Naked option

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Payoffs from a short put position Short put option.svg
Payoffs from a short put position
Payoffs from a short call position Short call option.svg
Payoffs from a short call position

A naked option or uncovered option is an options strategy where the options contract writer (i.e., the seller) does not hold the underlying asset to cover the contract in case of assignment (like in a covered option). Nor does the seller hold any option of the same class on the same underlying asset that could protect against potential losses (like in an options spread). A naked option involving a "call" is called a "naked call" or "uncovered call", while one involving a "put" is a "naked put" or "uncovered put". [1]

Contents

The naked option is one of riskiest options strategies, and therefore most brokers restrict them to only those traders that have the highest options level approval and have a margin account. Naked option are attractive because the seller receives the premium cost of the option without buying a corresponding position to hedge against potential losses. In the case of a naked put, the seller hopes that the underlying equity or stock price stays the same or rises. In the case of a naked call, the seller hopes that the underlying equity or stock price stays the same or drops. And the seller's odds of retaining the premium at expiration increase the further the naked option is out of the money at the time it was written. [2] [3]

Selling a naked option could also be used as an alternative to using a limit order or stop order to open an equity position. Instead of buying an underlying stock outright, one with sufficient cash could sell a put option, receive the premium, and then buy the stock if its price drops to or below the strike price at assignment or expiration. Likewise, one with sufficient equity to borrow on margin could sell a call option, receive the premium, and then short the stock if its price rises to or above the strike price at assignment or expiration.

However, the naked option has the highest risk because sellers have agreed to cover the contract in case of assignment, no matter how far the price of the stock goes. The seller of a naked put would be obligated to purchase the underlying stock at the strike price even if its market price drops down to zero. Likewise, the seller of a naked call could be forced to short the underlying stock at the strike price even if its market price rises up to an unlimited amount. Because nothing is covered to protect against potential losses, a margin call would be triggered if the seller does not have enough equity or cash to cover the contract in case of assignment. [2] [3]

Examples

Naked call example

Shares of XYZ is currently selling at $85 per share and Speculator A decides to sell a call option at a strike price of $100 per share on or before May 10 for $24. If the XYZ shares fail to rise above $100 before May 10, the call option expires worthless and Speculator A makes a profit of $24. However, if the XYZ shares rise above $100, Speculator A would be obligated to buy 100 shares of XYZ at market price and sell them back for $100 each. In this scenario, the Speculator A makes a loss of (100 * XYZ market price) - (100 * $100) - $24. As market price can rise an unlimited amount, Speculator A can experience unlimited losses in this 'worst case' scenario. [2] [4]

Naked put example

Shares of XYZ is currently selling at $85 per share and Speculator A decides to sell a put option at a strike price of $75 per share on or before June 17 for $24. If the XYZ shares fail to drop below $75 before June 10, the put option expires worthless and Speculator A makes a profit of $24. However, if the XYZ shares drop at or below $75, Speculator A would be obligated to buy 100 shares of XYZ at a price of $75, even if the market price drops at or near $0. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short (finance)</span> Practice of selling securities or other financial instruments that are not currently owned

In finance, being short in an asset means investing in such a way that the investor will profit if the market value of the asset falls. This is the opposite of the more common long position, where the investor will profit if the market value of the asset rises. An investor that sells an asset short is, as to that asset, a short seller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Call option</span> Contract giving a buyer the right to buy a security from the seller at a set price

In finance, a call option, often simply labeled a "call", is a contract between the buyer and the seller of the call option to exchange a security at a set price. The buyer of the call option has the right, but not the obligation, to buy an agreed quantity of a particular commodity or financial instrument from the seller of the option at or before a certain time for a certain price. This effectively gives the owner a long position in the given asset. The seller is obliged to sell the commodity or financial instrument to the buyer if the buyer so decides. This effectively gives the seller a short position in the given asset. The buyer pays a fee for this right. The term "call" comes from the fact that the owner has the right to "call the stock away" from the seller.

In finance, a put or put option is a derivative instrument in financial markets that gives the holder the right to sell an asset, at a specified price, by a specified date to the writer of the put. The purchase of a put option is interpreted as a negative sentiment about the future value of the underlying stock. The term "put" comes from the fact that the owner has the right to "put up for sale" the stock or index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrant (finance)</span> Security that entitles the holder to buy stock

In finance, a warrant is a security that entitles the holder to buy or sell stock, typically the stock of the issuing company, at a fixed price called the exercise price.

In finance, a straddle strategy involves two transactions in options on the same underlying, with opposite positions. One holds long risk, the other short. As a result, it involves the purchase or sale of particular option derivatives that allow the holder to profit based on how much the price of the underlying security moves, regardless of the direction of price movement.

In finance, a futures contract is a standardized legal contract to buy or sell something at a predetermined price for delivery at a specified time in the future, between parties not yet known to each other. The asset transacted is usually a commodity or financial instrument. The predetermined price of the contract is known as the forward price or delivery price. The specified time in the future when delivery and payment occur is known as the delivery date. Because it derives its value from the value of the underlying asset, a futures contract is a derivative.

