Advertisement

In Uncertain Times, Consider the Protective "Collar"

In times of significant uncertainty like we’re experiencing right now, many traders and investors turn to the options markets to protect accumulated profits in the event of steep declines.

You might be sitting on some recent gains, but also unsure about where the markets are headed next. You are definitely not alone.

As you might expect, options tend to get fairly expensive in implied volatility terms when big down moves appear possible, so simply buying puts on individual holdings or on the broad market ETFs will cost more than it ordinarily would during more sanguine conditions.

Currently, the CBOE Volatility Index is considerably higher than its multi-year average of 12-13%. The VIX is currently above 28% - indicating that demand for protective options has risen dramatically.

To protect all or part of a diversified portfolio from future declines, the right trade would involve simultaneously buying and selling options to avoid paying some of the excess premiums that the options markets now command.

The answer is the “Collar.”

The trade involves buying a put below the current value of the market and also selling a call above the market price to offset the cost of that put.

This trade is also sometimes referred to in professional trading as a “risk reversal.”

You give up some of the profit opportunity to the upside, while protecting the portfolio from severe declines.

You could buy protection on individual stocks, but with the increasing popularity of indexed investing, big-cap stocks are increasingly correlated, so it probably makes more sense to make a single trade using options on broad market ETFs which tend to closely replicate an balanced individual portfolio.

Here is the payoff diagram if you own 100 shares of SPY:

As you’d expect, it makes and loses money in a linear fashion as the S&P 500 moves up and down.

Here’s what it looks like if you protect the position by buying one December 310 put for $5.25 and selling one December 370 call at $2.15:

If SPY rises between now and expiration, your profits are capped at prices above $370/share, but if the index declines, your losses are limited to $30. You are indifferent at every price below $310/share.

Because downside puts almost always trade at higher implied volatilities than upside calls, you would incur a debit of $3.10 per spread, but you are also insulated from severe moves lower.

In an environment in which a barrage of news events has been causing significant moves in the major indexes, you might find that a reasonable price for protection – and a good night’s sleep.

-Dave

Want to apply this winning option strategy and others to your trading? Then be sure to check out our Zacks Options Trader service.

Interested in strategies with profit potential even in declining markets? Maybe our Short List Trader service is for you.



 

 

 

 



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
SPDR SP 500 ETF (SPY): ETF Research Reports
 
Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (CBOE) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
 
Zacks Investment Research