Investors considering a purchase of Gilead Sciences stock, but tentative about paying the going market price of $68.95/share, might benefit from considering selling puts among the alternative strategies at their disposal. One interesting put contract in particular, is the January 2021 put at the $42.50 strike, which has a bid at the time of this writing of $1.78. Collecting that bid as the premium represents a 4.2% return against the $42.50 commitment, or a 2.1% annualized rate of return (at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost). Click here to find out Top YieldBoost Puts of the Nasdaq 100 »

Do options carry counterparty risk? This and six other common options myths debunked). So unless Gilead Sciences Inc sees its shares fall 38.1% and the contract is exercised (resulting in a cost basis of $40.72 per share before broker commissions, subtracting the $1.78 from $42.50), the only upside to the put seller is from collecting that premium for the 2.1% annualized rate of return.

Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Gilead Sciences Inc, and highlighting in green where the $42.50 strike is located relative to that history:

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The chart above, and the stock’s historical volatility, can be a helpful guide in combination with fundamental analysis to judge whether selling the January 2021 put at the $42.50 strike for the 2.1% annualized rate of return represents good reward for the risks. We calculate the trailing twelve month volatility for Gilead Sciences Inc (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today’s price of $68.95) to be 27%. For other put options contract ideas at the various different available expirations, visit the GILD Stock Options page of StockOptionsChannel.com. Find out which 15 call and put options traders are talking about today.


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