Search This Blog

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Covered Calls Established in Bank of America Corporation

Early this afternoon, a Covered Calls position was established in Bank of America Corp. (ticker BAC) with the purchase of 500 shares at $28.11 per share and five June 9th, 2023 Call options were sold for $1.40 per share at the $27.00 strike price.  This position replaces another Financial Sector position in Discover Financial Services that was called away by early assignment early this morning.  This Bank of America transaction occurred via a simultaneous buy/write transaction at my net debit limit order of $26.71 per share.  The corresponding time value (aka extrinsic value) in the Call options was $.29 per share = [$1.40 Call options premium received - ($28.11 stock purchase price - $27.00 options strike price)].  A moderately in-the-money Covered Calls positions was established with the Delta of the Calls at approximately 72.9 when this buy/write transaction was executed, which approximates the probability of assignment on the June 9th, 2023 options expiration date. 

Bank of America goes ex-dividend at $.22 per share (3.1% annualized dividend yield at the current stock price) on June 1st, 2023 which is prior to the June 9th options expiration date, so this dividend is included in the potential return-on-investment results shown below.  This 3.1% annual dividend yield exceeds the current 1.55% annual dividend yield of the S&P 500 Index (i.e. SPY).  Also shown below, all 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 18th, 2023 is after the June 9th options expiration date.  Wall Street analyts' current target price is $36.40 which is +29.5% above today's stock purchase price.

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 9th, 2023 Bank of America Covered Calls position continues the Dividend Capture Strategy of often selling in-the-money monthly Covered Calls for one of six megacap U.S. banks (Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo) for each options expiration month:
(JPMorgan Chase quarterly for Jan, Apr, July, and Oct options expirations;
Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and/or Wells Fargo 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 provide an opportunity to either: (1) potentially capture the quarterly dividend payment and if the stock price remains above the strike price at options expiration, the maximum possible return-on-investment result on the options expiration date for the position would be achieved; or (2) have the stock assigned early on the day prior to the ex-dividend date in which case the Covered Calls Advisor is usually very pleased since the Dividend Capture Strategy criteria are designed such that most often the annualized return-on-investment for early assignment is greater than that would be achieved if the stock was instead assigned on the options expiration date (which is the case for this BofA position).  So far, applying this approach has provided attractive annualized return results -- significantly better than would be achieved if Covered Calls positions for these bank stocks were held in the Covered Calls Advisor Portfolio in the other two non-dividend paying months each quarter.  

Two potential return-on-investment results for this Bank of America Covered Calls position are: (a) +1.1% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +55.4% annualized return-on-investment for the next 7 days) in the event that the stock is assigned early [i.e. on May 31st which is the last trading day prior to the June 1st ex-dividend date]; OR (b) +1.9% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +40.5% annualized return-on-investment over the next 17 days) if the stock is assigned on the June 9th, 2023 options expiration date. 

Bank of America Corporation (BAC) -- New Covered Calls Position

The buy/write transaction was as follows:
5/24/2023 Bought 500 shares of Bank of America Corp. stock @ $28.11 per share 
5/24/2023 Sold 5 BAC June 9th, 2023 $27.00 Call options @ $1.40 per share
Note: The Implied Volatility of these Calls was 31.0 when this position was established.
6/1/2023 Upcoming ex-dividend of $.22 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) would be as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $13,358.35
= ($28.11 - $1.40) * 500 shares + $3.35 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$696.65
= ($1.40 * 500 shares) - $3.35 commission
(b) Dividend Income (If BAC shares assigned on 5/31/2023, the last business day prior to the 6/1/2023 ex-dividend date): = +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If BAC shares assigned at the 6/9/2023 options expiration): +$110.00
= $.22 per share x 500 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If BAC shares assigned early on 5/31/2023): -$555.00
= ($27.00 - $28.11) * 500 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If shares above $27.00 strike price at the June 9th options expiration): -$555.00
= ($27.00 -$28.11) * 500 shares

1. Potential Net Profit (If Bank of America shares assigned on 5/31/2023, the day prior to the June 1st ex-dividend date): +$141.96
= (+$696.65 options income +$0.00 dividend income - $555.00 capital appreciation)
2. Potential Net Profit (If BAC price is above the $27.00 strike price at the June 9th options expiration): +$251.96
= (+$696.65 options income +$110.00 dividend income - $555.00 capital appreciation)

1. Absolute Return (If BAC shares assigned on 5/31/2023, the day prior to the June 1st ex-dividend date): +1.1%
= +$141.96/$13,358.35
Equivalent Annualized Return (If assigned early on day prior to ex-div date): +55.4%
= (+$141.96/$13,358.35) * (365/7 days)

2. Absolute Return (If BAC price is above $27.00 strike price at the June 9th options expiration): +1.9%
= +$251.96/$13,358.35
Equivalent Annualized Return (If assigned on the 6/1/2023 options expiration date): +40.5%
= (+$251.96/$13,358.35) * (365/17 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, all nine criteria are achieved for this Bank of America Covered Calls position.