My Options Play

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Quote from qiuniu:

Try not to be so neggy.

If you don't like the thread or who started it, don't read it.

Start your own thread.

qiuniu you're a johnny-come-lately on this thread. I suggest you go back to the beginning and read every post and study every attachment before you post.

Regards

Uninvited Guest
 
Quote from uninvited_guest:

Why place a LIMIT order at $3.80 when the ASK is at $3.90? It will not get filled. If you are right your order goes unfilled because you tried to save $0.10, it only gets filled if AAPL moves against you ( I know from trying to save $0.05 on the QQQQ options).

Why not a MARKET order or LIMIT at the ASK price ($3.90)? Order gets filled and you can call it the day.

I looked at QAAWL's last trades of today, and except the last 10 contracts filled at $3.9, all the others were filled bellow it. A small bump up in price will help to get filled (I don't believe I hit the best possible entry point). $0.10 is about 5% of my $1.8 stop loss. It adds up in long run (if it's a win it covers some of the California tax :) ). I avoid using market orders because I don't want to risk a bad fill. For the same reason I prefer using stop-limit orders instead of simple stop orders, especially when trading options.

If I don't get filled and the trade runs away from me, I don't chase it. I look for other opportunities in the same stock or others. I try not to be emotional.

QQQQ has tighter bid/ask spreads, but when they're larger you can shave a nickel or a dime here or there. If you trade DIA you'll find out that sometimes you get better fills than the average bid-ask price.

When you leg into a spread $0.10 might allow you to put on a position that has even or positive expectancy, and this matters in long run.

What do yo think about my assessment on AAPL? What is your short / intermediate term outlook? What option strategy would you suggest? What about entry, stop loss, exit target, time frame?

I discussed today three plays: VZ, HUM, AAPL. I wonder what are your and others opinions about these stocks' outlooks, about the trades I proposed, etc..
 
Quote from cnms2:

....What do yo think about my assessment on AAPL? What is your short / intermediate term outlook? What option strategy would you suggest? What about entry, stop loss, exit target, time frame?......

When it comes to AAPL I'm bullish going into the christmas season. Time frame is always 4 weeks or less for the ATM or slightly OTM options held to expiration, no sense paying for the time premium.

With my broker MARKET orders always get filled at the ASK price the second I submit the order, no messing around and watching every tick.
 
Quote from uninvited_guest:

When it comes to AAPL I'm bullish going into the christmas season. Time frame is always 4 weeks or less for the ATM or slightly OTM options held to expiration, no sense paying for the time premium.

With my broker MARKET orders always get filled at the ASK price the second I submit the order, no messing around and watching every tick.

If you don't like paying for time premium, maybe you should look more into ITM options.

To compare one against the other I graph a position made up by subtracting one from the other for even money.

I.e. if the ATM is $1, and the ITM is $2, I graph the position:

+2 ATM
-1 ITM

This is a backspread. Its worst case price is ATM, where it loses value the fastest. It has a breakeven point OTM that moves further in time.

It means that the ATM option will outperform the ITM option only beyond the breakeven point. For all the other prices it will not. If your price and time frame outlook is that you'll be beyond the breakeven point, then choose the ATM, otherwise is better to buy the ITM. This can be applied for any two strikes, and obviously you'll get other ratios for even money comparison.

You can apply the same technique to compare the performance of a long option versus a vertical spread (it will look like a ratioed spread), or for any other two positions. Just subtract one from the other and draw the graph.

Another thing to consider is your outlook on the future IV, again, over your time frame. I.e. for a vertical spread: when the IV is in the highest percentiles is better to have the short options ATM, but when the IV is in the lower percentiles it is better to buy the ATM strike. This is only statistically better, based on the reversal to the mean assumption. This might not happen during your time frame, so again you have to analyze it and make your decision.
 
Quote from uninvited_guest:

When it comes to AAPL I'm bullish going into the christmas season. Time frame is always 4 weeks or less for the ATM or slightly OTM options held to expiration, no sense paying for the time premium.
So, are you saying there's no time value on ATM and OTM options? You sure have something to share with us.

Forumites are watching!
 
Quote from cnms2:

I see HUM in uptrend in all time frames, with a recent "healthy" retracement about 7% bellow 22 day EMA. Intraday charts indicate a possible long entry point.

IV is high 40-45%, from recent values of 28-32%.

Quarterly report is scheduled for Mon, Oct 31. HUM has a beta of .38, so it's not much affected by the market trend.

