock at $34.58 and simultaneously selling 3 March 4th, 2022 $32.00 Call options at $3.47 per share -- a net debit of $31.11 per share -- so the time value was $.89 per share [$3.47 Call options premium - ($34.58 stock purchase price - $32.00 strike price)]. The Implied Volatility of these Call options was very high at 61.5 when this position was established.  This elevated IV level is especially true given that the Q4 2021 earnings were reported just last week, so there is no increased Implied Volatility because of an upcoming earnings report.  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's current Overall Market Meter sentiment of Slightly Bearish, a moderately in-the-money position was established.  The Delta of these Call options was 72.5 which approximates the probability that this Covered Calls position will be in-the-money and therefore assigned on the March 4th options expiration date.  In addition, according to Reuters Research, the average current target price is $61.38 (+77.5% above today's purchase price) for the forty analysts now covering Uber. 

As detailed below, a potential outcome for this Uber Technologies investment is +2.8% absolute return-on-investment for the next 19 days (equivalent to +54.5% on an annualized return basis) if the stock closes above the $32.00 strike price on the March 4th options expiration date.

Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) -- New Covered Calls Position

The net debit buy/write limit order was executed as follows:
2/14/2022 Bought 300 shares of Uber Technologies Inc. stock @ $34.58 per share 
2/14/2022 Sold 3 Uber March 4th, 2022 $32.00 Call options @ $3.47 per share
Note: this was a simultaneous Buy/Write transaction

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) would be as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $9,335.01
= ($34.58 - $3.47) * 300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$1,038.99
= ($3.47 * 300 shares) - $2.01 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If Uber stock is above the $32.00 strike price at the March 4th expiration): -$774.00
= ($32.00 -$34.58) * 300 shares

Potential Total Net Profit (If assigned at expiration): +$264.99
= (+$1,038.99 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$774.00 capital appreciation)

Absolute Return: +2.8%
= +$264.99/$9,335.01
Equivalent Annualized Return: +54.5%
= (+$264.99/$9,335.01)*(365/19 days)

The downside 'breakeven price' at expiration is at $31.11 ($34.58 - $3.47), which is 10.0% below the current market price of $34.58.  This is good protection given the high +54.5% potential annualized ROI for this investment.

Rolled-Up-and-Out Lennar Corporation Covered Calls

As posted from last Friday's weekly options expiration, the Covered Calls position in Lennar Corporation closed out-of-the-money, so 200 LEN shares remained in the Covered Calls Advisor portfolio. This morning, when the stock was $91.96, two March 18th, 2022 $95.00 Calls were sold at $3.71 per share in an effort to continue to repair this losing position. The details of the transactions so far and two potential return on investment results are detailed below. 

Lennar Corp. (LEN) -- Continuation of Covered Calls Position
The simultaneous buy/write transaction was:
1/13/2022 Bought 200 Lennar Corp. shares @ $107.76
1/13/2022 Sold 2 LEN 2/04/2022 $103.00 Call options @ $6.18
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Call options was 29.3 when this position was transacted and the Delta (approximately the probability of assignment at expiration) was 72.2.
1/26/2022 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.375 per share
2/4/2022 Two Call options expired out-of-the-money and 200 shares of Lennar stock retained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
2/07/2022 Rolled-Down-and-Out by selling two 2/11/2022 $93.50 Calls at $1.90.
2/11/2022 Two LEN $93.50 closed out-of-the-money at $91.54, so the options expired and two hundred Lennar shares remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
02/14/2022 Continued this Lennar Covered Calls position by selling 2 3/18/3033 Calls @ $3.71 per share at the $95.00 strike price when the stock was selling at $91.96. 

