Protective Puts & Collars

Using options to limit downside on stock already owned.

What is Protective Puts & Collars?

A protective put - buying a put on stock you own - sets a floor at the strike price, for the cost of the premium. A collar adds the sale of a call against the stock, using its premium to pay for the put, so the downside floor is financed by capping the upside. Both are volatility-management techniques.

Protective Puts & Collars: a worked example

Own at $100: buy a $90 put and sell a $115 call. The position is locked between $90 and $115.

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