I'd go for a bull call spread Nov 40/45, placing a limit order around $2.6 if I traded only a couple of contracts, maybe a dime higher if I traded more because the volume is pretty thin (although there is enough open interest). The Nov 40 call bid/ask spread is wide at $0.4, but there were a few trades at $3.6 just a few minutes before closing.

Another possibility would be to try to leg into the spread opening the long leg firstly, then place an aggressive order for the short leg, and hope for some price action help.

My stop loss would be for the underlying around $41.5 (risk about $1.4) and the exit target around $46-47 (return around $3.1). This seem a reasonable reward/risk ratio, and it is about the same for the spread too.

I would go for the spread instead of the long call because of the high IV. The next lower strike is 35. The Nov 40/45 (HUMKH/HUMKI) bull call spread outperforms the long Nov 35 (HUMKG; in a ratio 3/10 for even money) if I'm right on my outlook, with a maximum performance around $45 which is close to my exit target.

But this is again a play straddling the quarterly report.

A calendar spread might bring a better return if the price doesn't move much, but would be more susceptible to a gap than a vertical spread. As expected: you can't get more without risking more.

Bull call spread sounds like a 'do' to me only question is why use front month rather than Dec?

by the way I did open VZ WV (32.50p) and Dec 32.50p, but also opened +Dec 30c and Nov 32.50c (@.15) ; planning on selling some Dec 32.50c today or next week, i.e. leg in to bull spread

I may adjust my position by lifting Dec 32.50p/adding Dec 30P (holding Nov 32.50p). Will depend on whether VZ trades higher today (above opening prints) after it's small opening gap is resolved.

IcE
:cool:
 
Quote from uninvited_guest:

qiuniu you're a johnny-come-lately on this thread. I suggest you go back to the beginning and read every post and study every attachment before you post.

Regards

Uninvited Guest

uninvited_guest

no offense bro... you sound like a rank amateur or some newbie who has no clue.... like guys who started playing poker last year or last month and miraculously become mavens overnight! :D

Personally, I have read your disruptive posts enough already. IF you got something tangible to add that would enhance a thread please do so, otherwise start your own thread as another trader has already commented. You are rudely interfering with all others who view this thread (IMHO).

We have enough charlatan crtiics in the world and on ET.com; we sure don't need another one! :eek:

IcE
:cool:
 
Quote from iceman1:

Bull call spread sounds like a 'do' to me only question is why use front month rather than Dec?

by the way I did open VZ WV (32.50p) and Dec 32.50p, but also opened +Dec 30c and Nov 32.50c (@.15) ; planning on selling some Dec 32.50c today or next week, i.e. leg in to bull spread

I may adjust my position by lifting Dec 32.50p/adding Dec 30P (holding Nov 32.50p). Wil depend on whether VZ trades higher today (above opening prints) after it's small opening gap is resolved.

IcE
:cool:

I also have a position in IMCL

+Dec35c

-Nov35c (sold premium near highs after selling my long calls yesterday traded from at .60c to 1.75).

(.70 debit)

-Nov35p
(i.e. = sold 35 straddle)

**ratioed 2/1 calls/puts

+Jan 30p


I posted IMCL on this thread a week or two ago along with NIHD.
 
Quote from uninvited_guest:

Time frame is always 4 weeks or less for the ATM or slightly OTM options held to expiration, no sense paying for the time premium.


"ALWAYS" .... 4 weeks or less for the ATM or slightly OTM"?? Not 3 weeks or FIVE weeks or 3 1/2 weeks. :D :D :p

it 'always' is that way?

Where did you come up with that?

I have seen .20 cent options go to 2.50 in the last 2-5 of the expiry cycle, and that's post-2000.

You gotta stop reading Money magazine.

Ice
:cool:
 
Quote from iceman1:

I also have a position in IMCL

+Dec35c

-Nov35c (sold premium near highs after selling my long calls yesterday traded from at .60c to 1.75).

(.70 debit)

-Nov35p
(i.e. = sold 35 straddle)

**ratioed 2/1 calls/puts

+Jan 30p


I posted IMCL on this thread a week or two ago along with NIHD.

I think buying IMCL Dec or Nov -- 35c-- IF stock trades back to low 33s is a "do" as I think it will (could) trade back to 35-36 by 11/21st = calls would double +

*stock hit 33.47 LOD
**printed @ 32.50
 
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