LEAPS Call: How to Join the Long-Term Market Rally at Lower Cost? | #OptionsHandbook EP049
If you’re bullish on a stock for the long run but don’t want to commit a big chunk of capital upfront, is there a smarter way to join the upside?🤔
Absolutely. The Options Handbook introduces the LEAPS Call strategy, which might be just what you need!
▶ What is a LEAPS Call?
LEAPS (Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities) are just what they sound like: stock options with a long runway, typically expiring more than a year out, sometimes two years or even longer.
For example, in 2025, you could buy a LEAPS option that expires in January 2027.
In plain English, a LEAPS call lets you control a stock's upside for a fraction of the price, instead of coughing up the full amount to buy shares outright.
▶ A Simple Example
Suppose Company A’s stock is trading at $100 today, and you believe the price will rise over the next two years—but you don’t want to tie up too much cash. You have two choices:
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Buy the stock directly. Purchasing 100 shares would cost you $10,000.
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Buy a LEAPS Call instead. You choose a January 2027 call option priced at $15 per share. That means you only pay $15 × 100 = $1,500 to gain exposure to the same 100 shares’ upside potential.
▶ Why Choose LEAPS Calls?
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Capital Efficiency: With a LEAPS call, you just pay the option premium—a much smaller amount—and still get to profit if the stock climbs.
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Limited Downside: Owning shares could mean big losses if the stock tanks. With a LEAPS call, your maximum loss is just the premium you paid upfront.
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Leverage: LEAPS calls can supercharge your gains. If the stock moves up, your return on investment (ROI) with the option is often much higher than if you'd bought the stock.
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Slower Time Decay: Unlike short-term options that lose value quickly, LEAPS lose value (from the ticking clock) much more slowly, making them friendlier for patient investors.
▶ The Bottom Line
LEAPS calls are a powerful, flexible way to invest in your favourite stocks for the long haul, without tying up all your capital.
But remember: no strategy is risk-free. Time decay, volatility, and managing your position at expiration all matter.
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.
- Hank Uwe·09-13niceLikeReport
- Dedrick Santos·09-13Best traderLikeReport
