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Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Established Covered Calls Position in JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Today a Covered Calls position was established in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (ticker symbol JPM) when the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order at $88.60 executed -- 200 shares were purchased at $93.82 and two Oct 16th, 2020 $90.00 Call options were sold at $5.22.  This is a conservative in-the-money position since it is 4.2% above the $90.00 strike price. 

Two potential return-on-investment results for this position are highlighted below and includes the possibility of early assignment since a quarterly $.90 per share ex-dividend on October 5th is prior to the October 16th options expiration date.   An additional consideration in this position is that the next quarterly earnings report is on October 13th which is prior to the October 16th options expiration date.  Prior to the earnings report, the Covered Calls Advisor will be monitoring this position closely every day since closing out the position after the ex-dividend date but prior to the earnings date is a likely possibility.
  
As detailed below, two potential return-on-investment results are: 
  •  +1.6% absolute return (equivalent to +48.1% annualized return for the next 12 days) if the stock is assigned early (business day prior to the October 5th ex-dividend date); OR 
  • +2.6% absolute return (equivalent to +39.5% annualized return over the next 24 days) if the stock is assigned on the October 16th options expiration date.


JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) -- New Covered Calls Position
Although unlikely, if the current time value (i.e. extrinsic value) of $1.40 [$5.22 option premium - ($93.82 stock price - $90.00 strike price)] remaining in the short call options decays substantially (down to about $.20 or less) by Oct 4th (the business day prior to the ex-dividend date), there is a possibility that the Call options owner would exercise early and therefore call the 200 JPM shares away to capture the dividend payment.  As detailed in the Dividend Capture spreadsheet below, early assignment would be the most desired outcome since its +    % annualized return-on-investment (aroi) would substantially exceed the +    % aroi if assigned on the 10/16/2020 options expiration date.

The buy/write transaction was:
09/23/2020 Bought 200 JPM shares @ $93.82
09/23/2019 Sold 2 JPM 10/16/2020 $90.00 Call options @ $5.22
10/05/2020 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $.90 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this JPM Covered Calls position are as follows:
Stock Purchase Cost: $17,721.34
= ($93.82 - $5.22) *200 shares + $1.34 commission

Net Profit:
(a) Options Income: +$1,044.00
= ($5.22 *200 shares)
(b) Dividend Income (If option exercised early on Oct. 4th, the business day prior to October 5th ex-div date): +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If JPM assigned at October 16th, 2020 expiration): +$180.00
= ($.90 dividend per share x 200 shares)
(c) Capital Appreciation (If JPM assigned early): -$764.00
+($90.00 -$93.82)*200 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If JPM assigned at $90.00 strike price at expiration): -$764.00
+($90.00-$93.82) * 200 shares

1. Total Net Profit [If option exercised on October 4th (business day prior to Oct 5th ex-dividend date)]: +$280.00
= (+$1,044.00 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$764.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If JPM assigned at $90.00 at Oct 16th, 2020 expiration): +$460.00
= (+$1,044.00 options income +$180.00 dividend income -$764.00 capital appreciation)

1. Absolute Return (If option exercised on business day prior to ex-dividend date): +1.6%
= +$280.00/$17,721.34
Annualized Return (If option exercised early): +48.1%
= (+$280.00/$17,721.34)*(365/12 days); or
2. Absolute Return (If JPM assigned at $90.00 at October 16th, 2020 expiration): +2.6%
= +$460.00/$17,721.34
Annualized Return (If JPM assigned at $90.00 at Oct 16th 2020 expiration): +39.5%
= (+$460.00/$17,721.34)*(365/24 days)

Either outcome provides a very good return-on-investment result for this investment.  These returns will be achieved as long as the stock is above the $90.00 strike price at assignment.  If the stock declines below the strike price, the breakeven price of $87.70 ($93.82 -$5.22 -$.90) provides 6.5% downside protection below today's purchase price.

There is a 69.2% probability that the Calls will be above the $90.00 strike price at options expiration.  If so, the +39.5%  annualized roi profit detailed above would be achieved.

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.  Eight of the nine criteria are achieved in this case.