Log in Open account
International
CFDs and forex (FX) are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 62% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. 
Show more
CFDs and forex (FX) are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 62% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs, FX, or any of our other products work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Show less
09 1024x768MC_EduCation

Investing with options - Securing your tech stock gains with simple hedging strategies 1/2

Options 10 minutes to read
MicrosoftTeams-image (3)
Koen Hoorelbeke

Investment and Options Strategist

Summary:  In this introductory guide, we cover the basics of using put options to protect your gains from the "Magnificent 7" tech stocks. Using MSFT as a case study, we detail how to choose options and illustrate their benefits in offsetting stock declines without selling your shares.

Investing with options - Securing your tech stock gains with simple hedging strategies

 

Introduction

As investors in some of the most dynamic companies of our time, the "Magnificent 7" tech stocks, you've likely seen impressive gains in your portfolio. However, in the ever-volatile landscape of the stock market, it's crucial to protect those profits. For those of you with little to no experience in using options, we're here to guide you through straightforward hedging strategies that can serve as a safeguard for your investments.

This two-part article series will introduce you to the concept of using long put options as a form of "insurance" against downturns in stock prices. In our first installment, we'll use Microsoft (MSFT) as a demonstration case to illustrate how purchasing put options can help lock in the value of your investments. In the following article, we'll expand this approach to cover all of the Magnificent 7 stocks, discussing potential expiry dates and strike prices to consider.

You can find part two of this series here: Investing with options - Securing your tech stock gains with simple hedging strategies - 2of2

Important disclaimer: the strategies and examples provided in this article are purely for educational purposes. They are intended to assist in shaping your thought process and should not be replicated or implemented without careful consideration. Every investor or trader must conduct their own due diligence and take into account their unique financial situation, risk tolerance, and investment objectives before making any decisions. Remember, investing in the stock market carries risk, and it's crucial to make informed decisions.

A Guide to Put Options and How They Work

Put options are contracts that give you the right to sell a specific stock at a predetermined price before a set expiration date. By buying a put option, you're essentially purchasing insurance for your stock; if the stock price falls, the put option increases in value, helping to offset the loss in your portfolio.

2024-02-16-00-MSFT-OptionChain

The above screenshot shows an options chain for MSFT, displaying various strikes and expiries. It's a visual representation of the choices available to you when purchasing put options.

Understanding Put Options and Their Pricing

When buying put options, it's crucial to understand that one option contract typically covers 100 shares of the underlying stock. For example, if the price listed for an option is $21.50, that's the cost per share. Therefore, the total cost to buy one contract, which covers 100 shares, is 100 times that price—coming to $2,150 in total. This detail is clearly shown in the order ticket screenshot where the premium for one contract is stated.

To view this order ticket yourself, simply click on the ask price of the desired strike in the options chain. This action will bring up the order ticket, providing you with all the details you need to review before making your purchase, such as the total premium cost for the number of contracts you're considering.

As an investor, you have the autonomy to decide how many contracts you wish to purchase. A practical rule of thumb is to base the number of contracts on the amount of your stock holdings: divide the total number of shares you own by 100 to determine the corresponding number of contracts for full coverage. However, you are not bound to match contracts to shares on a one-to-one basis. Depending on your risk tolerance and coverage goals, you may opt for fewer contracts as a partial hedge or buy additional contracts to extend your protection.

When considering the purchase of multiple contracts, such as 10 for instance, a strategic approach could be to phase in your purchases. This technique, known as "laddering," involves buying a portion of the total number of contracts initially—say 4 contracts—and then purchasing additional contracts over time, such as another 4 after a few days and the final 2 at a later date. This method allows you to potentially benefit from price movements. If the market continues to rise, you may acquire subsequent contracts at a lower premium. Laddering can be customized to suit your strategy, whether that's 2 now, 2 later, and so on, allowing for flexibility in managing your investment "insurance."

2024-02-16-01-MSFT-OrderTicket

Selecting the Expiry Date and Strike Price

Choosing an expiry date for your option is a balance between cost and the duration of protection. A longer expiry provides more time for the option to work but comes at a higher premium, while a shorter expiry costs less but also protects for less time. Similarly, selecting a strike price is about finding the right level of protection for your investment at a cost that makes sense to you.

