#OptionsExpiration Here’s an early expiration…

#OptionsExpiration
Here’s an early expiration report. I’ve been thinking about @hcgdavis Chris’s #PieTrades ever since his first post. I never really got serious about them, despite being intrigued. I finally decided in the last few weeks that I absolutely needed to build a portfolio strategy and not just a trading strategy. What better way than his? Of course I probably don’t follow the rules straight down the line, but here’s a report for some Pie-like trades this week:
1. AMZN: On Wednesday when the stock was at 1600, I purchased 100 shares and sold ATM calls for $11.35. Assuming AMZN closes above 1600 today shares will be called away for total profit of $1071 in 3 days. I will sell an ATM put for next Friday at the close today. AMZN is inching down and might be shooting for a 1600 pin….it would be fun if the shares aren’t called and I can roll calls into next week.
2. CVX: Nice dividend next week, so I sold ITM puts last night for assignment. I sold $129 strike for .76, closed them this morning for 87% profit. With next week being div week, I will sell puts before Ex-Div to be virtually paid the dividend immediately.
3. IBM: I did the same div play mentioned above for CVX this week for IBM, sold the put priced with added div premium, could have taken 100% profit, but closed it yesterday for 80% profit. I already have 100 shares with calls sold for next week. The income stream on IBM from #Pie has completely covered the post-earnings decline in underlying.
4. NFLX: This will be my first assignment in a long time. Earlier this week I sold 1 $330 put for $3.10. It’s dancing in and out of profit today, but I’d like to take the shares and sell a juicy call for next week.
5. NVDA: I sold ITM puts at the open this morning and later covered them for 83% profit. I sold 257.5pfor next week @ 4.34.
6. SPY: I sold ITM (272) puts last night for either a scalp or assignment today. They were covered at 50% profit.
7. CRM: I sold ITM puts yesterday ($131) for assignment, I will seek 70% profit on those today or assignment.
8. MA: I sold several puts on MA this week and took 70% profit, but I’ve got 190 (@.94) and 192.5 (@1.60) lined up for next Friday.
9. I’ve got 1×2 spreads on for next week on BABA and LMT. In a choppier market I like the idea of 1×2’s for a wider downside range. But in an uptrend, straight naked puts are better for higher premium collection.

It’s just in my blood to cover these puts at a 70%+ profit level vs. taking the shares, even when I know it may be more lucrative to get the shares and sell the call side. I’m progressing! BTW I’ve started using IBD scores to find my #Pie candidates. Of all the stocks listed above probably IBM, CVX, LMT are the weakest in regards to IBD scoring.

#fuzzies, #supercharger

Everything looks overcooked at the…

Everything looks overcooked at the moment except the biotechs and some of the chips. You guys were busy yesterday, I was at the beach. Last week we need wetsuits, water warming up quickly!

#pietrades, #optionsexpiration, and assigned early

Expiring today or assigned early:
TNA 69 cc cost basis 64.87 and was assigned early so get to redeploy that capital early-thanks mr market
FAS 61 CC at 56.36 cb
FAS 61 CC at 59.31 cb and will reload this account Monday
FAS 61 cc at 53.91 cb and will reload something on Monday
FAS 63 CC at 60.53 cb and 100 shares at 63.14 so a minor loss but overall this account was profitable and will reload on Monday.
XME 35 CC at cb of 34.44 and will reload Monday. This is a tiny account now from the SVXY losses.

#pietrade rolls:
AMAT 49 put rolled up to 52.5 put for 0.53 credit. Total credit now 1.7 and if assigned cost basis 50.8

#pietrade new position starter
IBB 104.5 put at 1.15 credit so 103.35 cb if assigned and would take it there

malingerers
GM 38 CC at cost basis of 38.04 expires in 14 days. I will gladly get rid of it at a 0.04 loss just so I can use the $ somewhere else. This is week 17 of this trade, just stuck and this one sucks for #pietrades, it is off the list until the premiums double. Anyone else trading this one with me it is getting taken out of the rotation.

