Options Premium
When a trader buys an options contract (either a Call or a Put), they have the rights given by the contract, and for these rights, they pay an up front fee to the trader selling the options contract. This fee is called the options premium, which varies from one options market to another, and also within the same options market depending upon when the premium is calculated. The options premium is calculated using three main criteria, which are as follows :
- In, At, or Out of the Money - If an option is in the money, its premium will have additional value because the option is already in profit, and the profit will be immediately available to the buyer of the option. If an option is at the money, or out of the money, its premium will not have any additional value because the options is not yet in profit. Therefore, options that are at the money, or out of the money, always have lower premiums (i.e. cost less) than options that are already in the money.
- Time Value - All options contracts have an expiration date, after which they become worthless. The more time that an option has before its expiration date, the more time there is available for the option to come into profit, so its premium will have additional time value. The less time that an option has until its expiration date, the less time there is available for the option to come into profit, so its premium will have either lower additional time value, or no additional time value.
- Volatility - If an options market is highly volatile (i.e. if its daily price range is large), the premium will be higher, because the option has the potential to make more profit for the buyer. Conversely, if an options market is not volatile (i.e. if its daily price range is small), the premium will be lower. An options market's volatility is calculated using its long term price range, its recent price range, and its expected price range before its expiration date, using various volatility pricing models.
Options based upon futures markets are priced according to their multiplier (or contract value), and options based upon stocks are priced in groups of 100 shares. For example, the ZI (Silver 5000 troy ounce) options market has a multiplier of 5000, so its premiums need to be multiplied by 5000 to reach their actual cash value, and the stock CSCO is priced for 100 shares, so its premiums need to be multiplied by 100 to reach their actual cash value.
Entering and Exiting a Trade
A long options trade is entered by buying an options contract, and paying the premium to the options seller. If the market then moves in the desired direction, the options contract will come into profit (in the money). There are two different ways that an in the money option can be turned into realized profit. The first is to sell the contract (as with futures contracts), and keep the difference between the buying and selling prices as the profit. Selling an options contract to exit a long trade is safe, because the sale is of an already owned contract. The second way to exit a trade is to exercise the option, and take delivery of the underlying futures contract, which can then be sold to realize the profit. The preferred way to exit a trade is to sell the contract, as this is the easier than exercising, and in theory is more profitable, because the option may still have some remaining time value.
