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L.5 · BEGINNER · 3 MIN

Covered Calls and Protective Puts: Practical Strategies

Covered calls and protective puts are the two most practical options strategies for stock investors. Both combine stock ownership with an option position to either generate income or protect against losses.

Quiz · 5 questions ↓
§ 01
AAPL — Current Price, Dividend Yield. Open AAPL on the Ledge to see current values.
§ 02
StrategyStructureObjectiveTradeoff
Covered CallOwn 100 shares + sell 1 callGenerate income from premiumCap your upside at the strike price
Protective PutOwn 100 shares + buy 1 putInsure against downsideCosts premium, reducing returns
§ 03
Covered Call: Max Profit = (Strike − Stock Price) + Premium
§ 04

Covered calls work best when you expect the stock to trade sideways or rise modestly. If the stock surges past your strike, you miss the upside above it. If it drops significantly, the premium provides only a small cushion.

§ 05
Pick a stock you own in **Fundamentals**. Look at call options 5–10% above the current price with 30–45 days to expiration. How much premium could you collect? Is it worth capping your upside?
§ 06
You own shares at $100 and sell a $110 call for $3. The stock rockets to $130. What’s your total return?
§ 07

Covered calls are not free money — they’re a tradeoff between current income and future upside. If you’d be happy selling at the strike price, the strategy makes sense. If you’d be devastated to miss a rally, skip it.

§ 08
You hold 100 shares of AAPL at cost basis $150, now at $200. You sell a $220 covered call for $4 premium. AAPL goes to $250. What happened?
Five questions · AI feedback

Sit with the ideas.

You own 100 shares of a stock at $100. You sell a covered call with a $110 strike for $3.00 premium. What is your maximum gain from this trade?

Why:
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