Additional trading thoughts now that I finally have all the SVXY cleared out from the Feb 6 losses and can finally use all 6 trading accounts again.
1. Capital preservation is key. Now that I have had 3 account blowing out losses, at age 45 and 47 realize I cannot afford to lose my capital base again, it is the only way I can replace my income.
2. Keeping segregated accounts that trade different tickers is ideal. This time SVXY only took out 2 accounts and small portions of 2 others. Had I not been diversified it would have been ugly and I would be working 7 days a week in the office and urgent care or ER just to try to make some back. Spread out the trading vehicles and even accounts, may save your bacon someday.
3. Trading for income is a great way to trade. Trading for extreme income and weekly is even better. Most of my losing trades can be converted to winners or break even by always bring in cash. Cash up front is easier to manage than trying to convert a losing directional trade.
4. #pietrades will make up the majority of my trades with some #supercharger s thrown in for the small accounts
5. Even with income trading you can target 50-100% annualized returns if you do it right. Guess we can call it extreme income trading!
6. Trading with the group has really helped my consistency. Thanks Bistro’ers 🙂 🙂

Hope everyone has a good expiration and Happy Mother’s Day!

Will have some trades ready for Monday morning.

One last announcement, we are still working out the details but I have had such good results with the #pietrades that I have been asked to become a contributor to the Options Income Blueprint service. Will keep you posted. It is mostly as a live and ongoing case study. I will not actually be sending out the recommendations, just how I am managing them live.

#fuzzy

#optionsexpiration, early assignments, rolls, closed…

#optionsexpiration, early assignments, rolls, closed and new trades

BTC AAPL 160 put 1 DTE for 0.02. Sold for 2.18 on earnings play 🙂

TNA 69 CC rolled for 0.85 credit. Cost basis now 64.87.

TNA 55/60 #supercharger. Assigned early on the 60 so exercised the 55 to close everything out as I was short 1000 shares at 60. There were a few cents of time value left in the long call but was going to be a pain to buy back the short stock then sell the long call, although that would have resulted in full profit. Anyway made $630 total on a 10 lot or 12.3% in 14 days as it was assigned a week early. Will take it 🙂
I will be doing a lot more of these going forward but do not have any today.

The FAS trades all expired tomorrow and rolled to next week #pietrade style.
FAS 65 CC rolled to 61CC for 1.56 credit. CB now 56.36. The good premiums add up on the leveraged names and really reduce cost basis quickly. I will continue to trade many of these but may flip to bears if we really start tanking.
FAS 65 CC rolled to 61 cc for 1.56 credit. Cost basis on this batch 59.31.
FAS 65 CCrolled to 61 for 1.83 credit. Cost basis 53.91. This batch has been around the longest.
FAS 65 cc rolled to 63 for 0.80 credit. Cost basis 60.53.
FAS 65 cc rolled to 63 for 0.80 credit. Cost basis 63.14 so if assigned a $14 loss on each contract but will keep rolling. This was the most recent addition.

#supercharger AAPL 145/150 14 DTE closed for credit of 4.97, bought for 4.33 debit. Nearly full profit 2 weeks early 🙂

#pietrade STO XME 35 CC for 34.44. Roll or call out next week.
AMAT 49 put rolled to 49.5 next week for 0.60 credit. Cost basis now 48.83 and brought in 1.17 credit in 2 weeks.

We went from winter to summer, going for bike ride. Hope everyone has a good expiration. Will look for new #supercharger trades over the weekend.

I am going to be using more ETFs with the #pietrades as the volatility is putting individual names under water and taking too long to recover, GM dropped again today. As soon as I can close it out at even it is off the #pietrade list.

🙂

Expiration and learning/growth opportunities

Sometimes it takes blowing out an account (or 2 on SVXY) to really make you focus. I have always learned more with a 2 x 4 to the back of the head than with a gentle nudge. So I went back to the drawing board, looked at all my trades that worked, what didn’t, and some alternative ways to trade and it has allowed me to concentrate on what works since Feb. 6, 2018. You would have thought I would have kept something in my head from Aug. 24, 2015 but apparently not.

So here is what I have going forward in order of how I am trading in the future.

#pietrades. This is my bread and butter, pays the bills, making some of the losses back, easy to roll and adjust and works week in and week out no matter what the market does. Occasionally get stuck with one for a while, currently GM but can usually roll them to even.

#supercharger. Works better than credit spreads for really small accounts. I have learned how to adjust from @jeffcp66 and from the options for edge book, but because of my schedule I can’t always make the adjustment in time before they go ITM or breach the short strike. By then you are already controlling losses not making money. They expire for full profit most of the time because you set then up deep ITM, if assigned on the short strike easy to exercise your long, and very easy to convert to a #fuzzy or calendar leap if they explode. Then fairly easy to work back to even or profit.