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this Lennar Corp. Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $20,317.34
= ($107.76 - $6.18) * 200 shares + $1.34 commissions

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$2,355.32
= ($6.18 + $1.90 + $3.71) * 200 shares - $2.68 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$75.00
= $.375 per share x 200 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If Lennar share price unchanged at $91.96 at March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$3,160.00
= +($91.96 - $107.76) * 200 shares ;or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If LEN shares assigned at $95.00 strike price at the 3/18/2022 options expiration): -$2,546.00
= +($95.00 - $107.73) * 200 shares


1. Total Net Profit (If Lennar Corp. share price unchanged at $91.96 at the March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$729.68
= (+$2,355.32 options income +$75.00 dividend income - $3,160.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If Lennar shares assigned at $95.00 strike price at March 18th, 2022 expiration): -$115.68
= (+$2,355.32 + $75.00 - $2,546.00)

1. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Lennar share price unchanged at $91.96 at March 18th, 2022 expiration): -3.6%
= -$729.68/$20,317.34
Annualized Return-on-Investment: -20.2%
= (-$729.68/$20,317.34) * (365/65 days); or
2. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Lennar shares assigned at $95.00 strike price at the March 18th, 2022 options expiration date): -0.6%
= -$115.68/$20,317.34
Annualized Return-on-Investment (If LEN stock assigned at $95.00 at March 18th, 2022 expiration): -3.2%
= (-$115.68/$20,317.34) *(365/65 days)

Saturday, February 12, 2022

February 11th, 2022 Options Expiration Results

The Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio had two Covered Calls with February 11th, 2022 options expirations with the following results:

1. iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) -- +1.1% absolute return (equivalent to +24.8% annualized return-on-investment) for the 16 days of this investment. The post when this position was originally established is here

The cash now available from the assignment (i.e. closing) of this position will be retained until new Covered Calls and/or 100% Cash-Secured Puts positions are established.  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's currently cautious Overall Market outlook, new positions will be hedged by continuing to establish Covered Calls at in-the-money strike prices with good downside protection. 

2. Lennar Corporation (LEN) -- Two hundred shares were out-of-the-money at $91.54 at market close yesterday since the strike price was $93.50.  So, the two hundred Lennar shares now remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio (as shown in the right sidebar of this blog).  A decision will be made early next week to either sell these shares or to attempt to repair this losing position by continuing this Covered Calls position (by selling future Call options against the shares currently held).

I encourage you to email me at the address shown below with any questions/etc. related to Covered Calls (or their equivalent Cash-Secured Puts).

Have a Great Weekend and Enjoy the Superbowl,

Jeff Partlow
The Covered Calls Advisor
partlow@cox.net


Friday, February 11, 2022

Established Covered Calls in iShares China Large-Cap ETF

A one-week Covered Calls position was established in iShares China Large-Cap ETF (ticker FXI) with a February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.   With 20 minutes remaining before market close today, a buy/write transaction entered at a net debit of $35.80 was executed when 600 shares of iShares China Large-Cap ETF were purchased at $37.60 and six Feb. 18th, 2022 Call options at the $36.00 strike price were sold at $1.80 per share. The Implied Volatility of these Calls was 33.6 when this transaction was executed.

The Delta was 79.4 for this position which approximates the probability of 79.4% that the Call options will be in-the-money at the options expiration date. Given the current daily volatility in the market and the Slightly Bearish trend so far this year, a more conservative than usual strike price was selected with substantial 4.8% downside protection for a relatively short (one-week) Covered Calls position.  There is one week until the February 18th monthly options expiration date and currently there are no positions in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio with expiration dates after this February 18th date.  I am concerned about current market sentiment, so my plan is to continue to establish deeper-in-the-money positions for positions established with expiration dates after February 18th.  This means that I will likely lower my minimum annualized-return-on-investment threshold from 20.0% to 15.0% in order to continue to achieve a high percentage of profitable trades (even if the overall market continues to decline further).    

The iShares China Large-Cap ETF provides some geographic diversification to the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.  It holds 57 companies with the top 3 holdings (Meituan, Tencent, and Alibaba) representing about 25% of the total assets of $4.0 billion in this ETF.  Importantly to the Covered Calls Advisor, the FXI investment manager (BlackRock) is now managing all of FXI's assets on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and not on the American OTC and NYSE Exchanges, thus avoiding some of the recent governance concerns and controls of the central governments of both China and the U.S. that has contributed substantially to the 25% decline in FXI during the past year.  But with this decline, FXI now seems undervalued relative to the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) since: (1) FXI's  Price-to-Cash Flow ratio is only 11.6 compared with SPY's 15.1; and (2) FXI's Price-to-Sales ratio is 1.5 compared with SPY's 2.9.     

