Re: Covered Call vs Naked Put
Hey Ardyne,
Both buying calls and selling puts are a bullish strategy. The reason why people associate more risk with selling puts is because of the unlimited risk.
If you buy calls and the stock tanks, all that you lose is the premium paid for the bought calls (i.e. maximum loss is 100%).
When you sell puts you offer to buy stock at a certain price. If the price of the stock falls this means that you have to buy at a higher price (obligation from the sold put) and, if you don't want or can't afford the stock, sell it at a lower price. The lower the price the higher the loss: open ended risk.
Of course, if your goal is to buy the stock in the first place (that is you have the funds) then selling a put first and generating some cash is a great idea. If you don't get exercised you just sell more puts next month till you end up with the stock (which is when you start selling covered calls, but that is a different topic).
Cheers, Emil