Options / Long call
Payoff at expiry for a generic example with the stock at 100. Green is profit, red is loss, dashed lines are break-even prices.
You buy a call option. It gives you the right to buy 100 shares at the strike price until expiry.
When it is used: When you expect a sharp rise and want a small, fixed cost instead of buying the shares.
Main risk: The whole premium is lost if the stock finishes at or below the strike.
- Net cost
- $450 per contract
- Max gain
- Unlimited
- Max loss
- -$450
- Break-even
- 104.5
- Legs
- 1
The legs in this example
| Action | Contract | Strike | Example price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy | 1 call | strike 100 | $4.50 per share |
The Greeks for this strategy
The Greeks measure what moves the price of an option. The values below are model estimates for the generic example (stock at 100, 40% volatility, three months to expiry), only to show the direction of each effect.
| Greek | What it measures | This example | What it means here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | How much the position gains or loses for a $1 move in the stock, per 100 shares. | +54 shares | Gains when the stock rises. |
| Gamma | How fast delta changes as the stock moves. | +1.98 | Little change in delta. |
| Theta | Value gained or lost each day from time passing, all else equal. | -4.35 $/day | Time passing costs you every day, including weekends. |
| Vega | Change in value for a one-point rise in implied volatility. | +19.85 $/pt | Rising implied volatility helps you. |
Research that fits this view: expected prices vs today
Our latest Buy-rated company research with the price ranges we set when we published, compared with the latest closing price. These are links to research, not trade ideas. Links open in a new tab.
| Research | Published | Price at publish | Price now | Change | Our 3-month range | Our 6-month range | Price vs 3-month range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SM: Buy-rated research | 2026-10-30 | $40.38 | $36.67 close 2026-11-03 | -9.2% | $34.50 – $51.70 | $31.00 – $57.50 | inside range |
| GFI: Buy-rated research | 2026-10-03 | $35.69 | $34.56 close 2026-11-03 | -3.2% | $28.27 – $53.05 | $26.15 – $63.70 | inside range |
| CAR: Buy-rated research | 2026-09-19 | $117.26 | $109.34 close 2026-11-03 | -6.8% | not set | not set | n/a |
| NUTX: Buy-rated research | 2026-08-16 | $188.41 | $179.58 close 2026-11-03 | -4.7% | not set | not set | n/a |
| UAN: Buy-rated research | 2026-07-15 | $110.58 | $118.62 close 2026-11-03 | +7.3% | not set | not set | n/a |
Results for this strategy
We track our own hypothetical examples privately and publish each result at least 30 days after the play has closed, wins and losses together, once there are enough closed plays to say something. None have closed yet. This table will list every closed play with its expiry result and a link to the research it came from.
Back to all option strategies · How we track results