As detailed below, a potential return-on-investment result is +0.5% absolute return (equivalent to +24.6% annualized return for the next 8 days) if the stock price is in-the-money (i.e. above the $36.00 strike price) and therefore assigned on the February 18th options expiration date.

 
iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) -- New Covered Calls Position 
The Buy/Write transaction was as follows:
2/11/2022 Bought 600 shares of iShares China Large-Cap ETF shares @ $37.60 per share 
2/11/2022 Sold 6 FXI Feb 18th, 2022 $36.00 Call options @ $1.80 per share

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this iShares China Large-Cap ETF Covered Calls position is as follows:
Stock Purchase Cost: $21,484.02
= ($37.60 - $1.80) * 600 shares + $4.02 commission

Net Profit:
(a) Options Income: +$1,075.98
= ($1.80 * 600 shares) - $4.02 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If 600 iShares China Large-Cap ETF shares assigned at $36.00 strike price at expiration): -$960.00
+($36.00 - $37.60) * 600 shares

Total Net Profit (If 600 iShares China Large-Cap ETF shares assigned at $36.00 strike price at expiration): +$115.98
= (+$1,075.98 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$960.00 capital appreciation)

Absolute Return-on-Investment: +0.5%
= +$115.98/$21,484.02
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +24.6%
= (+$115.98/$21,484.02) * (365/8 days)

Rolled-Up Covered Calls in Nucor Corporation

On January 5th, 2022 the Covered Calls Advisor established a Covered Calls position in Nucor Corporation (ticker NUE) at the January 21st, 2022 options expiration date at the $115.00 strike price.  The stock price declined precipitously to the low $90s largely because of the decline in the spot steel price.  At that time (on January 24th) Nucor out-of-the-money February 18th, 2022 $97.50 Call options were sold to begin an attempt to repair this losing Covered Calls position.  Prices had bounced back to $110.34 on January 21st when I decided to roll up $12.50 from the $97.50 strike price to the $110.00 strike price and at the same February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.  A vertical debit spread transaction was executed at a net debit of $9.20 ($13.20 - $4.50) per share -- so $3.30 time value per share ($110.00 new strike price - $97.50 old strike price - $9.20 net debit) was added to the Covered Calls position profit potential.   

As of today, Nucor's stock price has continued to increase and I decided to continue to try to repair this losing position by rolling-up once again, this time to the $119.00 strike price at the same February 18th, 2021 options expiration date.  A vertical debit spread transaction was executed at a net debit of $6.70 ($10.08 - $3.38) per share -- so $2.30 time value per share ($119.00 new strike price - $110.00 old strike price - $6.70 net debit) was added to the Covered Calls position profit potential.  

A potential return-on-investment result for this Nucor Corporation Covered Calls position is now -6.4% absolute return in 44 days (equivalent to a -53.2% annualized return-on-investment) if the stock price closes above the $119.00 strike price on the February 18th options expiration date. 

Nucor Corporation (NUE) -- Continuation of Covered Calls Position
The simultaneous buy/write transaction today was as follows:
1/5/2022 Bought 300 Nucor shares @ $121.94
1/5/2022 Sold 3 Nucor 1/21/2022 $115.00 Call options @ $8.55
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Calls was 37.5 when this transaction was executed, well above the S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) of 16.7.
1/21/2022 Three Nucor Call options expired out-of-the-money and 300 shares of Nucor retained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
1/24/2022 Continued the Nucor Covered Calls position by rolling it out to the February 18th, 2022 $97.50 strike by selling 3 NUE Calls at $3.05 per share.
2/02/2022 Rolled-Up the NUE Covered Calls position by the following debit spread transaction:  Simultaneously Bought-to-Close the three Feb. 18th $97.50 Calls @ $13.20 per share and Sold-to-Open three Feb. 18th $110.00 Calls @ $4.50 per share.
2/11/2022 Rolled-Up the NUE Covered Calls position by the following debit spread transaction:  Simultaneously Bought-to-Close the three Feb. 18th $110. Calls @ $10.08 per share and Sold-to-Open three Feb. 18th $119.00 Calls @ $3.38 per share.

