The call option is a financial contract that gives the holder the right to buy a stock at a predetermined price before a specific date. It is a tool that allows investors to potentially profit from an asset’s price increase.
Content ID:
- What Is A Call Option?
- Call Option Example
- Call Options Profit Formula
- How Do Call Options Work?
- Features Of Call Option
- Types Of Call Options
- Difference Between Call Option And Put Option
- Call Option – Quick Summary
- Call Option Meaning – FAQs
What Is A Call Option?
A call option is like a reservation for a future purchase. You pay for the right to buy something at a set price, hoping it will cost more in the future. If the price goes up, you could buy it cheaper with your option.
Investors use call options as a bet on the market. They pay a small price upfront, the premium, for the chance to buy a stock later at today’s price. If the stock’s price rises, they can buy it at the lower price they locked in, sell it at the current higher price, and make a profit. But if the stock doesn’t rise above the set price, they only lose the premium they paid.
Call Option Example
Imagine you’re interested in buying shares of a company that’s priced at Rs 100 each. You buy a call option at a premium of Rs 5 per share, with a one-month expiry date and a strike price of Rs 100, because you believe the price will rise.
This call option means you’ve paid Rs 5 for the right (but not the obligation) to buy the stock at Ra 100 any time within the next month. If the stock price rises to Rs 120, you can use your option to buy at Rs 100 and potentially sell immediately for a Rs 20 profit per share (minus the Rs 5 premium, netting a Rs 15 gain per share). However, if the stock price doesn’t rise above Rs 100, your option could expire worthless, and you’d lose the Rs 5 premium you paid.
Call Options Profit Formula
Call Options Profit can be calculated using the formula: Profit = (Current Stock Price – Strike Price) – Premium Paid. This formula helps you understand how much you could gain from exercising your option.
Let’s say if the stock price is Rs 120 at expiration, and you have a strike price of Rs 100 with a Rs 5 premium:
Profit = (Rs 120 – Rs 100) – Rs 5 = Rs 20 – Rs 5 = Rs 15 profit per share.
This calculation shows that, after accounting for the cost of buying the option (the premium), you stand to gain Rs 15 for each share you buy and sell under this option contract.
How Do Call Options Work?
Call options work by granting you the right to purchase stocks at a predetermined price in the future. This may be profitable if the stock price rises above the fixed price.
- Buy the Option: Initially, you purchase a call option by paying a premium. This premium is the price of acquiring the option itself, not the underlying asset.
- Decide to Exercise: After purchasing the option, you watch the stock’s market price. If, at any point before the option expires, the stock’s price rises above the strike price, the option is said to be “in the money.” You then have the decision to make: whether to exercise your option to buy the stock at the strike price or not.
- Exercise or Expire: If you choose to exercise the option, you will purchase the specified quantity of the stock at the strike price, regardless of the stock’s current market price. This decision is typically made if you believe the stock’s price will continue to increase or if you want to hold the stock as part of your portfolio.
- Sell for Profit: If you exercised the option when the stock price was above the strike price, you can sell the stock immediately in the market at its higher current price. This enables you to profit from the deal, which is equal to the difference between the stock’s market price and the strike price less the option premium you paid.
Features Of Call Option
The primary feature of a call option is its leverage. This leverage allows you to control a larger amount of stock with a smaller amount of money, which is the premium paid for the option. This means that with a relatively low investment, you can benefit from the price movements of a much larger share volume.
- Flexibility: Call options offer the flexibility to decide whether to purchase the stock at a predetermined price before the option expires. This flexibility enables investors to respond to market movements and make decisions based on the most recent market trends, giving them strategic advantages in both bullish and bear markets.
- Risk Limitation: With call options, the maximum loss is the premium paid for the option. This risk limitation is a key advantage, as it offers a safety net; you know the maximum amount you can lose right from the start, unlike direct stock investments where the potential for loss can be much higher.
- Profit Potential: Call options offer significant profit potential if the stock price rises above the strike price plus the premium paid. This feature appeals to investors seeking high returns because the initial investment (the premium) is typically small in comparison to the potential gains from positive price movements in the underlying stock.
- Speculative Opportunities: Call options provide speculative opportunities, allowing investors to bet on the future direction of stock prices with lower upfront costs. This speculative aspect makes call options an attractive tool for those looking to capitalize on market forecasts without committing a large amount of capital.
