Bull Call Spread: How this Options Trading Strategy Works

The dynamics of a Bear Call Spread strategy are influenced by implied volatility. This term signifies the market’s expectation of future price fluctuations. Here is something you should know, wider the spread, higher is the amount of money you can potentially make, but as a trade off the breakeven also increases. Therefore let us take up a few scenarios to get a sense of what would happen to the bull call spread for different levels of expiry.

The maximum risk is equal to the cost of the spread including commissions. A loss of this amount is realized if the position is held to expiration and both calls expire worthless. Both calls will expire worthless if the stock price at expiration is below the strike price of the long call (lower strike). Similar to the Bull Call Spread, the Bull Put Spread is a two leg option strategy invoked when the view on the market is ‘moderately bullish’. The Bull Put Spread is similar to the Bull Call Spread in terms of the payoff structure; however there are a few differences in terms of strategy execution and strike selection. The bull put spread involves creating a spread by employing ‘Put options’ rather than ‘Call options’ (as is the case in bull call spread).

Max Loss

In-the-money options will be more expensive than out-of-the-money options. The further out-of-the-money the spread is purchased, the more bullish the bias. Maximum loss occurs if the stock price goes down at or below the long strike price (lower strike). The difference between the premium of the contracts is the maximum loss. Column I shows profit or loss, which is the sum of initial cash flow (column G) and payoff at expiration (column H). In our example the P/L of individual legs is -513 (cell I9 for leg 1) and +606 (cell I10 for leg 2).

• The maximum loss is limited to the net premium paid to establish the spread.
• You will need the concepts explained there to navigate through this calculator.
• Conversely, the maximum gain occurs when the security trades above the strike price of the short call.
• Factoring in net commissions, the investor would be left with a net loss of $7.
• Going forward I will assume you are familiar with what a moderately bullish/bearish move would mean, hence I would probably start directly with the strategy notes.
• In percentage terms, the bull call spread is 30% cheaper than purchasing only the call option.

This creates a reverse iron butterfly and allows the put spread to profit if the underlying price continues to decrease. However, the additional debit spread will cost money and extend the break-even point. Bull call debit spreads benefit from an increase in the value of implied volatility.

When Might An Options Trader Only Buy A Call?

The Bull Call Spread Calculator can serve as an effective risk management tool. By pre-calculating possible outcomes, traders can make better judgments about which strike prices to choose, thereby reducing potential losses. Imagine you purchase a lower strike call option for $2 and a higher strike call option for $1. If the maximum possible gain calculated is $8, then your potential profit will be $5 ($8 – $3).

• Search a symbol to visualize the potential profit and loss for a bull call spread option strategy.
• However, the additional debit spread will cost money and extend the break-even point.
• If you are still learning about investing, we recommend you check out our set of financial calculators.
• By leveraging the difference in strike price, this strategy combines buying a lower strike call option with selling a higher strike call option.
• It combines a long and short call which caps the upside, but also the downside.
• There is a tradeoff though – our break-even point shifts up from 47.36 to 49.90 (cell L33).

A credit spread option strategy is where the premium received by being short in the contract is more significant than the price paid for being long. The two vertical spread options strategies with net credit spread are the bull put spread and bear call spread. If the price of the underlying asset rises moderately and is near or above the higher striker or exercise price at expiration, the strategy will reach its maximum profit.

Short Call

We lose $513 on the long $45 strike calls, which we initially bought for $1,314, but they are worth only $801 at expiration. But we gain $606 on the short $50 strike calls, as we keep all the cash received when opening the position. A debit spread option strategy occurs when what you pay for the long position is higher than what you receive for being short. The bull call spread and the bear put spread are the two strategies that produce such a situation. Let’s dive into a practical bull call spread example to see how the interplay of expiration date, ‘short call’ positions, and the potential for ‘maximum profit’ come together in options trading. The strike price is a pivotal element that defines the price at which an options contract can be exercised.

Also, see our guide to understanding the basics of reading candlestick charts and option trading strategies. This has to occur in the time before expiration, in the example 30 days. In percentage terms, the bull call spread is 30% cheaper than purchasing only the call option. https://www.bigshotrading.info/ Moreover, if the trader is exceptionally bullish and thinks the stock will move up to $60, then the trader should just buy a call rather than purchase a Bull Call Spread. Here are a bunch of graphs that will help you identify the best possible strikes based on time to expiry.

When it comes to options trading strategies, the bull call spread offers distinct advantages through a careful interplay of elements such as lower strike price, risk-free rate, and higher strike price. With the bull call spread calculator, traders can input their chosen strike price and visualize the potential profit and loss scenarios based on varying market outcomes. Indeed, the price change of the underlying asset has a significant impact on a bull call spread. A bull call spread strategy profits when the price of the underlying asset rises. The overall impact of time decay on a bull call spread is dependent on the relationship of the stock price to the strike prices of the spread.

• If the stock price is below $45, both the long call and short call expire worthless, resulting in a maximum loss equal to the net debit paid.
• Remember the spread is defined as the difference between the two strike prices.
• A bull call debit spread is entered when the buyer believes the underlying asset price will increase before the expiration date.
• By selling this call, the trader will receive $18 ($0.18 x 100 shares/contract).
• We lose $513 on the long $45 strike calls, which we initially bought for $1,314, but they are worth only $801 at expiration.
• When evaluating options trading strategies, a comprehensive comparison involves assessing key attributes such as limited profit, limited risk, and the role of option price.