Selling Unilever Calls: Euro Has Reached Its High

Unilever (UN) ($30.14) has been a value (and disappointing) stock in my portfolio. Recently the stock has been moving up with the rest of Europe (and up as part of the currency effect of the declining US Dollar).

When stocks (and markets rally), I like to revisit my exit points for my positions. An "exit point" is a place where I would gladly get out. Usually, this means a price where the reason I've been holding the stock edge (information, research) is no longer valid. With Unilever, this means a price above a p/e of 22 and where the Euro is about as high as I see it going for the next year or so.

Unilever closed at $30.14 yesterday. I sold January 35 Strike Calls at $0.55.

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Stand Disclosure: I love Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. Up in Vermont I don't think they have a factory; they have a mind control research center. Unilever bought Ben and Jerry's a few years back, so I'm not supporting a bunch of furry Vermonters, but instead a Dutch conglomerate, when I pig out on that frozen elixir. I first bought Unilever at around $20/share back in August of 2004 and then again (around $24) in September of 2006 - each time I bought, it was after a summer of buying the addictive concoction pints, at a time that both my wallet and my waistline ought to benefit. Oh and the the 5-6% dividend yield didn't discourage me either. Unilver also makes Slimfast, the diet drink. I don't think this anywhere near makes up for the waistline damage done by Ben & Jerry's.

Oh, and another reason I love Ben and Jerry's being owned by a big European Corporation is that it doesn't mean they've lost their peacenick roots. They are still promoting peace through ice cream.