When you sell a cash-secured put, you receive a premium and must reserve capital equal to the strike price to potentially buy 100 shares:
Annualized Return = (Premium / Strike Price) × (365 / Days to Expiration) × 100
Example: Sell a $50 strike put for $2.00 premium with 30 days to expiration:
Breakeven %: Shows how far the stock can drop before you'd be underwater if assigned.
Breakeven % = (Current Price - (Strike - Premium)) / Current Price × 100
When you sell a covered call, you receive a premium while owning 100 shares. Your return is based on your stock cost basis:
Annualized Return = (Premium / Stock Price) × (365 / Days to Expiration) × 100
Example: Stock trading at $100, sell a $105 strike call for $3.00 premium with 30 days to expiration:
Breakeven %: Shows the upside potential if the stock rises above the strike.
Breakeven % = (Strike + Premium - Current Price) / Current Price × 100