Monday, December 1, 2025

Covered Calls Established in Bank of America Corporation

Early in this morning's trading session, a short-term Covered Calls position was established in Bank of America Corp. (ticker BAC) with the purchase of 400 shares at $53.46 per share and four December 12th, 2025 Call options were sold for $1.36 per share at the $52.50 strike price.  This Bank of America transaction occurred via a simultaneous buy/write transaction at my net debit limit order price of $52.10 per share.  The corresponding time value (aka extrinsic value) in the Call options was $.40 per share = [$1.36 Call options premium received - ($53.46 stock purchase price - $52.50 options strike price)].  A moderately in-the-money Covered Calls positions was established with the probability that the stock will close in-the-money on the options expiration date was 69.6%.  As preferred, the next earnings report on January 14th, 2025 is after the December 12th options expiration date. 

Bank of America goes ex-dividend at $.28 per share (2.1% annualized dividend yield at the current stock price) on December 5th, 2025 which is prior to the December 12th options expiration date, so this dividend is included in the potential return-on-investment results shown below.  As shown below, all nine criteria in the Covered Calls Advisor's Dividend Capture Strategy spreadsheet were met for this position.  

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 December 12th, 2025 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 annualized return-on-investment for early assignment is often greater than that of an assignment on the options expiration date (which is true for this BAC Covered Calls 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) +0.8% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +69.5% annualized return-on-investment for the next 4 days) in the event that the stock is assigned early [i.e. on December 4th which is the last trading day prior to the December 5th ex-dividend date]; OR (b) +1.3% absolute return-on-investment (equivalent to +42.9% annualized return-on-investment over the next 11 days) if the stock is assigned on the December 12th, 2025 options expiration date. 

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

The buy/write transaction was as follows:
12/1/2025 Bought 400 shares of Bank of America Corp. stock @ $53.46 per share 
12/1/2025 Sold 4 BAC December 12th, 2025 $52.50 Call options @ $1.36 per share
Note: The Implied Volatility of these Calls was 20.6 when this position was established.
12/5/2025 Upcoming ex-dividend of $.28 per share

Two possible overall performance results (including commissions) would be as follows:
Covered Calls Cost Basis: $20,842.68
= ($53.46 - $1.36) * 400 shares + $2.68 commission

Net Profit Components:
(a) Options Income: +$541.32
= ($1.36 * 400 shares) - $2.68 commission
(b) Dividend Income (If BAC shares assigned on 12/4/2025, the last business day prior to the 12/5/2025 ex-dividend date): = +$0.00; or
(b) Dividend Income (If BAC shares assigned at the 12/12/2025 options expiration): +$112.00
= $.28 per share x 400 shares
(c) Capital Appreciation (If BAC shares assigned early on 12/5/2025): -$384.00
= ($52.50 strike price - $53.46 stock purchase price) * 400 shares; or
(c) Capital Appreciation (If shares above $52.50 strike price at the Dec. 12th options expiration): -$384.00
= ($52.50 - $53.46) * 400 shares

1. Potential Net Profit (If Bank of America shares assigned on 12/4/2025, the day prior to the 12/5/2025 ex-dividend date): +$157.32
= (+$541.32 options income +$0.00 dividend income - $384.00 capital appreciation)
2. Potential Net Profit (If BAC price is above the $52.50 strike price at the December 12th options expiration): +$269.32
= (+$541.32 options income +$112.00 dividend income - $384.00 capital appreciation)

1. Absolute Return (If BAC shares assigned on 12/4/2025, the day prior to the December 5th ex-dividend date): +0.8%
= +$157.32/$20,842.68
Equivalent Annualized Return (If assigned early on day prior to ex-div date): +68.9%
= (+$157.32/$20,842.68) * (365/4 days)

2. Absolute Return (If BAC price is above $52.50 strike price at the December 12th options expiration): +1.3%
= +$269.32/$20,842.68
Equivalent Annualized Return (If assigned on the 12/12/2025 options expiration date): +42.9%
= (+$269.32/$20,842.68) * (365/11 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.