• BreakerSwitch
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    2 days ago

    This is a GOOD TAKE by YOU. The big danger on puts is that you can AT MOST make 100% of the investment if the company collapses completely to $0. If, for whatever reason (the market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent), the stock explodes upwards, you can be on the hook for WAY more than 100% if the stock increases dramatically.

    • NotMyOldRedditName
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 days ago

      Thats not how puts work. Thats shorting the stock directly.

      A put is an options contract. You can never lose more than your purchase.

      If you pay $5.00 for a Jan $50 strike, you pay $500 (1 contract is 100 shares). As the date comes closer it becomes worth less, but as it approaches $50 or goes below it also becomes worth more. You can make a lot of money on a far out of the money put that goes near or in the money.

      If it was $50 in November that put might be worth $40 (x100) so $4,000 and you paid $500.

      The put becomes worth nothing if its over $50 by strike date.

      Its a much safer way to bet against something than directly shorting.