#spycraft will be rolling some of these out on the mid size accounts again but found that the ones that were farther out in time were easier to manage. So these will be 21-45 DTE in the future, mostly using spy but some qqq, iwm and maybe even dia. 3-5 points between strikes so I can manage by buying in between the strikes when needed and will not let them go to expiration, will close at 50% profit or any profit that is decent.

CC straddles or strangles if have just taken assignment on a short put and at a support area.

CC return more on a cash basis than puts so with my #pietrades will be selling puts a lot closer to the money with the hopes of getting assigned so I can immediately flip to CC.

#fuzzies are a great way to convert losing trades into break even or winners.

The higher the premiums the easier it is to roll. So I am looking at the history of how often the move is exceeding the expected move. GM is a good example, expected move exceeded almost weekly but the premiums were crap so I have been rolling it for 15 weeks now. The higher premium names even when exceeded were usually back to break even in 2 weeks. Less work + more money = more free and fun time!

Never being short unhedged volatility again!!!

Sticking with those tactics and keeping it simple and profitable until the market changes and these no longer work and have to adjust again, but I think these are tactics that can work in any market condition.

With that said, bunch of rolls today and was assigned early on a few.

ERX #supercharger 20/25 assigned for full profit. Put on 21 days ago for 4.55 debit closed at 5 credit

EXPE 104 put expiring worthless :). That account will open #spycraft on Monday.

Smallest account AAPL 145/150 ITM call debit spread. 3 contracts max gain $207 for $1293 at risk. That is a 16% ROI if AAPL anywhere above 150 or 206% annualized. I will be doing a A LOT more of these going forward on the smaller accounts now that I have seen how they work for 8 weeks and even adjusted 2 to #fuzzies.

FAS 65 CC in 3 different accounts. Rolled for 1.14, 1.1, 1.15 credits and cost basis now 57.92, 55.74, 61.33 with FAS at 64.03.

Hope everyone has a good expiration and great weekend!

#supercharger Assigned early on half…

#supercharger

Assigned early on half of my ERX 8 DTE 20/25 call vertical debit spread. So short half the spread. Easy fix, the 20 long call was so far ITM exercised at intrinsic value so made half the profit a week early. Will let the rest expire next week.

Sitting on my hands the next 2 days, then have a lot expiring tomorrow and will either let assign or roll on Monday depending on what’s left.

FAS CC at 65, 64, 66 are all ATM so will see what happens. Cost basis 61.27, 64.11, 58.17 and 60.63 so all looking good either way.

TNA 69 CC at full profit so will let assign tomorrow.

GM 38.5 CC next week, it is also ATM.

Finally 2 positive weeks in a row, easier with market moving up but I had some trades with a bearish bias as well. Have pulled back 11k on the SVXY losses. Still a long way to go but every bit helps.

Looking at trades for next week, good premiums still out there, WDC, EXPE, SMH, XBI all at top of the list. Some have earnings. SWKS possible #fallingknife looks like finding bottom.

That’s all I have until Monday, have a good expiration and weekend!

#optionsexpiration Did not have time…

#optionsexpiration

Did not have time to post yesterday (it was windy and warm and I had the day off so kiteboard season officially started Thurs).

XBI BTC 81 puts for 0.3 sold for 1.02 last week.

UTX BTc the 21 DTE 122/131 strangle for 2.49. Sold for many rolls for 2.5 so basically a scratch, wanted to free up the capital to use somewhere else. This was just wasting time and had already rolled 3 times and earnings coming up so just wanted out.

NSC btc 14 DTE 127/141 strangle for 2.8. Sold for 3.63 so same situation as UTX, just wanted the money to use somewhere else.

ERX #fuzzy ran away to the upside so closed for a slight profit. I lost track of the math since I had rolled it but bottom line is I gained back a little more than I put in. Closed for 6.6 and I think I had 6.22 in the trade.

FAS this week 64 cc rolled to next week for 1.25 cb 60.63
FAS this week 65 cc rolled next week for 1.2 credit. cb 58.17
FAS this week 67 cc rolled to next week 65 cc for 1.02 cb 64.11

LNG cc assigned at 54 cost basis 53.27.

Opened TNA ATM cc for next week at 69 for 67.55.

A few observations with all the whipsawing in the market. The leveraged products are easier to roll because of the higher premiums. Even though most of the FAS trades were underwater in 2 weeks that are all back to break even or profitable.

The deep ITM vertical debit spreads #supercharger work very well and easy to convert to #fuzzy if they need adjusting.