Simulations: The Benefits of Put Options in Market Declines

Let's simulate the benefits of put options with MSFT trading at $404.83:

  • 5% Decline to $384.59: If you purchased a put option with a $415 strike price, and MSFT's stock falls by 5%, the put option would gain an intrinsic value of $30.41 per share ($415 - $384.59). After accounting for the initial premium of $21.50, this would net a gain of $8.91 per share ($30.41 - $21.50), offsetting some of the stock decline.
  • 10% Decline to $364.35: In the case of a 10% decline, the same put option's intrinsic value would increase to $50.65 per share ($415 - $364.35). Subtracting the premium, the net gain would be $29.15 per share ($50.65 - $21.50), providing a significant cushion against the loss.

The Flexibility of Options

An important aspect to remember is that options offer flexibility. You don't have to exercise them, which would involve selling your MSFT stock. If you believe the stock price will rebound, you can choose to sell the put option itself at its increased value. This way, you can profit from the option's appreciation due to the stock's decline while retaining your shares in anticipation of a market recovery.

Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Utilizing put options is a smart way to protect against the downside without committing to selling your underlying shares. With MSFT as our case study, we've demonstrated how put options can serve as a strategic tool to shield your investments. Stay tuned for our next article, where we'll showcase how these principles can be applied to each of the Magnificent 7 stocks, giving you a comprehensive view of how to secure your tech stock gains in uncertain times.

For continuous insights and updates on market/options strategies, interact with me/follow my social media account on Threads.

Previous "Investing with options" articles: 

Listen to our brand new podcast: "Saxo Options Talk"

Related articles:

Previous "Volatility reports": 

Previous "What are your options" articles: 

Options are complex, high-risk products and require knowledge, investment experience and, in many applications, high risk acceptance. We recommend that before you invest in options, you inform yourself well about the operation and risks. In Saxo Bank's Terms of Use you will find more information on this in the Important Information Options, Futures, Margin and Deficit Procedure. You can also consult the Essential Information Document of the option you want to invest in on Saxo Bank's website.

This article may or may not have been enriched with the support of advanced AI technology, including OpenAI's ChatGPT and/or other similar platforms. The initial setup, research and final proofing are done by the author.

Quarterly Outlook

01 /

  • Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Quarterly Outlook

    Fixed Income Outlook: Bonds Hit Reset. A New Equilibrium Emerges

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

    Read full article
  • Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equity Outlook: Will lower rates lift all boats in equities?

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    After a period of historically high equity index concentration driven by the 'Magnificent Seven' sto...
    Read full article
  • FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX Outlook: USD in limbo amid political and policy jitters

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    As we enter the final quarter of 2024, currency markets are set for heightened turbulence due to US ...
    Read full article
  • Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro Outlook: The US rate cut cycle has begun

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    The Fed started the US rate cut cycle in Q3 and in this macro outlook we will explore how the rate c...
    Read full article
  • Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodity Outlook: Gold and silver continue to shine bright

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

    Read full article
  • FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Quarterly Outlook

    FX: Risk-on currencies to surge against havens

    Charu Chanana

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the outlook for USD, AUD, NZD, and EM carry trades as risk-on currencies are set to outperfo...
    Read full article
  • Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Quarterly Outlook

    Equities: Are we blowing bubbles again

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore key trends and opportunities in European equities and electrification theme as market dynami...
    Read full article
  • Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Quarterly Outlook

    Macro: Sandcastle economics

    Peter Garnry

    Chief Investment Strategist

    Explore the "two-lane economy," European equities, energy commodities, and the impact of US fiscal p...
    Read full article
  • Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Quarterly Outlook

    Bonds: What to do until inflation stabilises

    Althea Spinozzi

    Head of Fixed Income Strategy

    Discover strategies for managing bonds as US and European yields remain rangebound due to uncertain ...
    Read full article
  • Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Quarterly Outlook

    Commodities: Energy and grains in focus as metals pause

    Ole Hansen

    Head of Commodity Strategy

    Energy and grains to shine as metals pause. Discover key trends and market drivers for commodities i...
    Read full article

Disclaimer

 The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
Philip Heymans Alle 15
2900
Hellerup
Denmark

Contact Saxo

Select region

International
International
Products & pricing
Platforms
Accounts & service
General
Other
Legal

All trading and investing comes with risk, including but not limited to the potential to lose your entire invested amount.

Information on our international website (as selected from the globe drop-down) can be accessed worldwide and relates to Saxo Bank A/S as the parent company of the Saxo Bank Group. Any mention of the Saxo Bank Group refers to the overall organisation, including subsidiaries and branches under Saxo Bank A/S. Client agreements are made with the relevant Saxo entity based on your country of residence and are governed by the applicable laws of that entity's jurisdiction.

Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.