dividend increase Apple Strategy Updated May 29, 2016

by Mike Scanlin

Apple closed at 100.23 on Friday, after having closed the previous week at 95.22. All 4 of our AAPL strategies had in-the-money options near expiration so we bought them back and sold new options for the June 3rd expiration next Friday.

To review, we are tracking 4 covered call strategies on Apple for 2016 (we are also tracking a buy-and-hold strategy for comparison):

Strategy Name Source of Income YTD Return vs. B&H
12%/year goalITM weekly covered calls
+ dividends		 3.2%+4.5%
24%/year goalITM weekly covered calls
+ dividends		 3.8%+5.0%
ATMATM weekly covered calls
+ dividends		 -3.2%-2.0%
2% OTM2% OTM weekly covered calls
+ dividends		 -3.4%-2.2%
buy and holddividends -1.2%

In all cases our initial purchase of AAPL was done at $102.57 on Jan 4, 2016. See the goals for the year and initial option sales here. (definitions for ITM, ATM, and OTM)

12%/year goal - Apple Strategy #1

Prior actions:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
1/4/16 buy 100 shares AAPL 102.57
Q1 13 covered calls 1/4 to 4/1 74.54 70.74 3.13
4/1/16 sell 107-strike Apr 8 call 3.20 0.26
4/8/16 buy 107-strike Apr 8 call 1.56 -0.01
4/8/16 sell 104-strike Apr 15 call 4.80 0.25
4/15/16 buy 104-strike Apr 15 call 5.85 -0.02
4/15/16 sell 105-strike Apr 22 call 5.05 0.22
4/22/16 buy 105-strike Apr 22 call 0.65 0.00
4/22/16 sell 97-strike Apr 29 call 8.90 0.25
4/29/16 97-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/29/16 sell 91.50-strike May 6 call 2.76 0.38
5/5/16 dividend 0.57
5/6/16 buy 91.50-strike May 6 call 1.10 0.00
5/6/16 sell 90-strike May 13 call 2.92 0.32
5/13/16 buy 90-strike May 13 call 0.48 -0.01
5/13/16 sell 87.50-strike May 20 call 3.32 0.35
5/20/16 buy 87.50-strike May 20 call 7.60 -0.01
5/20/16 sell 93-strike May 27 call 2.43 0.34

A few minutes before the close AAPL was trading at 100.23. We rolled the 93-strike to next week's 98-strike options to generate 32 cents of premium:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
5/27/16 buy 93-strike May 27 call 7.25 -0.02
5/27/16 sell 98-strike Jun 3 call 2.55 0.32

Here's the math we used to determine the 98-strike was the right strike to keep us on track for 12%/year:

Item Value Notes
starting capital 102.57 Initial cost of shares
Dec 31 goal for 12% return 114.88 102.57 * 1.12
actual income received 5.66 net call premium + paid divs
dividends yet to be paid 2016 1.14 2 x 0.57
assumed income received 6.80 net call premium + unpaid divs
current stock price 100.23 at the time we rolled
stock price + assumed income 107.03 100.23 + 6.80
income needed by Dec 31 7.85 114.88 - 107.03
weeks remaining 31 in 2016
income needed per week 0.25 7.85 / 31
2016 YTD return 3.2% (107.03 - 1.14 - 102.57) / 102.57

With that, we knew that to get 12% return for the year (which includes unpaid, but expected, dividends) we need 25 cents per week for the 31 remaining weeks in time premium. When examining the choices just before Friday's close we saw the deepest in-the-money option we could sell that provided at least 25 cents of time premium was the 98-strike.

24%/year goal - Apple Strategy #2

Prior actions:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
1/4/16 buy 100 shares AAPL 102.57
Q1 13 covered calls 1/4 to 4/1 47.36 46.96 6.39
4/1/16 sell 108-strike Apr 8 call 2.38 0.44
4/8/16 buy 108-strike Apr 8 call 0.56 -0.01
4/8/16 sell 106-strike Apr 15 call 3.00 0.45
4/15/16 buy 106-strike Apr 15 call 3.85 -0.02
4/15/16 sell 107-strike Apr 22 call 3.25 0.42
4/22/16 107-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/22/16 sell 99.50-strike Apr 29 call 6.65 0.50
4/29/16 99.50-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/29/16 sell 93-strike May 6 call 1.68 0.80
5/5/16 dividend 0.57
5/6/16 93-strike expired OTM 0.00
5/6/16 sell 91.50-strike May 13 call 1.85 0.75
5/13/16 91.50-strike expired OTM 0.00
5/13/16 sell 89-strike May 20 call 2.15 0.68
5/20/16 buy 89-strike May 20 call 6.10 -0.01
5/20/16 sell 94.50-strike May 27 call 1.33 0.74

A few minutes before the close AAPL was trading at 100.23. We rolled the 94.50-strike to next week's 99.50-strike options to generate 72 cents of premium:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
5/27/16 buy 94.50-strike May 27 call 5.75 -0.02
5/27/16 sell 99.50-strike Jun 3 call 1.45 0.72

Here's the math we used to determine the 99.50-strike was the right strike to keep us on track for 24%/year:

Item Value Notes
starting capital 102.57 Initial cost of shares
Dec 31 goal for 24% return 127.19 102.57 * 1.24
actual income received 6.20 net call premium + paid divs
dividends yet to be paid 2016 1.14 2 x 0.57
assumed income received 7.34 net call premium + unpaid divs
current stock price 100.23 at the time we rolled
stock price + assumed income 107.57 100.23 + 7.34
income needed by Dec 31 19.62 127.19 - 107.57
weeks remaining 31 in 2016
income needed per week 0.63 19.62 / 31
2016 YTD return 3.8% (107.57 - 1.14 - 102.57) / 102.57

To stay on track for a 24% return for the year (which includes unpaid, but expected, dividends) we need 63 cents per week for the remaining 31 weeks in time premium. When examining the choices just before Friday's close we saw the deepest in-the-money option we could sell that provided at least 63 cents of time premium was the 99.50-strike.

ATM (at-the-money) - Apple Strategy #3

Prior actions:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
1/4/16 buy 100 shares AAPL 102.57
Q1 13 covered calls 1/4 to 4/1 20.18 19.16 17.40
4/1/16 sell 110-strike Apr 8 call 1.04 1.04
4/8/16 110-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/8/16 sell 109-strike Apr 15 call 1.08 1.08
4/15/16 buy 109-strike Apr 15 call 0.85 -0.02
4/15/16 sell 110-strike Apr 22 call 1.21 1.21
4/22/16 110-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/22/16 sell 106-strike Apr 29 call 2.26 2.26
4/29/16 106-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/29/16 sell 94-strike May 6 call 1.13 1.13
5/5/16 dividend 0.57
5/6/16 94-strike expired OTM 0.00
5/6/16 sell 92.50-strike May 13 call 1.25 1.05
5/13/16 92.50-strike expired OTM 0.00
5/13/16 sell 90.50-strike May 20 call 1.22 1.22
5/20/16 buy 90.50-strike May 20 call 4.60 -0.01
5/20/16 sell 95-strike May 27 call 1.04 0.95

A few minutes before the close AAPL was trading at 100.23. We rolled the 95-strike to next week's 100-strike options to generate 90 cents of premium:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
5/27/16 buy 95-strike May 20 call 5.25 -0.02
5/27/16 sell 100-strike Jun 3 call 1.13 0.90

At the time we rolled, this strategy's summary was:

Item Value Notes
starting capital 102.57 Initial cost of shares
actual income received -0.92 net call premium + paid divs
current stock price 100.23 at the time we rolled
stock price + actual income 99.31 100.23 - 0.92
2016 YTD return -3.2% (99.31 - 102.57) / 102.57

This strategy is simple to implement and track. Each Friday we either let the option expire (if OTM) and write a new option, or buy the option back (if ITM) and then sell another option right away.

2% OTM (out-of-the-money) - Apple Strategy #4

Prior actions:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
1/4/16 buy 100 shares AAPL 102.57
Q1 13 covered calls 1/4 to 4/1 8.74 8.67 8.00
4/1/16 sell 112-strike Apr 8 call 0.35 0.35
4/8/16 112-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/8/16 sell 111-strike Apr 15 call 0.42 0.42
4/15/16 111-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/15/16 sell 112-strike Apr 22 call 0.45 0.45
4/22/16 112-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/22/16 sell 108-strike Apr 29 call 1.39 1.39
4/29/16 108-strike expired OTM 0.00
4/29/16 sell 96-strike May 6 call 0.43 0.43
5/5/16 dividend 0.57
5/6/16 96-strike expired OTM 0.00
5/6/16 sell 94.50-strike May 13 call 0.45 0.45
5/13/16 94.50-strike expired OTM 0.00
5/13/16 sell 92.50-strike May 20 call 0.45 0.45
5/20/16 buy 92.50-strike May 20 call 2.60 -0.01
5/20/16 sell 97-strike May 27 call 0.29 0.29

A few minutes before the close AAPL was trading at 100.23. We rolled the 97-strike to next week's 102-strike options to generate 37 cents of premium:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
5/27/16 buy 97-strike May 27 call 3.25 -0.02
5/27/16 sell 102-strike Jun 3 call 0.37 0.37

At the time we rolled, this strategy's summary was:

Item Value Notes
starting capital 102.57 Initial cost of shares
actual income received -1.12 net call premium + paid divs
current stock price 100.23 at the time we rolled
stock price + actual income 99.11 100.23 - 1.12
2016 YTD return -3.4% (99.11 - 102.57) / 102.57

This strategy is also simple to implement and track. Each Friday we either let the option expire (if OTM) and write a new option, or buy the option back (if ITM) and then sell another option right away.

Buy and Hold (For Comparison)

Prior actions:

Date Action $ out $ in Time Premium
1/4/16 buy 100 shares AAPL 102.57
2/4/16 dividend 0.52
5/5/16 dividend 0.57

This strategy's summary when AAPL was trading at 90.47 near the close today:

Item Value Notes
starting capital 102.57 Initial cost of shares
actual income received 1.09 paid dividends
current stock price 100.23
stock price + actual income 101.32 100.23 + 1.09
2016 YTD return -1.2% (101.32 - 102.57) / 102.57

Mike Scanlin is the founder of Born To Sell and has been writing covered calls for a long time.

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