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Thursday, February 18, 2021

Established Covered Calls Position in Rio Tinto PLC Using the Dividend Capture Strategy

Today the Covered Calls Advisor's buy/write limit order was executed and a Covered Calls position was established in Rio Tinto PLC (ticker RIO) with a March 19th, 2021 options expiration date.  Two hundred Rio Tinto shares were purchased at $87.38 and two Call options were sold at $5.74 at the $82.50 strike price -- so the net debit was $81.64 per share ($87.38 stock price - $5.74 Call options price).  Therefore, an initial time value of $.86 per share ($82.50 strike price - $81.64 net debit cost basis) was achieved.  The Delta was approximately 74.5 when this transaction was executed which closely approximates the probability that the Call options will be in-the-money (i.e. above the $82.50 strike price) on the options expiration date.  There is an upcoming ex-dividend of $4.02 ($3.09 semi-annual dividend + $.93 special dividend) per share on March 4th which is prior to the March 19th options expiration date.  So two potential return-on-investment results are detailed below and include both the possibility of early assignment on the day prior to the ex-dividend date as well as the scenario that the stock is in-the-money, and therefore assigned (i.e. sold at the $82.50 strike price), on the March 19th options expiration date.

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

  •  +1.1% absolute return (equivalent to +27.5% annualized return-on-investment for the next 14 days) if the stock is assigned early (business day prior to the March 4th ex-dividend date); OR 
  • +6.0% absolute return (equivalent to +72.7% annualized return over the next 30 days) if the stock is assigned on the March 19th options expiration date.


Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) -- New Covered Calls Position
The buy/write transaction was:
02/18/2021 Bought 200 Rio Tinto shares @ $87.38
02/18/2021 Sold 2 RIO 3/19/2021 $82.50 Call options @ $5.74
Note: the Implied Volatility of the Call options was 26.8 when this transaction was executed.
03/04/2021 Upcoming quarterly ex-dividend of $4.02 ($3.09 semi-annual dividend + $.93 special dividend) per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) for this Rio Tinto Covered Calls position are as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $16,329.34
= ($87.38 - $5.74) * 200 shares + $1.34 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$1,148.00
= ($5.74 * 200 shares)
(b) Dividend Income (If both options exercised early on March 3rd, the business day prior to the March 4th ex-div date): +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If RIO stock assigned at March 19th, 2021 expiration): +$804.00
= ($4.02 dividends per share x 200 shares)
(c) Capital Appreciation (If RIO Call options assigned early on March 3rd): -$976.00
= +($82.50 - $87.38) * 200 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If shares assigned at $82.50 strike price on the March 19th options expiration date): -$976.00
= +($82.50 - $87.38) * 200 shares

1. Total Net Profit [If options exercised on March 3rd (business day prior to March 4th ex-dividend date)]: +$172.00
= (+$1,148.00 options income +$0.00 dividend income -$976.00 capital appreciation); or
2. Total Net Profit (If Rio Tinto shares assigned at $82.50 strike price at March 19th, 2021 expiration): +$976.00
= (+$1,148.00 +$804.00 -$976.00)

1. Absolute Return (If two RIO Call options exercised early on March 3rd): +1.1%
= +$172.00/$16,329.34
Annualized Return (If options exercised early): +27.5%
= (+$172.00/$16,329.34)*(365/14 days); or
2. Absolute Return (If Rio Tinto shares assigned at $82.50 at March 19th, 2021 options expiration): +6.0%
= +$976.00/$16,329.34
Annualized Return (If RIO shares assigned at $82.50 at the March 19th, 2021 expiration): +72.7%
= (+$976.00/$16,329.34)*(365/30 days)

These returns will be achieved as long as the stock is above the $82.50 strike price at assignment.  If the stock declines below the strike price, the breakeven price of $77.62 ($87.38 -$5.74 -$4.02) provides 11.2% downside protection below today's stock purchase price.