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Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Covered Calls Established in Bank of America Corp. Using Dividend Capture Strategy

Today, a Covered Calls position was established in Bank of America Corp. (ticker BAC) with the purchase of 300 shares at $41.51 per share and three June 18th, 2021 Call options were sold for $2.94 per share at the $39.00 strike price.  This transaction occurred at simultaneous buy/write transaction at a net debit of $38.57 per share.  The corresponding time value (aka extrinsic value) in the Call options was $.43 per share = [$2.94 Call options premium received - ($41.51 stock purchase price - $39.00 options strike price)].  A moderately in-the-money Covered Calls positions was established with the Delta of the Calls at approximately 77.8 when this buy/write transaction was executed, which approximates the probability of assignment on the June 18th, 2021 options expiration date. 

Bank of America goes ex-dividend at $.18 per share (1.7% annualized dividend yield at the current stock price) on June 3rd which is prior to the June 18th options expiration date, so this dividend is included in the potential return-on-investment results shown below.  Also shown below, eight of the nine criteria in the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy spreadsheet were met for this position and (as preferred by the Covered Calls Advisor) the next quarterly earnings report on July 14th, 2021 is after the June 18th options expiration date.  In addition, Bank of America passed the Covered Calls Advisor's Finance Sector Screener, so it is currently ranked in the Top 20% of all Financial sector large-cap companies. 

Most companies in the Financial Sector provide only modest growth prospects, but they often provide good annual dividend yields.  Consequently, the Covered Calls Advisor targets opportunities to use the Dividend Capture Strategy in all Financial Sector Covered Calls positions.  This new June 18th, 2021 Bank of America Covered Calls position continues the Dividend Capture Strategy of often selling in-the-money monthly Covered Calls for one of five very large U.S. banks (Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley) for each options expiration month:
(JPMorgan Chase quarterly for Jan, Apr, July, and Oct options expirations;
Citigroup and/or Morgan Stanley for Feb, May, Aug, and Nov options expirations; and
Bank of America and/or Goldman Sachs for Mar, Jun, Sep, and Dec options expirations).

The goal of these monthly Covered Calls in these banks is to both capture the quarterly dividend payment and for the stock prices to remain above the strike price at options expiration, thereby achieving the maximum possible return-on-investment result for the position.  So far, this approach has provided attractive annualized return results -- much better than would be achieved if Covered Calls positions for these bank stocks in non-dividend paying months.  

Two potential return-on-investment results are: (a) +1.1% absolute return (equivalent to +27.1% annualized return for the next 15 days) if the stock is assigned early [on the last trading day prior to the June 3rd ex-dividend date]; OR (b) +1.6% absolute return (equivalent to +18.6% annualized return over the next 31 days) if the stock is assigned on the June 18th, 2021 options expiration date. 

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) -- New Covered Calls Position

The buy/write transaction was as follows:
05/19/2021 Bought 300 shares of Bank of America Corp. stock @ $41.51 per share 
05/19/2021 Sold 3 BAC June 18th, 2021 $39.00 Call options @ $2.94 per share
Note: The Open Interest in these Calls was 10,779 contracts and their Implied Volatility was 29.1
06/03/2021 Ex-dividend of $.18 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) would be as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $11,573.01
= ($41.51 - $2.94) * 300 shares + $2.01 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$882.00
= ($2.94 * 300 shares)
(b) Dividend Income (If BAC shares assigned on 6/2/2021, the business day prior to the 6/3/2021 ex-dividend date): = +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If BAC shares assigned at 6/18/2021 options expiration): +$54.00
= $.18 per share x 300 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If BAC shares assigned early on 6/3/2021): -$753.00
= ($39.00 -$41.51) * 300 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If shares above $39.00 strike price at the June 18th options expiration): -$753.00
= ($39.00 -$41.51) * 300 shares

1. Potential Net Profit (If Bank of America shares assigned on 6/2/2021, the day prior to the June 3rd ex-dividend date): +$129.00
= (+$882.00 options income +$0.00 dividend income - $753.00 capital appreciation)
2. Potential Net Profit (If BAC price is above $39.00 strike price at the June 18th options expiration): +$183.00
= (+$882.00 options income +$54.00 dividend income - $753.00 capital appreciation)

1. Absolute Return (If BAC shares assigned on 6/2/2021, the day prior to the June 3rd ex-dividend date): +1.1%
= +$129.00/$11,573.01
Equivalent Annualized Return (If assigned early on day prior to ex-div date): +27.1%
= (+$129.00/$11,573.01)*(365/15 days)
2. Absolute Return (If BAC price is above $39.00 strike price at June 18th options expiration): +1.6%
= +$183.00/$11,573.01
Equivalent Annualized Return (If assigned on 6/18/2021 options expiration date): +18.6%
= (+$183.00/$11,573.01)*(365/31 days)

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 below, eight of the nine criteria are achieved for this Bank of America Covered Calls position.