Covered Call St...'s  Instablog

In the endless search for yield, a covered-call strategy can be an effective tool to supplement portfolio performance. In addition to finding returns from call premium, I'll try to incorporate higher quality dividend stocks for a little something extra. The guidelines for the covered-call strategy are:

• Generating more than 7% per year from the calls and dividends combined is the overall goal.
• Call should be at least 8% out of the money (OTM) to avoid being called away and to give room for underlying movement.
• Targeted expirations will be within 4 months. Optimally calls will be written on the same underlying 3-4 times per year.
• Buying back calls to close before expirations takes place will be taken into account; yields are calculated bid-$0.05.

The picks should be looked upon as yield generators to supplement longer-term equity holdings. The above are only guidelines, not rules. Before utilizing the strategy, make sure to study it and know the potential hiccups that may occur.

Annualized Call Yield performance can be calculated as such:

= (Call premium/Stock price)/Days to expiration*365

OTM = Out of the money

Prices current as of June 27, 2012 market close

Tiffanys (TIF) September 62.5 call

Another beat up stock here, if you own it you may want to use call writing to help recover some lost value while waiting for it move higher.

Freeport-McMoran (FCX) September 37 call

The price action is forming a solid base above the $31 level. This stock may correlate with gold/copper prices so keeping an eye on federal easing announcments and global economic growth is a must in order to judge when to ditch/buy the stock.

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) September 21 call

This stock has been experiencing a downtrend over the last 12 months and is a great candidate to write calls against. The underlying doesn't seem to have any chance of exploding upwards thru the strike and cutting off profits but the company is solid and the stock should be a viable long-term investment.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

In the endless search for yield, a Covered-Call Strategy can be an effective tool to supplement portfolio performance. In addition to finding returns from call premium, I'll try to incorporate higher quality dividend stocks for a little something extra. The guidelines for the covered-call strategy are:

• Generate more than 7% per year from the calls and dividends combined is the overall goal.
• Call should be at least 8% out of the money, to avoid being called away and give room for underlying movement.
• Targeted expirations will be within 4 months. Optimally calls will be written on the same underlying 3-4 times per year.
• Buying back calls to close before expirations takes place will be taken into account; Yields are calculated Bid-$0.05.

The picks should be looked upon as yield generators to supplement longer-term equity holdings. The above are only guidelines, however, not rules. Before utilizing the strategy, make sure to study it and know the potential hick-ups that may occur.

Annualized Call Yield performance can be calculated as such:

= (Call premium/Stock price)/Days to expiration*365

Prices current as of June 23, 2012 market close

Lululemon (LULU) September 67.50 @ 1.65

Weaker price action here after a massive run-up the last couple years. Possible to use the yield generated here in a stock repair capacity. (click to enlarge)

Under Armor (UA) August 55 @ $0.75

Has been a solid and growing brand in athletics, picking up market share consistently. The price action is strong remaining above the 200 day MA in an overall uptrend. The strike is above the 52 week high.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.