Sunday, May 18, 2025

A Breakdown of Three Strategic Options Trades


Options trading isn’t just about buying and selling contracts—it's about timing, strategy, and understanding market momentum. In my latest trades, I navigated a mix of puts and calls across UNH and RDDT, leading to some solid profits and key insights into my trading approach.

Trade 1: Selling a Put on UNH

  • Symbol: UNH

  • Option Type: Put (Sold)

  • Strike Price: 255

  • Expiration: 5/16/2025

  • Contracts: 1

  • Entry Price: $684

  • Exit Price: $3

  • Profit: $681

Analysis

Selling a UNH 255 put turned out to be a great move. As the stock price remained above the strike, the contract lost value fast, letting me pocket a solid $681 profit. This trade reinforces the power of selling cash-secured puts when volatility presents a premium opportunity.

Trade 2: Buying a Call on UNH

  • Symbol: UNH

  • Option Type: Call (Bought)

  • Strike Price: 295

  • Expiration: 5/23/2025

  • Contracts: 1

  • Entry Price: $1175

  • Exit Price: TBD

  • Profit: Open Position

Outlook

This call is still active, meaning there's a window to adjust based on market action. If UNH trends bullish, this contract has potential to gain value rapidly, offering an opportunity to secure profits or roll the position. Keeping an eye on support levels will be crucial before expiration.

Trade 3: Buying a Call on RDDT

  • Symbol: RDDT

  • Option Type: Call (Bought)

  • Strike Price: 230

  • Expiration: 11/21/2025

  • Contracts: 1

  • Entry Price: $510

  • Exit Price: $350

  • Profit: $160

Lessons Learned

This RDDT call was a profitable trade, but the exit price was lower than ideal. Managing greeks, particularly theta decay, could improve future outcomes—adjusting entry points or using spreads might be beneficial. Still, a $160 profit means capital was effectively deployed.

Final Takeaways

These three trades showcase the balance between selling premium and buying directional calls—each strategy has its strengths depending on volatility and market trends.

  • Selling puts in the right conditions can yield quick wins with minimal capital risk.

  • Buying calls requires careful monitoring of price movements and time decay.

  • Exit timing plays a massive role in securing maximum profitability.

Looking ahead, refining entry points and adjusting exit strategies will be key to maximizing future gains. How do you optimize your trades? Let’s keep refining the strategy together.

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