t,r 19: The Sale of a Put 
ILE 19-2. 
297 
lculation of the potential return of uncovered put writing. 
50 
4 
less commissions 
Potential maximum profit (premium received) 
Striking price 
Less premium per put ($1,925/5) 
Break-even stock price 
Collateral required (allowing for stock to drop to 43): 
20% of 43 
Plus put premium 
Requirement for 5 puts 
Less premium received 
Net collateral 
Potential return: 
Premium divided by net collateral 
$2,000 
75 
$1,925 
$50.00 
3.85 
46.15 
$ 860 
+ 700 
$1,560 
X 5 
$7,800 
- 1,925 
$5,875 
$1,925/$5,875 = 32.8% 
There are differences of opinion on how to compute the potential returns from 
naked put writing. The method presented above is a more conservative one in that it 
takes into consideration a larger collateral requirement than the initial requirement. 
Of course, since one is not really investing cash, but is merely using the collateral 
value of his present portfolio, it may even be correct to claim that one has no invest­
ment at all in such a position. This may be true, but it would be impossible to com­
pare various put writing opportunities without having a return computation available. 
One other important feature of return computations is the return if unchanged. 
If the put is initially out-of-the-money, the return if unchanged is the same as the 
maximum potential return. However, if the put is initially in-the-money, the compu­
tation must take into consideration what the writer would have to pay to buy back the 
put when it expires.