Craig, I usually buy puts 2-4 months out. Sometimes when I have had a decent run, I shorten maturities so I can buy more options for the same price. I am kind of non-plussed with this cycle that started on Pearl Harbor Day. I have had a large number of losers more than covered by some big winners. But, typically, I get one or two super homerun stocks (last year, Citicorp, Merrill, the XAL and the DRG fit that bill well, and Ciena did also if you also count the long positions I took in the apres decline trading). So far this cycle, I have not had a super homerun stock. Some could get there before the game is over, like CPQ, Dell, and CDWC. But most are like Xlnx, where I made and booked healthy profits, but then it bounced back and my roll downs are languishing. Still, if the market stops hitting all-time highs every day, some of those out of the money puts will come true. <g>
I have always wondered how the Dell thread could get hot. How many times can you say, I wuv it? <g> Since they allow nobody to tell the truth over there, and they don't even discuss bullish factors, you would think that constant cheerleading would bore even folks of very limited intelligence. <g> |
