RE:RE:3 Cheap TSX Stocks to Buy Today The "bible" is Options as a strategic investment by Lawrence MacMillan.
It was recommended to me over 20 years ago by a colleague who later established the graduate program in financial engineering at our university.
There are two main options which I will describe in two examples and show how they can reduce our cost average, a key metric because while we can't control the market (and we don't need to) we can control our average cost which should be our sole focus once we deem the stock worthy and safe.
SNC is trading at 23.44$ and we see tremendous value but we are willing to buy for 2$ less or pass.
We sell a 22$ put expiring in March for 0.6$. We get paid immediately 0.60$ for the obligation to buy at 22$ should SNC be below 22$ on March 19, for a net cost of 21.40$. We then sell another but a 20$ put for say another 0.60$ and reduce our average by both doubling down and bagging the premium. If not we keep the 0.60$ and repeat and bag another premium that will further reduce our cost average should we be lucky enough for the stock to drop.
if you get to buy the stock at a cost of 21.40$, we can sell a covered call for another premium for 25$ which again reduces the cost.
i started buying SNC at 36 or so. My cost is in the low 24 because I don't have the heart to sell calls on such an undervalued security. If I had applied my usual strategy my average cost would be lower than 15$.
When Exxon dropped to 32-34$ in March, I sold 300 put contracts (obligation to buy 30,000 shares) at 35$ Expiring Jan 2022 (20 months after March 2020). I figured covid will be history by then and the puts will expire worthless. I received over 10$ per share. As Exxon moved up, I sold more for as low as 4.80$ and averaged about 8$ on 55,000 shares (50,000 expiring Jan 2022 and 5,000 shares expiring in Jan 2023). If Exxon drops below 35, my cost if 27$. It's about double now and COVID is not finished.
gilead was same but faster. I sold 50 puts, paid the 5,000 shares, sold more 50 puts, and 50 calls, then sold the 5,000 shares and bought with same amount and profit, 500 long term Jan 2021 50$ calls and sold short term 62.5$ calls against them and reduced my cost down to 4$ or so for a net difference of 12.50$ To be paid on Tuesday.