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Traders and stockholders have found different ways to maximize their earning potential while minimizing their risks. One of the more popular methods that traders utilize in the equity markets is covered call writing. Through covered calls, stockholders write a call option for a shares of stocks at an agreed price (also referred to as the strike price). The option buyer can exercise the option once the option date expires. Typically, option buyers do so when the price of the stock has become greater than the strike price. Stockholders should have at least 100 shares of stocks to be able to write a call option. In exchange for writing a call option, the call writer receives a premium. The beauty of this arrangement is that the call writer can keep the premium and the stock at the same time if the option buyer does not exercise the call option once the expiration date sets in. According to experts, selling stock options can earn a trader up to 60% or more a year. It is a normal practice for stockholders and traders to successively write call options on stocks, especially if they think that the value of the stocks will not increase significantly in the future. Aside from the extra income that traders receive from call options, they are also protected against losses in case the value of the stocks they own dip in the future. By entering into a call option, a stockholder can at least earn extra profit just in case the value of the stocks he or she owns slides in the future. For instance, a stockholder writes an option for shares of stock ABC at a strike price of $40 per share. The call option expires after two months, with the stockholder earning around $5 per share from the call option. However, the stocks of ABC slide down to $30 per share, which means that the stockholder loses income opportunity. The stockholder can still look at the brighter side since he was able to earn some money by entering into a call option agreement. Likewise, the stockholder retains possession of the stocks because the call buyer won’t proceed with the call option given that the value of the stock has decreased. Covered callsare considered to be low risk investment strategies, yet, like all other investment moves, the strategy still has risks. Stockholders and traders must study their options first, before writing a covered call. A call screener can help investors with their strategies. Visit www.barchart.com to learn more. Emily Ewing lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia where she is taking her time trying to decide what to do with her life. Currently, she writes about financial service providers, including Barchart . She likes to spend her free time outdoors by kayaking and surfing with friends. She also likes playing poker and learning about different cultures.
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