Publications

5/19/11 Trade Alert: At Your Convenience

This Midwestern convenience store operator is an M&A growth machine. Its multinational competitors have tried their hardest to acquire the company–and failed. Now it’s your turn to get in on the action…. Read More

5/16/11 Weekly Briefing: “Credit” and “Debit” Vertical Option Spreads, More Similar than You May Imagine

Don’t fret over alarmist headlines from the financial press. The real economy is strengthening. Jim also gets into the nitty gritty of vertical option spreads…. Read More

5/12/11 Trade Alert: Garbage is Beautiful

Put Credit Spread on Stericycle (NasdaqGS: SRCL) “Buy to Open” August $85 Put and “Sell to Open” August $90 Put Option Symbols: SRCL110820P85 and SRCL110820P90 Limit Order Price: Net credit of $1.60 or more ($160 per spread) Directional View for Underlying Stock: Neutral to slightly bullish Options for Income Portfolio: Conservative Income Margin requirement per […]… Read More

5/12/11 Trade Alert: Garbage is Beautiful

A put credit spread on a waste disposal stock promises a 47% return and limits risk at the same time…. Read More

5/9/11 Weekly Briefing: Buying Puts Can Reduce Your Margin Requirement

Falling commodity prices don’t augur a stock market collapse. Also, Jim explains how to create spreads to lower risk and boost profits…. Read More

5/5/11 Trade Alert: Second Time’s The Charm

“Sell to Open” September $80 Put on Berkshire Hathaway Class B (NYSE: BRK-B) Option Symbol: BRKB110917P80 Limit Order Price: $3.35 or more ($335 per contract) Directional View for Underlying Stock: Neutral Options for Income Portfolio: Conservative Income Approximate margin requirement per contract: $1,900 (depends on your broker) 134-day return on margin: 18 percent (49 percent […]… Read More

5/4/11 Trade Alert: Bottoms Up! — UPDATE

(Updated with rationale for selling put) “Sell to Open” July $45 Put on Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) Option Symbol: TAP110716P45 Limit Order Price: $1.90 or more ($190 per contract) Directional View for Underlying Stock: Neutral to slightly bullish Options for Income Portfolio: Conservative Income Approximate margin requirement per contract: $1,200 (depends on your broker) 72-day […]… Read More

5/4/11 Trade Alert: Bottoms Up! — UPDATE

Selling this put allows us to buy an alcoholic beverage company very cheaply…. Read More

5/2/11 Weekly Briefing: Different Options Strategies for Different Investment Goals

Jim gives a clinic on how to calculate future options prices. He also provides additional analysis of last week’s LEAP call recommendation…. Read More

Option Basics

If you’re not sure what a call and a put are, read this article first.

… Read More