#pietrades are still my bread and butter but as @fuzzballl pointed out below, I am also moving towards more ETFs than single names. But they have to be on higher volatility names or the premiums are not there. XBI, FAS, ERX, TNA, TQQQ, UPRO, SMH, UDOW, QQQ, SPY, DIA are all trading well at the moment and I will be focusing on the names that work more consistently and actually require less work. My GM trade has taken 8-9 weeks to break even. ERX was down way more and only took 2 weeks of rolls to break even.

Going with the KISS principle going forward. Finally made back 6k of the SVXY losses in those accounts but still a long long way to go 😦

Spring here as well, 60 mile bike with friends this morning now going out to mow the lawn. Hope everyone gets to enjoy the weekend. Have a few trades lined up for Monday but depends on how we ope with Syria news.

Lunch trades, work is cutting…

Lunch trades, work is cutting into my trading 🙂

FAS sold 4 DTE 65 CC for 1.74 against long stock. CB now 59.37, nice accrued rolls on this one.
NSC 18 DTE rolled out another week 128 put to 127 put for 0.3 credit. CB 126.33
FAS cold 4 DTE 65 CC against long stock for 1.77. CB now 61.88.

I was also looking at the triples and inverse funds. FAS has had several reverse splits, ERX as well. However, TQQQ, UPRO, UDOW, and TNA have only had positive splits. Not saying they cannot go low enough to reverse split but I am trying to refine this ITM debit spread idea #supercharger and I think going with names that are unlikely to reverse split would offer some additional cushion on the way down.

Trying to get the benefits of what we had with SVXY without the pain associated with it going close to zero.

#contangoetfs

#pietrades and #supercharger trades Finally…

#pietrades and #supercharger trades

Finally 2 positive weeks in a row despite being assigned on final SVXY 50 puts.

TNA #supercharger 5/18 55/60 for 4.37 debit
ERX #supercharger 4/27 20/25 for 4.55 debit
ERX #fuzzy rolled 8 DTE out to 22 DTE 25.5 for 0.4 credit. Cost basis now 7.82
FAS CC rolled 67 CC expires tomorrow for 8 DTE for 1.12 credit. CB now 65.13
Assigned SVXY 50 put for 48.75, sold for 11.53 ouch but don’t see SVXY moving for a while so unloaded and used what little cash was left in this account for the ERX trade above. Left just enough to convert to a #fuzzy if needed.

#pietrades bunch of FAS, ERX, CC expiring tomorrow. Should all go out at full profit unless there is another stupid tweet.

Also some expiring next week. Will reload the ladders as they expire on Monday.

Hope everyone has a good expiration and is enjoying Mr. Whippy’s the market, not the ice cream shop although it is delicious!

#supercharger this is the ITM…

#supercharger this is the ITM vertical debit spreads.

The adjustment to ERX yesterday is already paying off. With only a 0.24 increase in ERX, the long has gained and the short has decreased in time value so overall profit $750 on 10 contracts. Technically it is now a #fuzzy and that appears to be the way to adjust one that goes against you quickly and easily. Of course it has already moved through my short strike but will be easy to roll next week and have 41 weeks left of selling now to reduce cost basis. In 8 weeks should be a risk free trade.

Of all my positions yesterday, this one was the least underwater even though it was the biggest down percentage wise.

I will keep experimenting with these through all market conditions and see what is the best way to adjust them, what is the ideal time to put them on, and which conditions are ideal for them.

Will keep you posted as to how they work out longer term but think this may be a very viable trading idea. I may even buy the course, only $39 to see what the official recommendations are but with the trading brain power we have here I think we can figure it out! I also don’t think the course goes into adjusting, I think they just take them off at a set loss point.

Taking the ITM vertical debt…

Taking the ITM vertical debt spread idea a little farther, here is an example. Best returns appear to be on the leveraged products but higher risk, obvious with the higher premiums. Here is a TQQQ example. 10 point spread, 20 DTE, 10 lot $1350 profit, max loss 8650 if you don’t manage it, and it is 33 points ITM now. Could it hit the short strike, possibly but would require more than a Feb 6 event to get there.

The more I look at these, the more I like. Easy to roll to #fuzzy if needed. Set up a ladder and would be a good income stream. Thoughts, other comments, see anything I am missing? I have an ERX one on now, it was challenged last week but never hit the break even point. I will likely roll it 3 weeks out this Thurs. or Fri. to avoid the assignment fees as long as it will close at or a few pennies shy of 5. If not will let it expire.

If it works I think we should call it a #supercharger

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