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Option Premiums are Made of Only These Two Things

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When trading options, it's important to understand these two definitions.

It could mean the difference between making money and losing money.

Intrinsic Value

Everybody knows what intrinsic means in regular everyday life: real, innate, inherent, of within.

In options, the concept is the same.

The definition of intrinsic value as it pertains to options is: the difference between the underlying stock price and the option's strike price (that's in-the-money).

For example: if a stock was trading at $50, and a $45 call option with 30 days of time left on it was selling for $6.50, that option would have $5 of intrinsic value.

$50 stock price - $45 call option = $5. If the option premium is worth $6.50, that means $5 of that is intrinsic value.

The other $1.50 of that is extrinsic value, also known as time value.

Extrinsic Value (aka Time Value)

Extrinsic value is the amount of the premium that's not comprised of intrinsic value. This part of the premium is said to be your 'time value'. Out-of-the-money options are comprised of only time value.

Using the same example as above:

A $6.50 premium - $5 intrinsic value = $1.50 of extrinsic value.

So the key to remember is that options are comprised of two parts: intrinsic value and extrinsic value, i.e., time value.

So what's the difference for the investor?

In the beginning, for all practical purposes, nothing.

If I bought an option at $500 and then sold it for $800, whether half of that was comprised of intrinsic value or none of it was comprised of intrinsic value, it makes no difference from that standpoint.

But ultimately, at expiration, when there's no time left of the option, your option's sole value will be its intrinsic value.

So at that point it makes all the difference.

For example: if I had a $50 call option with 2 months of time on it, and the price of the underlying stock was at $45, that option might be worth $3.50 or $350. And at that point, the premium is comprised on only time value.

But now fast forward two months - if that stock is still at $45, that option is $5 out-of-the-money, meaning it has no intrinsic value. And since it's now expiration, the time has run out, which means there's no time value either, which also means that option is worthless.

On the other hand, if the stock was at $53 at expiration, the option is now $3 'in-the-money'. All of the time value has disappeared. But it's now got $3.00 of intrinsic value (because it's $3 'in-the-money'), which means your option is worth $300 if you were to sell it.

And that's why I like to buy my options with intrinsic value to begin with (i.e., in-the-money options). If your options are comprised on only time value, you'll need to see a move commensurate to twice what you paid for the option come expiration just to break even.

But if your option is comprised of both intrinsic value and time value, now you'll only need to see the stock go up as much as your time value cost to breakeven.

Better yet, if the stock does nothing at expiration, I'll get most of my money back if it's comprised mostly of intrinsic value.

But if it's comprised of only time value, I could lose it all, even it goes up to the out-of-the-money strike.

So understanding intrinsic value is important in order to determine your potential profit and loss scenarios with your options strategies.

Want to apply this winning option strategy and others to your trading? Then be sure to check to check out our Zacks Options Trader service.

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Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.