Buy Put
Buying a put gives the holder the right to sell stock at the strike price. Of
course, puts can be a part of a host of different spreads, but this chapter
discusses the two most basic and common put-buying strategies: the long
put and the protective put. The long put is a way to speculate on a bearish
move in the underlying security, and the protective put is a way to protect a
long position in the underlying security.
Consider a long put example:
Buy 1 SPY May 139 put at 2.30
In this example, the Spiders have had a good run up to $140.35. Trader
Isabel is looking for a 10 percent correction in SPY between now and the
end of May, about three months away. She buys 1 SPY May 139 put at 2.30.
This put gives her the right to sell 100 shares of SPY at $139 per share.
Exhibit 1.6 shows Isabel’s P&(L) if the put is held until expiration.
EXHIBIT 1.6 SPY long put.
If SPY is above the strike price of 139 at expiration, the put will expire
and the entire premium of 2.30 will be lost. If SPY is below the strike price
at expiration, the put will have value. It can be exercised, creating a short
position in the Spiders at an effective price of $136.70 per share. This price