Opční strategie
Spread · Straddle · Strangle · Collar · Butterfly · Iron Condor
Combinations of buying and selling multiple options at once — allowing profit from various market scenarios with precisely defined risk.
What it is
Advanced options strategies combine multiple call or put options with different strike prices or expiration dates. Each strategy has a different profit/loss profile.
Spread (price spread): Buying one option and selling another option of the same type (both calls or both puts) but with different strike prices. Limits both maximum profit and loss.
- →Bull Call Spread: Buy call at lower strike, sell call at higher → profit from moderate rise, limited risk.
- →Bear Put Spread: Buy put at higher strike, sell put at lower → profit from moderate decline.
- →Credit Spread: Sell the more expensive option, buy the cheaper → collect premium upfront. Maximum gain = premium received.
Straddle: Buy a call and a put with the same strike and expiration. Profit from a large move in either direction. Expensive, because you pay premium on both sides. Suitable before an earnings report.
Strangle: Similar to a straddle, but the call and put have different strike prices (both out-of-the-money). Cheaper than a straddle, but requires a larger move in the underlying.
Collar: Own the stock + buy a put (protection against decline) + sell a call (finances the put). Limits both downside and upside.
Butterfly: Three strike prices — buy call/put at the lower and upper, sell two in the middle. Profit if price stays near the middle strike. Low-cost strategy for low volatility.
Iron Condor: A combination of a bull put spread and a bear call spread. Profit if price stays within a defined range. Collect premium; maximum gain if the stock makes no big move.
Assignment: If you are the option seller and the buyer exercises it, you receive assignment — you are obligated to buy or sell shares at the strike price. Assignment can happen at any time before expiration for American-style options.
Exercise: The option buyer decides to use their right and buy (call) or sell (put) the underlying asset at the strike price.
Extrinsic Value (time value): The portion of the option premium above intrinsic value. Declines as expiration approaches (Theta decay). After expiration = 0.
Why track it
Options strategies allow you to precisely control the risk/reward profile of a position. Unlike buying stock outright:
- →You define maximum loss upfront
- →You can profit from volatility, not just directional movement
- →Hedge existing positions at low cost
Key variable: Implied Volatility (IV). When IV is high, options are expensive — advantageous to sell (credit spread, iron condor). When IV is low, options are cheap — advantageous to buy (straddle before earnings).
Real-world example
Iron Condor on MSFT before a quiet period:
- →Sell 410/420 call spread: collect $2 premium
- →Sell 350/340 put spread: collect $2 premium
- →Total premium: $4, maximum loss: $6
- →Profit if MSFT stays between $350–$410 until expiration
Straddle before earnings:
- →Buy call $380 + put $380, expiration 1 week
- →Premium: $15 total
- →Break-even: move of more than $15 = above $395 or below $365