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this rolled-up Nucor Corporation Covered Calls position is as follows:

Covered Calls Cost Basis: $34,019.01
= ($121.94 - $8.55) * 300 shares + $2.01 commissions

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: -$1,298.04
= ($8.55 + $3.05 - $13.70 + $4.50 +3.38 - $10.08) * 300 shares - $8.04 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If Nucor shares assigned at $119.00 strike price at options expiration): -$882.00
+($119.00 - $121.94) * 300 shares

Total Net Profit (If Nucor shares assigned at the $119.00 strike price at the Feb. 18th, 2022 expiration): -$2,180.04 = (-$1,298.04 options income + $0.00 dividend income - $882.00 capital appreciation)  

Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Nucor shares assigned at $119.00 strike price on Feb. 18th, 2022 expiration): -6.4%   = -$2,180.04/$34,019.01

Annualized Return-on-Investment (If Nucor stock assigned at $119.00 at the Feb. 18th, 2022 expiration): -53.2%
= (-$2,180.04/$34,019.01) *(365/44 days)
 

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Early Assignment of Covered Calls Position in Truist Financial Corporation

Early this morning, the Covered Calls Advisor was notified by Schwab that the three Truist Financial Corporation February 18th, 2022 $60.00 Call options were exercised yesterday (the last business day prior to today's ex-dividend date).   Truist Financial stock has increased from its purchase price of $62.45 to $65.50 at the market close yesterday.  When this Covered Calls position was established, the time value (i.e. extrinsic value) was $.62 per share [$3.07 Call options premium - ($62.45 stock purchase price - $60.00 strike price)].  The original $.62 time value had declined on yesterday's market close to zero $s and the owner of the Calls exercised their option to buy the 300 shares at the $60.00 strike price in order to receive today's $.48 per share dividend.

For any Covered Calls position where there is an ex-dividend date prior to the options expiration date, the Covered Calls Advisor usually prefers to have the stock called away (assigned) early, normally on the day prior to the ex-div date (as it was in this case).  The reason early assignment is preferred is that the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy spreadsheet was designed to identify positions where the annualized return-on-investment (aroi) from early assignment is greater than what might be achieved if the stock was instead assigned at its options expiration date--which was the case for this Truist position.  

As detailed below, the early assignment for this Truist Financial position provided a return-on-investment result for the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio of +1.0% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +42.3% annualized roi for the 9 days this position was held)This result exceeded the maximum potential annualized roi of +37.6% if the stock would instead be assigned on its February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.

 

Truist Financial Corporation(TFC) -- New Covered Calls Position
The transactions were:
2/01/2022 Bought 300 Truist shares @ $62.45
2/01/2022 Sold 3 TFC 2/18/2022 $60.00 Call options @ $3.07
Note: the Implied Volatility of these Call options was 27.5 when this position was established.
2/09/2022 3 TFC Call options exercised, so 300 TFC shares sold at the $60.00 strike price.

The overall performance results (including commissions) for this
Truist Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $17,816.01
= ($62.45 - $3.07) * 300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$921.00
= ($3.07 * 300 shares)
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (TFC shares assigned early): -$735.00
+($60.00 strike price -$62.45 stock purchase cost) * 300 shares

Total Net Profit:: +$186.00
= (+$921.00 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$735.00 capital appreciation)
 
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.0%
= +$186.00/$17,816.01
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +42.3%
= (+$186.00/$17,816.01) * (365/9 days)

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Closed Covered Calls Position Early in Schlumberger N.V.

On January 24th, 2022, a Covered Calls position was established in Schlumberger N.V. (SLB) with a February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.  Three hundred shares of Schlumberger N.V. stock were purchased at $35.35 and three February 18th, 2022 $32.50 Call options were sold at $3.58 per share.  Schlumberger's price had risen to $39.21 today when the Covered Calls Advisor's net credit limit order to unwind (i.e. close out) this Covered Calls position at $32.44 was executed.  The original time value in this Covered Calls position was $.73 per share [$3.58 options premium - ($35.35 original stock price - $32.50 strike price)].   Along with the stock price increase, the accompanying remaining time value in the Calls had declined from their original $.73 to only $.06 per share ($32.50 strike price - $32.44 net credit Covered Calls unwind price).  In addition, the quarterly dividend of $.125 per share went ex-dividend yesterday, so that will also be captured in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio. 

