Todd Horwitz – Long Ratio Backspreads (Bubba’s Playbook pgs 9 – 11)

Long Ratio Backspreads

Long Ratio Backspreads allow an explorer to consider an outright long or short position in the market without purchasing a put or call, outright. In certain instances, the ratio will allow the trader to execute a spread that can limit risk without limiting reward for the credit. The size the contracts used and strike differential will determine if the spread can be carried out for the credit, or maybe it’s going to be a debit. The closer the strike prices are the less market risk, though the greater the premium risk.

The letter Ratio Backspread is a bullish strategy. Expect the stock to create a large move higher. Purchase calls and sell fewer calls in a lower strike, usually within a ratio of 1 x 2 or 2 x 3. The lower strike short calls finance the purchase of the greater number of long calls and also the position is generally created for no cost or even a net credit. The stock has got to come up with a just right move for that gain in the long calls to conquer the loss within the short calls as the maximum loss is at the long strike at expiration. Because the stock needs to come up with a large move higher for that back-spread to create a profit, use as long a time to expiration as possible.

The Trade
The Trade: AliBaba
Date Initiated: August 9, 2016
Options Used: CALLS
Strikes: 85/86
Credit Collected: .10
Max Risk: 90.00
Max Reward: Unlimited

The Exit
The Exit: Bullish BABA
Sell 1 Contracts August 19th 85 CALL
Buy 2 Contracts August 19th 86 CALLS
Total for Trade: Credit of .10
Sell the 1 extra 86 CALL for 12.00
creating a 1100.00 profit

But there is moreā€¦

Rules for Trading Long Option Ratio Backspread

A long Backspread involves selling (short) at or in-the-money options and getting (long) more out-of-the-money options the exact same type. The Bubba’s Instant Cash Flow that’s sold needs to have higher implied volatility than the option bought. This is called volatility skew. The trade must be made with a credit. That’s, how much cash collected for the short options must be more than the expense of the long options. These conditions are easiest in order to meet when volatility is low and strike expense of the long option is nearby the stock price.

Risk may be the improvement in strikes X number of short options minus the credit. The risk is bound and maximum in the strike from the long options.

The trade itself is great in all of the trading environments, especially when looking to pick tops or bottoms in any stock, commodity or future.
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