PUTS

PUTS are an option contract, a form of insurance, whereby the seller agrees to purchase stock if the market price for that stock falls to certain price, known as the strike price.

Sold Union Pacific PUTs

Railways Pool, Investment Fund / By / 02/20/2021
Union Pacific

Union Pacific is a high quality stock. Over the last twenty years, this company has  never failed to earn a profit. During this time period, there have been two recessions. The simple fact is that Union Pacific is a solid investment. The company has paid a dividend for the last thirty years. Its current yield at $210 per share is 1.83%. 

Union Pacific’s intrinsic value is estimated at $185 per share. Thus, any opportunity to own Union Pacific for less than $185 per share is considered an excellent buy.

From the Lessons Learned article for the Value Investment Fund’s 2020 performance, one of the additional tools to leverage higher the Fund’s annual return is to sell PUTs. A PUT is an option for the holder of the PUT to sell an asset, in this case stock, for a preset price referred to as ‘Strike Price’. The seller of the PUT is basically selling an insurance policy that if the market price drops to the strike price, the seller of the PUT is willing to buy the stock at that price. PUTs are a viable alternative to owning stock at less than intrinsic value. 

Sold PUTS Norfolk Southern Railroad

Railways Pool, Value Investing / By / 03/31/2021
Norfolk Southern Railroad

With options, an owner of stock fears a sudden steep drop in price and thus they may purchase an option called ‘PUTs’ to force someone to buy the stock at a preset price. The key for the owner of a PUT is to set a floor price for their existing stock position. A seller of a PUT desires to own the stock at a certain price if it can get there.

Purchased 382.336 Shares of Equity Residential

REITs Pool, Value Investing / By / 03/30/2021
Equity Residential

When selling PUTs in the market, value investors cover their position by purchasing a similar position in an existing low price to book stock. In effect, the position acts as a bank account in case the PUTs are activated, thus the existing stock is sold and the proceeds are used to cover the PUTs financial obligation. This also helps to diversify a value investor’s portfolio.

There is some minor risk involved, i.e. the stock purchase acting as the bank for the PUTs could go lower. However, value investors do their homework and limit downward pressure by purchasing extremely high quality stock backed by intrinsic value. This is covered in another article in the Value Investing Lessons series available to members of the Value Investment Club.

Value Investing

Do you want to learn how to get returns like this?

Then learn about Value Investing, a systematic conservative approach to earning excellent returns over time. Value investing in the simplest of terms means to buy low and sell high. Value investing is defined as a systematic process of buying high quality stock at an undervalued market price quantified by intrinsic value and justified via financial analysis; then selling the stock in a timely manner upon market price recovery.

There are four key principles used with value investing. Each is required. They are:

– Risk Reduction – Buy only high quality stocks;
– Intrinsic Value – The underlying assets and operations are of good quality and performance;
– Financial Analysis – Use core financial information, business ratios and key performance indicators to create a high level of confidence that recovery is just a matter of time;
– Patience – Allow time to work for the investor.

If you are interested in learning more and receiving good information, reports, charts and recommendations; join as a club member by clicking on Value Investing tab in the header above. Start your investment portfolio today.

Join the value investing club and learn about value investing and how you can easily acquire similar results with your investment fund. Upon joining, you’ll receive the book Value Investing with Business Ratios, a reference guide used with all the decision models you build. Each week, you receive an e-mail with a full update on the pools. Follow along as the Investment Fund grows. Start investing with confidence from what you learn. Create your own fund and over time, accumulate wealth. Joining entitles you to the following:

1) Lessons about value investing and the principles involved;
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7) Some simple good advice.

Sold PUTS on Railroad Stocks

Railways Pool, Value Investing / By / 03/30/2021
PUTs

Today, I sold 59 PUT options for Union Pacific with a strike price of $170.00 with a final date of February 19, 2021. PUTs are simply selling insurance that if the stock price drops to $170 per share, the Value Investment Fund will have to buy them from the owner of the puts. Today, the PUT for $170 is selling for $6.60 each. See the BID column and the highlighted reference point. Thus, if exercised, the Fund will have to put up $10,090 including transaction fees.