Since the stock has been on a price uptrend since this position was established and with only $.06 time value remaining in the Call options this morning, I decided to close out the position early and secure an annualized return-on-investment (aroi) today of +56.1% since this outcome exceeded the maximum potential +37.8% aroi if the original position would instead be assigned next Friday on the February 18th, 2022 options expiration date. 

Schlumberger N.V. (SLB) -- Covered Calls Position Closed Early
The buy/write transaction was:
01/24/2022 Bought 300 Schlumberger shares @ $35.35
01/24/2022 Sold 3 Schlumberger 2/18/2022 $32.50 Call options @ $3.58
Note: the Time Value (aka Extrinsic Value) in the Call options was $.73 per share = [$3.58 Call options premium - ($35.35 stock price - $32.50 strike price)]
2/08/2022 Quarterly ex-dividend of $.125 per share
2/09/2022 Unwound SLB Covered Calls position by simultaneously Selling-to-Close 300 Schlumberger shares at $39.21 and Buying-to-Close the 3 SLB February 18th, 2022 $32.50 Call options at $6.77 at a net credit of $32.44 per share.

The overall performance results (including commissions) for this Schlumberger Covered Calls position was as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $9,533.01
= ($35.35 - $3.58) * 300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: -$961.02
= ($3.58 - $6.77) * 300 shares - $4.02 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$37.50
= ($.125 dividend per share x 300 shares)
(c) Capital Appreciation (SLB shares sold at $39.21 per share): +$1,158.00
+($39.21 - $35.35) * 300 shares

Total Net Profit: +$234.48
= (-$961.02 options income +$37.50 dividend income +$1,158.00 capital appreciation)
 
Absolute Return-on-Investment: +2.5%
= +$234.48/$9,533.01
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +56.1%
= (+$234.48/$9,533.01) * (365/16 days)

Monday, February 7, 2022

Rolled-Down-and-Out Lennar Corporation Covered Calls

As posted last Friday, the original Covered Calls position in Lennar Corporation closed deep-out-of-the-money, so 200 LEN shares now remain in the Covered Calls Advisor portfolio. This morning, when the stock was $91.65, I sold two short-term (this upcoming Friday, February 11th expiration) $93.50 Calls at $1.90 per share. Doing this gives me a few days to further evaluate the company and whether to close out the position at a loss or to continue to try to repair it. The details of the transactions so far and two potential return on investment results are detailed below. 

Lennar Corp. (LEN) -- Continuation of Covered Calls Position
The simultaneous buy/write transaction was:
1/13/2022 Bought 200 Lennar Corp. shares @ $107.76
1/13/2022 Sold 2 LEN 2/04/2022 $103.00 Call options @ $6.18
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Call options was 29.3 when this position was transacted and the Delta (approximately the probability of assignment at expiration) was 72.2.
1/26/2022 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.375 per share
2/4/2022 Two Call options expired out-of-the-money and 200 shares of Lennar stock retained in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio.
2/07/2022 Rolled-Down-and-Out by selling two 2/11/2022 $93.50 Calls at $1.90. 

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this Lennar Corp. Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $20,317.34
= ($107.76 - $6.18) * 200 shares + $1.34 commissions

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$1,614.66
= ($6.18 + $1.90) * 200 shares - $1.34 commissions
(b) Dividend Income: +$75.00
= $.375 per share x 200 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If Lennar share price unchanged at $91.65 at Feb. 11th, 2022 expiration): -$3,222.00
= +($91.65 - $107.76) * 200 shares ;or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If LEN shares assigned at $93.50 strike price at 2/11/2022 options expiration): -$2,846.00
= +($93.50 - $107.73) * 200 shares


1. Total Net Profit (If Lennar Corp. share price unchanged at $91.65 at Feb. 11th, 2022 expiration): -$1,532.34
= (+$1,614.66 options income +$75.00 dividend income - $3,222.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If Lennar shares assigned at $93.50 strike price at Feb. 11th, 2022 expiration): -$1,156.34
= (+$1,614.66 + $75.00 - $2,846.00)

1. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Lennar share price unchanged at $91.65 at Feb. 11th, 2022 expiration): -7.5%
= -$1,532.34/$20,317.34
Annualized Return-on-Investment: -91.8%
= (-$1,532.34/$20,317.34) * (365/30 days); or
2. Absolute Return-on-Investment (If Lennar shares assigned at $93.50 strike price at the Feb. 11th, 2022 options expiration date): -5.7%
= -$1,156.34/$20,317.34
Annualized Return-on-Investment (If LEN stock assigned at $25.00 at Jan. 14th, 2022 expiration): -69.2%
= (-$1,156.34/$20,317.34) *(365/30 days)

Saturday, February 5, 2022

Early Assignment of MetLife Inc. Covered Calls

Early this morning, the Covered Calls Advisor was notified by Schwab that the two MetLife Inc. February 18th, 2022 $60.00 Call options were exercised yesterday (the last business day prior to Monday's February 7th ex-dividend date).   MetLife stock has increased from its purchase price of $63.73 to $68.99 at the market close yesterday.  This increase was benefited by MetLife's quarterly earnings report last Tuesday since they exceeded analysts' earnings per share estimates by 49.7%.

Details of the transactions and the results for this MetLife Covered Calls position are provided below.  When this Covered Calls position was established, the time value (i.e. extrinsic value) was $.97 per share [$4.70 Call options premium - ($63.73 stock purchase price - $60.00 strike price)].  The original $.97 time value had declined on yesterday's market close to only $.16 (at the midpoint of the Call options bid/ask spread price) and the owner of the Calls exercised their option to buy the 200 shares at the $60.00 strike price in order to receive Monday's $.48 per share dividend.

For any Covered Calls position where there is an ex-dividend date prior to the options expiration date, the Covered Calls Advisor usually prefers to have the stock called away (assigned) early, normally on the day prior to the ex-div date (as it was in this case).  The reason early assignment is preferred is that the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy spreadsheet was designed to identify positions where the annualized return-on-investment (aroi) from early assignment is greater than what might be achieved if the stock was instead assigned at its options expiration date--which was the case for this MetLife position.  

As detailed below, the early assignment for this MetLife Inc. position provided a return-on-investment result for the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio of +1.6% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +46.1% annualized roi for the 13 days this position was held)This result exceeded the maximum potential annualized roi of +35.9% if the stock was instead assigned after two more weeks at its February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.

 

MetLife Inc. (MET) -- Covered Calls Position Closed by Early Assignment
The transactions were:
1/25/2022 Bought 200 MetLife shares @ $63.73
1/25/2022 Sold 2 MET 2/18/2022 $60.00 Call options @ $4.70
Note: the Implied Volatility of these Call options was 35.9 when this position was established.
2/04/2022 Early Assignment of MET 2/18/2022 $60.00 Call options, so the options expired and 200 shares of MetLife were sold at the $60.00 strike price.

The overall performance results (including commissions) for this MetLife Covered Calls position were as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $11,807.34
= ($63.73 - $4.70) * 200 shares + $1.34 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$940.00
= ($4.70 * 200 shares)
(b) Dividend Income: (Call options exercised early on the last business day prior to the ex-div date): +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (MetLife shares assigned early): -$746.00
+($60.00 strike price - $63.73 stock purchase cost) * 200 shares


Total Net Profit [Options exercised on February 4th, 2022 (last business day prior to the Feb. 7th ex-dividend date)]: +$194.00
= (+$940.00 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$746.00 capital appreciation)
 
 Absolute Return-on-Investment: +1.6%
= +$194.00/$11,807.34
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +46.1%
= (+$194.00/$11,807.34)*(365/13 days)


Friday, February 4, 2022

February 4th, 2022 Options Expiration Results

The Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio had four positions with February 4th, 2022 options expirations.   Three positions closed in-the-money with the following results:
  • Micron Technology Inc. (MU) -- +2.3% absolute return (equivalent to +55.5% annualized return-on-investment) for the 15 days of this investment.  The post when this position was originally established is here.
  • Pfizer Inc. (PFE) -- +2.3% absolute return (equivalent to +38.6% annualized roi) for the 22 days of this investment.  The post when this position was originally established is here.
  • Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) -- +1.5% absolute return (equivalent to +66.9% annualized roi) for the 8 days of this investment.  The post when this position was originally established is here.

