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What is an Option? 

 

Leverage and Risk


Options can provide leverage. This means an option buyer can pay a relatively small premium for market exposure in relation to the contract value (usually 100 shares of the underlying stock). An investor can see large percentage gains from comparatively small, favorable percentage moves in the underlying index. Leverage also has downside implications. If the underlying stock price does not rise or fall as anticipated during the lifetime of the option, leverage can magnify the investment's percentage loss. Options offer their owners a predetermined, set risk. However, if the owner's options expire with no value, this loss can be the entire amount of the premium paid for the option. An uncovered option writer, on the other hand, may face unlimited risk.

 

In-the-money, At-the-money, Out-of-the-money...


The strike price, or exercise price, of an option determines whether that contract is in-the- money, at-the-money, or out-of-the-money. If the strike price of a call option is less than the current market price of the underlying security, the call is said to be in-the-money because the holder of this call has the right to buy the stock at a price which is less than the price he would have to pay to buy the stock in the stock market. Likewise, if a put option has a strike price that is greater than the current market price of the underlying security, it is also said to be in-the-money because the holder of this put has the right to sell the stock at a price which is greater than the price he would receive selling the stock in the stock market. The converse of in-the-money is, not surprisingly, out-of-the-money. If the strike price equals the current market price, the option is said to be at-the-money.

The amount by which an option, call or put, is in-the-money at any given moment is called its intrinsic value. Thus, by definition, an at-the-money or out-of-the-money option has no intrinsic value; the time value is the total option premium. This does not mean, however, these options can be obtained at no cost. Any amount by which an option's total premium exceeds intrinsic value is called the time value portion of the premium. It is the time value portion of an option's premium that is affected by fluctuations in volatility, interest rates, dividend amounts, and the passage of time. There are other factors that give options value and therefore affect the premium at which they are traded. Together, all of these factors determine time value.

Equity call option: In-the-money = strike price less than stock price At-the-money = strike price same as stock price Out-of-the-money = strike price greater than stock price
Equity put option: In-the-money = strike price greater than stock price At-the-money = strike price same as stock price Out-of-the-money = strike price less than stock price
Option Premium: Intrinsic Value + Time Value

The opposite of a call option is a put option, which gives its holder the right to sell 100 shares of the underlying security at the strike price, anytime prior to the options expiration date. The writer (or seller) of the option has the obligation to buy the shares.

 

Time Decay


Generally, the longer the time remaining until an option's expiration, the higher its premium will be.
This is because the longer an option's lifetime, greater is the possibility that the underlying share price might move so as to make the option in-the-money. All other factors affecting an option's price remaining the same, the time value portion of an option's premium will decrease (or decay) with the passage of time.  

 

Expiration Day


The expiration date is the last day an option exists. For listed stock options, this is the Saturday following the third Friday of the expiration month. Please note that this is the deadline by which brokerage firms must submit exercise notices to OCC; however, the exchanges and brokerage firms have rules and procedures regarding deadlines for an option holder to notify his brokerage firm of his intention to exercise. This deadline, or expiration cut-off time, is generally on the third Friday of the month, before expiration Saturday, at some time after the close of the market.

 

Long


With respect to this section's usage of the word, long describes a position (in stock and/or options) in which you have purchased and own that security in your brokerage account. For example, if you have purchased the right to buy 100 shares of a stock, and are holding that right in your account, you are long a call contract. If you have purchased the right to sell 100 shares of a stock, and are holding that right in your brokerage account, you are long a put contract. If you have purchased 1,000 shares of stock and are holding that stock in your brokerage account, or elsewhere, you are long 1,000 shares of stock. When you are long an equity option contract:

  • You have the right to exercise that option at any time prior to its expiration.
  • Your potential loss is limited to the amount you paid for the option contract.

 

Short


With respect to this section's usage of the word, short describes a position in options in which you have written a contract (sold one that you did not own). In return, you now have the obligations inherent in the terms of that option contract. If the owner exercises the option, you have an obligation to meet. If you have sold the right to buy 100 shares of a stock to someone else, you are short a call contract. If you have sold the right to sell 100 shares of a stock to someone else, you are short a put contract. When you write an option contract you are, in a sense, creating it. The writer of an option collects and keeps the premium received from its initial sale. When you are short (i.e., the writer of) an equity option contract:

  • You can be assigned an exercise notice at any time during the life of the option contract. All option writers should be aware that assignment prior to expiration is a distinct possibility.
  • Your potential loss on a short call is theoretically unlimited. For a put, the risk of loss is limited by the fact that the stock cannot fall below zero in price. Although technically limited, this potential loss could still be quite large if the underlying stock declines significantly in price.

 

Open


With respect to this section's usage of the word, short describes a position in options in which you have written a contract (sold one that you did not own). In return, you now have the obligations inherent in the terms of that option contract. If the owner exercises the option, you have an obligation to meet. If you have sold the right to buy 100 shares of a stock to someone else, you are short a call contract. If you have sold the right to sell 100 shares of a stock to someone else, you are short a put contract. When you write an option contract you are, in a sense, creating it. The writer of an option collects and keeps the premium received from its initial sale. When you are short (i.e., the writer of) an equity option contract:

  • Opening purchase -- a transaction in which the purchaser's intention is to create or increase a long position in a given series of options.
  • Opening sale -- a transaction in which the seller's intention is to create or increase a short position in a given series of options. .


Close


  • Closing purchase -- a transaction in which the purchaser's intention is to reduce or eliminate a short position in a given series of options. This transaction is frequently referred to as "covering" a short position.
  • Closing sale -- a transaction in which the seller's intention is to reduce or eliminate a long position in a given series of options.
 





Important Note: Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. For more information, please read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options

Content Licensed by the Options Industry Council. All Rights Reserved. OIC or its affiliates shall not be responsible for content contained on the SogoTrade Inc. Website not provided by OIC. Content licensed by the Options Industry Council is intended to educate investors about U.S. exchange-listed options issued by The Options Clearing Corporation, and shall not be construed as furnishing investment advice or being a recommendation, solicitation or offer to buy or sell any option or any other security. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. No information provided by The Options Industry Council Website has been endorsed or approved by SogoTrade Inc. and SogoTrade Inc. is not responsible for the contents provided by The Options Industry Council. For more information, please click here. 

The articles in this section are provided by The Options Industry Council and is intended for educational purposes only and does not in any way constitute recommendations or advice from SogoTrade,Inc. Accordingly, SogoTrade, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or correctness of the information provided in these articles.

Please note fees, commissions and interest charges should be considered when calculating results of options strategies.  Transaction costs may be significant in multi-leg option strategies, including spreads, as they involve multiple commission charges.

SogoTrade, Inc does not provide tax advice.  Please consult with a tax advisor as to how taxes may affect the outcome of options transactions/strategies.