- Hedging: Call options are an effective way to hedge against potential stock portfolio losses. By purchasing call options, investors can protect themselves against adverse movements in stock prices, securing an option to buy at a predetermined price even if the market value of the stock declines.
Types Of Call Options
Types Of Call Options come in various forms, providing different strategic opportunities for both buyers and sellers in the market. Primarily, call options are categorized into two types based on the position one can hold: long call options and short call options.
Long Call Options
The buyer of a long call option has the option, but not the obligation, to purchase a specific amount of an asset at a fixed price (the strike price) within a specified time period.
This type of call option is an investment in the anticipation of an asset’s price increase. The buyer compensates the seller by paying a premium for this benefit. Before the option expires, if the asset’s market price rises above the strike price, the buyer may exercise the option to buy the asset at the strike price and possibly profit from the difference in price. This strategy is favored by investors who are bullish on the market and are looking to leverage their position with a relatively small upfront investment (the premium).
Short Call Options
Short call options, on the other hand, involve the seller (also known as the writer) of the option granting the buyer the right to purchase the asset at the strike price up to the expiration date.
In this arrangement, the seller receives the premium from the buyer. The seller’s hope is that the asset’s price will not exceed the strike price, allowing them to keep the premium as profit. If the price of an asset increases above the strike price, the seller is obliged to sell the asset at the lower strike price, which could lead to losses. This approach is often used by investors who anticipate the asset’s value to remain steady or decrease, or by those who wish to generate income by collecting premiums.
Difference Between Call Option And Put Option
The primary distinction between a call option and a put option is that a call option grants you the right to buy a stock at a fixed price, whereas a put option grants you the right to sell a stock at a fixed price. More such differences are explained below:
| Parameter | Call Option | Put Option |
| Definition | The holder has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase an asset at a predetermined price (strike price) by a specific date (expiration date). | The holder has the right, but not the obligation, to sell an asset at a predetermined price (strike price) by a specific date (expiration date). |
| Market Outlook | Bullish; traders expect the price of the underlying asset to rise. | Bearish; traders expect the price of the underlying asset to fall. |
| Profit Scenario | Profits when the market price of the underlying asset rises above the strike price plus the premium paid. | Profits when the market price of the underlying asset falls below the strike price minus the premium paid. |
| Risk | Risk is limited to the premium paid for purchasing the call option. | Risk is limited to the premium paid for purchasing the put option. |
| Purpose | To leverage potential gains on an expected increase in the price of the underlying asset. | To hedge against or profit from a potential decrease in the price of the underlying asset. |
Call Option – Quick Summary
- Call Option allows you the right to buy an asset at a specified price before a set date.
- Call Option offers the right to purchase at a set price in the future, beneficial if the asset’s price increases.
- Call Options example includes that for a premium, it grants the right to buy at today’s price within a month, aiming for profit if the asset’s price rises.
- Call Options profit is determined by subtracting the strike price and premium paid from the current stock price.
- Call Options involves buying an option, deciding to exercise based on stock price movement, and potentially selling for profit.
- The main features of Call Option is that offers leverage, controlling more stock for less money, and providing significant profit potential from market price movements.
- Types of Call Options include long and short options, each offering different strategic opportunities based on market positions.
- The key difference between call option and put option is that call options grant the right to buy, while put options grant the right to sell an asset at a set price.
- Unlock the world of options trading for free with Alice Blue.
Call Option Meaning – FAQs
A call option gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a specific asset at a predetermined price within a set period, offering a strategic choice in volatile markets.
If you buy a call option for ABC stock at a strike price of ₹100, valid for a month, you can purchase ABC stock at ₹100 during that month, regardless of the market price.
The benefit of a call option lies in its ability to provide significant investment exposure while limiting the risk to the amount paid for the premium, thus offering the potential for substantial returns on a relatively small initial investment.
A call option can be profitable if the underlying asset’s market price exceeds the strike price plus the premium paid, allowing for potential gains from the price differential.
The profit from a call option is calculated using the formula: Profit = (Current Market Price – Strike Price – Premium Paid) * Number of Shares, allowing investors to determine their potential returns based on market movements.