The cash now available from the assignment (i.e. closing) of these three positions will be retained until new Covered Calls and/or 100% Cash-Secured Puts positions are established.  Given the Covered Calls Advisor's currently cautious Overall Market outlook, new positions will be hedged by continuing to establish Covered Calls at moderately in-the-money strike prices with good downside protection. 

The fourth position in Lennar Corporation closed at $90.30, well below the $103.00 strike price.  The two Call options expired today and two hundred Lennar shares now remain in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio (as shown in the right sidebar of this blog).  Decisions will be early next week to either sell these shares or to attempt to repair this losing position by continuing this Covered Calls position (by selling future Call options against the shares currently held).

Jeff Partlow
The Covered Calls Advisor
partlow@cox.net

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Covered Call Position Established in Meta Platforms Inc.

A new Covered Call position was established seven minutes after market open today in Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook--ticker FB) by purchasing 100 shares at $237.11 per share and selling one Call option at the $225.00 strike price with a February 18th, 2022 options expiration date at $18.74 per share.  The time value was $6.63 per share [$18.74 Call option premium - ($237.11 stock purchase price - $225.00 strike price)].  The Call option premium received was attractive since the Implied Volatility (IV) of the Call was approximately 61 when this position was established.  Also, given the Covered Calls Advisor's cautious overall market outlook as well as the elevated Implied Volatility of the options, a moderately conservative in-the-money Covered Call position was established at a Delta of about 72 which implies a probability of assignment of 72% at the options expiration date.

Meta's stock had plunged by 26.6% since yesterday's closing price when this Covered Call position was established soon after the market opened this morning on the heels of its very disappointing Q4 2021 earnings report after the market close yesterday.  Before the market opened today, several companies that cover Meta had already analyzed their earnings report and had made substantial reductions in their target prices.  For example, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs both reduced their targets to the $350s area.  As an investor, it is very difficult to make an investment when a stock price is declining rapidly, but sometimes these situations (like what is hopefully a temporary decline in combination with a significantly higher Implied Volatility from selling the options) can provide a good Covered Calls investing opportunity.  I feel this situation provides such an opportunity now with Meta.

Given Meta's Q4 2021 earnings report yesterday, the full year earnings per share was $13.77, for a now historically low P/E ratio of only 17.2 (and an even lower 16.3 when the current $48 billion cash and equivalents are deducted from the current market cap).  Although Meta faces many operating challenges ahead, especially in the short-term, they also continue to have some good future growth opportunities.


As detailed below, a potential return-on-investment result for this Meta Platforms position is:
+3.0
% absolute return in 16 days (equivalent to a +69.2% annualized return-on-investment) if the stock closes above the $225.00 strike price at the February 18th, 2022 options expiration date.

  

Meta Platforms Inc. (FB) -- New Covered Call Position

The Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order was transacted as follows:
2/3/2022 Bought 100 Meta Platforms shares @ $237.11
2/3/2022 Sold 1 Meta 2/18/2022 $225.00 Call option @ $18.74. 

A possible overall performance result (including commissions) for this Meta Platforms Covered Call position is as follows:
Covered Call Cost Basis: $21,837.67
= ($237.11 - $18.74) * 100 shares + $.67 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Option Income: +$1,873.33
= ($18.74 * 100 shares) - $.67 commission
(b) Dividend Income: +$0.00
(c) Capital Appreciation (If FB shares assigned at $225.00 strike price at options expiration): -$1,211.00
+($225.00 - $237.11) * 100 shares

Total Net Profit (If Meta Platforms shares assigned at $225.00 strike price at the Feb. 18th, 2022 expiration): +$662.33
= (+$1,873.33 option income +$0.00 dividend income -$1,211.00 capital appreciation)

Absolute Return-on-Investment  (If Meta shares assigned at $225.00 on the Feb. 18th, 2022 expiration date): +3.0%
= +$662.33/$21,837.67
Annualized Return-on-Investment: +69.2%
= (+$662.33/$21,837.67) * (365/16 days)