Question

A trader creates a long butterfly spread from options with strike prices $60, $65, and $70 by trading a total of 400 options. The options are worth $11, $14, and $18. What is the maximum net gain (after the cost of the options is taken into account)

Answer 1

Answer:

$400

Explanation:

From the question, there is a butterfly spread when a trader buys 100 options with strike prices $60 and $70 and sells 200 options with strike price $65.

The maximum gain is the point where both the stock price and the middle strike price are equal, i.e. equal to $65. At that point, the options payoffs are respectively $500, 0, and 0. By implication, the total payoff is $500.

The set up cost of the butterfly spread can be calculated as follows:

Setup cost = ($11×100) + ($18×100) – ($14×200)

                  = 1,100 + 1,800 – 2,800

Setup cost = $100

Net gain = Options payoffs – Setup cost = $500 - $100 = $400

Therefore, the maximum net gain (after the cost of the options is taken into account) is $400.