Put Option Strategies for Smarter Trading: How to Protect and Build Capital in Turbulent Markets

Product Author Bios

Michael C. Thomsett is a widely published author with over 70 published books. He is especially known for his options publishing. His books include Options Trading for the Conservative Investor and The Options Trading Body of Knowledge (FT Press), Winning with Options (Amacom Books), The LEAPS Strategist (Marketplace Books) and the best-selling Getting Started in Options (John Wiley & Sons) which has sold over 250,000 copies and was released in 2009 in its 8th edition.

Thomsett also writes on many stock market investment topics. His Investment and Securities Dictionary (hardcover McFarland & Company and paperback Prentice Hall) was named by Choice Magazine as an Outstanding Academic Book of the Year. He also wrote The Mathematics of Investing (John Wiley & Sons), The Stock Investor’s Pocket Calculator (Amacom) and Stock Profits (FT Press). The author lives near Nashville and writes fulltime. His Web site is www.MichaelThomsett.com.

Use Puts to Mitigate Risk, Reverse and Offset Losses, and Protect Profits—Even in Plummeting Markets!

“In these financial times, this is an especially timely book. Michael C. Thomsett provides practical, direct instruction to investors on how to employ put options to enhance and protect their portfolios. A powerful guide for professionals and novices alike.”

—Virginia B. Gerhart, CFP, President, Gerhart Associates

“Michael C. Thomsett’s Put Option Strategies is a must read for all stock investors who want to protect profits and manage risk in volatile stock markets. This easy to read book explains the basic strategies and moves on to more sophisticated uses of put option strategies to hedge risk in bear markets. The use of leverage is clearly explained to provide the tools for conservative investors to increase their profitable trading. This book is an excellent resource for all stock investors and should be read by all investors who want to lock in profits and limit losses in volatile stock markets.”

—Esme Faerber, author of All About Stocks; All About Investing; All About Bonds, Bond Mutual Funds, and Bond ETFs

“Michael C. Thomsett is an authority on options. In his latest work, he has skillfully clarified how to employ powerful techniques to protect portfolios and profit from uncertain times. This book is a must read.”

—Scott Kyle, CEO, Coastwise Capital Group, and author of The Power Curve: Smart Investing Using Dividends, Options, and the Magic of Compounding

Table of Contents

Introduction: Surviving in Volatile and Falling Markets     1

Chapter 1: The Flexible Nature of Options: Risks for All Levels     5

Chapter 2: Puts, the Other Options: The Overlooked Risk Hedge     21

Chapter 3: Profit-Taking Without Selling Stock: An Elegant Solution     45

Chapter 4: Swing Trading with Puts: Long and Short or Combined with Calls     63

Chapter 5: Put Strategies for Spreads: Hedging for Profit     83

Chapter 6: Put Strategies for Straddles: Profits in Either Direction     117

Chapter 7: Puts in the Ratio Spread: Altering the Balance     137

Chapter 8: Puts as Part of Synthetic Strategies: Playing Stocks Without the Risk     157

Chapter 9: Puts in Contrary Price Run-Ups: Safe Counter-Plays During Bear Markets     167

Chapter 10: Uncovered Puts to Create Cash Flow: Rising Markets and Reversal Patterns     187

Glossary     209

Index     219