SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Strategies & Market Trends : The Covered Calls for Dummies Thread

 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Uncle Frank who wrote (448)5/7/2001 2:26:47 PM
From: Mathemagician  Read Replies (1) of 5205
 
>> if writing CCs generates more cash, why would that be bad for young people with long investment horizons?

Because it's a conservative approach that trades off some of the potential for appreciation in favor of revenue. That's the wrong weighting for beginning investors, who should take a more aggressive stance because of their long investment windows. Their emphasis should be on building their portfolios through saving and then accumulating stocks with excellent potential for growth. Imo cc writing is ideally suited for those who already have sizeable investment portfolios and are looking for ways to produce an income stream that doesn't involve liquidating long term holdings.


UF,

I am a "young" investor with an extremely long investment horizon. My goal is simple: To retire with as much money as possible without losing sleep. To my thinking, using puts to establish positions and then selectively writing OTM CCs against my (volatile, given my high risk tolerance) ltb&h positions is the best way to accomplish that goal. It is often possible to achieve returns that would be excellent on an annual basis for any ltb&h investor in just a few months -- with downside protection to boot!

Remember, the market averages about 12% annually over the long term. Remember also that the majority of the time the market moves sideways, and this is the condition most well-suited to CC writing. I think we would all agree that it is not terribly difficult these days to beat 12% annually with CCs. There was even a post a while back that listed several LEAPS CC positions that would yield over 30% annualized with substantial downside protection. Whether this condition will persist over the long haul remains to be seen. For as long as it does persist, I will write CCs and dream of 30% annualized for 35 years...

CC writers are the "house" in the world's largest and most crooked casino, selling get-rich-quick dreams to greedy option buyers. In a regular casino, it is the house that consistently makes the most money. In the equity markets, this is no less true.

M@CynicsAnonymous.org

P.S. Maybe it's because the last 18 months have taught me that opportunity cost isn't really that expensive.
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext