SteadyOptions is an options trading forum where you can find solutions from top options traders. Join Us!

We’ve all been there… researching options strategies and unable to find the answers we’re looking for. SteadyOptions has your solution.

What can you do with an option?


This article covers some basic stuff related to options owners. What are your choices when you own an option? You have three choices: sell it, exercise it or allow it to expire worthless. And that’s true whether you own a call or a put. Each choice has its pros and cons. Each choice might lead to different profit outcome.

 

1) You can sell it

  • If you collect more than you paid, you have a profit.
  • If you collect less than you paid, you have a loss.
  • You bought this option by entering a buy order with your broker. This time you enter a sell order to close (eliminate) your position.

 

2) You can exercise it

  • Notify your broker that you want to do what the contract allows.  
  • If you own a call option, you may buy 100 shares of the underlying stock. You pay the strike price per share. 
  • If you own a put option, you may sell 100 shares of the underlying stock. You collect the strike price per share.

 

3) You can allow it to expire worthless

  • This is not your ideal solution because it means you lost every penny that you paid to buy the option.
  • When you hold an option, hoping for a favorable movement in the price of the underlying stock, many times that move never occurs and your option is out of the money.
  • When an option is out of the money when expiration arrives, it has no value and is worthless. Because it expires, your right to buy the underlying stock expires.
  • You may try to sell your option before it expires, but if there is little time before expiration, or if the option is out of the money by a significant amount, you may discover that no one is willing to buy the option. If that happens, you still own the option and will have to allow it to expire and become worthless.

 

New Optionspeak terms:

Out of the money:

    a) A call option whose strike price is higher than the stock price

    b) A put option whose strike price is lower than the stock price

In the money:

    a) A call option whose strike price is lower than the stock price

    b) A put option whose strike price is above the stock price

 

If you are ready to start your journey AND make a long term commitment to be a student of the markets:

 


Start Your Free Trial

 

What Is SteadyOptions?

12 Years CAGR of 123.5%

Full Trading Plan

Complete Portfolio Approach

Real-time trade sharing: entry, exit, and adjustments

Diversified Options Strategies

Exclusive Community Forum

Steady And Consistent Gains

High Quality Education

Risk Management, Portfolio Size

Performance based on real fills

Subscribe to SteadyOptions now and experience the full power of options trading!
Subscribe

Non-directional Options Strategies

10-15 trade Ideas Per Month

Targets 5-7% Monthly Net Return

Visit our Education Center

Recent Articles

Articles


  Report Article

We want to hear from you!


There are no comments to display.



Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy and free!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now

Options Trading Blogs