THE

OPTIONS PLAYBOOK®

Featuring 40 options strategies for bulls, bears, rookies, all-stars and everyone in between

The Options Strategies » Long Call

Long Call

Options Playbook

The Strategy

A long call gives you the right to buy the underlying stock at strike price A.

Calls may be used as an alternative to buying stock outright. You can profit if the stock rises, without taking on all of the downside risk that would result from owning the stock. It is also possible to gain leverage over a greater number of shares than you could afford to buy outright because calls are always less expensive than the stock itself.

But be careful, especially with short-term out-of-the-money calls. If you buy too many option contracts, you are actually increasing your risk. Options may expire worthless and you can lose your entire investment, whereas if you own the stock it will usually still be worth something. (Except for certain banking stocks that shall remain nameless.)

Options Guy's Tips

Don’t go overboard with the leverage you can get when buying calls. A general rule of thumb is this: If you’re used to buying 100 shares of stock per trade, buy one option contract (1 contract = 100 shares). If you’re comfortable buying 200 shares, buy two option contracts, and so on.

If you do purchase a call, you may wish to consider buying the contract in-the-money, since it’s likely to have a larger delta (that is, changes in the option’s value will correspond more closely with any change in the stock price). You can learn more about delta in Meet the Greeks. Try looking for a delta of .80 or greater if possible. In-the-money options are more expensive because they have intrinsic value, but you get what you pay for.

The Setup

  • Buy a call, strike price A
  • Generally, the stock price will be at or above strike A

Who Should Run It

Veterans and higher

NOTE: Many rookies begin trading options by purchasing out-of-the-money short-term calls. That’s because they tend to be cheap, and you can buy a lot of them. However, they’re probably not the best way to get your feet wet. The Rookie’s Corner suggests other plays more suited to beginning options traders.

When to Run It

Options Playbook You’re bullish as a matador.

Break-even at Expiration

Strike A plus the cost of the call.

The Sweet Spot

The stock goes through the roof.

Maximum Potential Profit

There’s a theoretically unlimited profit potential, if the stock goes to infinity. (Please note: We’ve never seen a stock go to infinity. Sorry.)

Maximum Potential Loss

Risk is limited to the premium paid for the call option.

Margin Requirement

After the trade is paid for, no additional margin is required.

As Time Goes By

For this strategy, time decay is the enemy. It will negatively affect the value of the option you bought.

Implied Volatility

After the strategy is established, you want implied volatility to increase. It will increase the value of the option you bought, and also reflects an increased possibility of a price swing without regard for direction (but you’ll hope the direction is up).

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A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

No statement in this web site is to be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell a security, or to provide investment advice. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Copies of this document may be obtained from your broker, from any exchange on which options are traded or by contacting The Options Clearing Corporation, 125 S. Franklin Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60606 (investorservices@theocc.com).