Options / Strategy

Covered Call

Turn your stock holdings into a monthly income stream

Definition

A covered call is an options strategy where an investor who owns shares of a stock sells (writes) a call option against those shares. The investor collects the option premium immediately as income. If the stock stays below the strike price at expiration, the option expires worthless and they keep the premium. If the stock rises above the strike, the shares get called away at the strike price, capping the upside. It is one of the most popular income-generating options strategies.

Example
You own 100 shares of Microsoft at $350. You sell a $370 call expiring in 30 days for $5 ($500 total premium). If MSFT stays below $370, the option expires worthless and you keep $500 as income. If MSFT rises to $390, your shares are sold at $370, capping your gain — you miss the additional $20 gain but collected the $5 premium.
Frequently Asked Question
What is a covered call?
A covered call sells a call option against stock you already own. You collect premium income immediately. If the stock rises above the strike price, your shares are sold at that price, capping your profit.
APA Citation
Clark, R. (2025). Covered Call. VixShield Trading Glossary. Retrieved from https://www.vixshield.com/glossary/covered-call
RC
Russell Clark, FNP-C
Author of SPX Mastery series · Founder of VixShield
Last updated:  ·  Source: VixShield Trading Glossary — From SPX Mastery by Russell Clark
⚠️ Not financial advice. This definition is educational content from the SPX Mastery book series by Russell Clark (VixShield). Past performance is not indicative of future results. Trading options involves substantial risk of loss and is not appropriate for all investors. Always paper trade before risking real capital.
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Real questions answered using the Covered Call framework — click any to read the full answer:

I built a safety-first automated options trading tool focused on generating income through covered calls on stocks I own and cash-secured puts. The system connects to a brokerage account and applies strict filters before entering trades, including delta between 0.05 and 0.15, 7 to 14 days to expiration, VIX levels, a minimum volatility risk premium ratio of 1.10, open interest, bid-ask spread, implied volatility of at least 30 percent, avoidance of earnings and event risk, RSI readings, position sizing limits, and checks for existing underwater positions. The strategy avoids the wheel to prevent assignment and instead layers options premium on top of long-term stock ownership for compounding growth. Exit rules include taking profits at 50 percent and cutting risk if delta reaches 0.30. What are the strengths and potential improvements of this systematic approach to options income generation?
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What happens to a covered straddle position if the underlying asset declines by 20 percent? The position consists of long shares combined with a short put.
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