In finance, an equity derivative is a class of derivatives whose value is at least partly derived from one or more underlying equity securities. Options and futures are by far the most common equity derivatives, however there are many other types of equity derivatives that are actively traded.

In finance, the intrinsic value of an asset or security is its value as calculated with regard to an inherent, objective measure. A distinction, is re the asset's price, which is determined relative to other similar assets. The intrinsic approach to valuation may be somewhat simplified, in that it ignores elements other than the measure in question.

In finance, margin is the collateral that a holder of a financial instrument has to deposit with a counterparty to cover some or all of the credit risk the holder poses for the counterparty. This risk can arise if the holder has done any of the following:

In finance, a price (premium) is paid or received for purchasing or selling options. This article discusses the calculation of this premium in general. For further detail, see: Mathematical finance § Derivatives pricing: the Q world for discussion of the mathematics; Financial engineering for the implementation; as well as Financial modeling § Quantitative finance generally.

The owner of an option contract has the right to exercise it, and thus require that the financial transaction specified by the contract is to be carried out immediately between the two parties, whereupon the option contract is terminated. When exercising a call option, the owner of the option purchases the underlying shares at the strike price from the option seller, while for a put option, the owner of the option sells the underlying to the option seller, again at the strike price.

In finance, a collar is an option strategy that limits the range of possible positive or negative returns on an underlying to a specific range. A collar strategy is used as one of the ways to hedge against possible losses and it represents long put options financed with short call options. The collar combines the strategies of the protective put and the covered call.

The iron condor is an options trading strategy utilizing two vertical spreads – a put spread and a call spread with the same expiration and four different strikes. A long iron condor is essentially selling both sides of the underlying instrument by simultaneously shorting the same number of calls and puts, then covering each position with the purchase of further out of the money call(s) and put(s) respectively. The converse produces a short iron condor.

In finance an iron butterfly, also known as the ironfly, is the name of an advanced, neutral-outlook, options trading strategy that involves buying and holding four different options at three different strike prices. It is a limited-risk, limited-profit trading strategy that is structured for a larger probability of earning smaller limited profit when the underlying stock is perceived to have a low volatility.

Option strategies are the simultaneous, and often mixed, buying or selling of one or more options that differ in one or more of the options' variables. Call options, simply known as Calls, give the buyer a right to buy a particular stock at that option's strike price. Opposite to that are Put options, simply known as Puts, which give the buyer the right to sell a particular stock at the option's strike price. This is often done to gain exposure to a specific type of opportunity or risk while eliminating other risks as part of a trading strategy. A very straightforward strategy might simply be the buying or selling of a single option; however, option strategies often refer to a combination of simultaneous buying and or selling of options.

The backspread is the converse strategy to the ratio spread and is also known as reverse ratio spread. Using calls, a bullish strategy known as the call backspread can be constructed and with puts, a strategy known as the put backspread can be constructed.

Pin risk occurs when the market price of the underlier of an option contract at the time of the contract's expiration is close to the option's strike price. In this situation, the underlier is said to have pinned. The risk to the writer (seller) of the option is that they cannot predict with certainty whether the option will be exercised or not. So the writer cannot hedge their position precisely and may end up with a loss or gain. There is a chance that the price of the underlier may move adversely, resulting in an unanticipated loss to the writer. In other words, an option position may result in a large, undesired risky position in the underlier immediately after expiration, regardless of the actions of the writer.

In finance, an option is a contract which conveys to its owner, the holder, the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset or instrument at a specified strike price on or before a specified date, depending on the style of the option. Options are typically acquired by purchase, as a form of compensation, or as part of a complex financial transaction. Thus, they are also a form of asset and have a valuation that may depend on a complex relationship between underlying asset price, time until expiration, market volatility, the risk-free rate of interest, and the strike price of the option. Options may be traded between private parties in over-the-counter (OTC) transactions, or they may be exchange-traded in live, public markets in the form of standardized contracts.

In finance, a credit spread, or net credit spread is an options strategy that involves a purchase of one option and a sale of another option in the same class and expiration but different strike prices. It is designed to make a profit when the spreads between the two options narrows.

In finance a covered warrant is a type of warrant that has been issued without an accompanying bond or equity. Like a normal warrant, it allows the holder to buy or sell a specific amount of equities, currency, or other financial instruments from the issuer at a specified price at a predetermined date.

References

  1. Scott, Gordon (December 31, 2021). "Naked Option". Investopedia. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Butler, Chad (July 11, 2022). "Naked Options Expose You to Risk". Investopedia. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Chandler, Simon (July 29, 2022). "What to know about naked options — from how it works to why it's risky". Business Insider. Retrieved October 1, 2022.
  4. Juggernaut (July 12, 2012). "When to Use A Naked Call Option". Archived from the original on July 10, 2013.

Further reading