Deep in the Money: Definition and How They're Used in Trade (2024)

What Is Deep in the Money?

Deep in the money is an option that has an exercise or strike price significantly below (for a call option) or above (for a put option) the market price of the underlying asset. The value of such an option is nearly all intrinsic value and minimal extrinsic or time value. Deep in the money options have deltas at or close to 1.00 (or 100%), which means the price of the option is expected to increase or decrease nearly in unison with the change in market price of the underlying security.

Deep in the money options can be contrasted with those deep out of the money, which instead have no intrinsic value and also minimal extrinsic value. These options have deltas close to zero.

Key Takeaways

  • Deep in the money options have strike prices that are significantly above or below the underlying's market price, and thus contain a mostly intrinsic value.
  • These options have nearly a 100% delta, meaning that their price changes in step with every change in the underlying asset's price.
  • Traders will often exercise deep in the money options early (if they are American style).

Understanding Deep in the Money

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines deep in the money options as either:

  • Any option with a term of fewer than 90 days that has a strike price that is one strike less than the highest available stock price.
  • An option with a term of more than 90 days, with a price less than two strikes than the highest available stock price.

An option is usually said to be "deep in the money" if it isin the money(ITM) by more than $10. So, if a calloption is deep in the money, it means that the strike priceis at least $10 less than the underlying asset, or $10 higher for a put option. Forlower-pricedequities, $5 or less may be the level necessary to be deep in the money.

The most important characteristic of this type of option is its considerable intrinsic value. To calculate the value of a call option, one must subtract the strike price from the underlying asset's market price. For a put option, you would add the strike price to the underlying asset price.

Deep in the money options have a very highdeltalevel, meaning that the options will movenearlyin lock-step with the underlying asset.

As a call option moves deeper into the money, its delta will approach 100%. At this delta, every point change of underlying asset price results in an equal, simultaneous option price change in the same direction.

For this reason, deep in the money options are an excellent strategy for long-term investors, especially compared to at the money(ATM) and out of the money(OTM) options. Investing in the option is similar to investing in the underlying asset, except the option holder will have the benefits of lower capital outlay, limited risk, leverage, and greater profit potential.

Special Considerations

Deep in the money options allow the investor to profit the same or nearly the same from a stock's movement as the holders (or short sellers) of the actual stock, despite costing less to purchase than the underlying asset. While the deep money option carriesa lower capital outlay and risk; they are not without risk.

Because options have a limited lifespan, unlike stocks, the investor (the buyer of the option) needs the underlying stock to move in the desired direction (higher for calls and lower for puts) within the specified period to make a profit. There is always the possibility that the stock will move in the opposite of the desired direction, leading the option to lose value and even potentially fall OTM. In that case, intrinsic value declines or completely disappears, leaving onlythe premium, which is at the mercy of time decay.

Traders will often look to close out deep in the money options by exercising them early, which is only allowed for American options—European options can only be exercised when they expire. Doing so can help clean up a trader's options position, while also capturing more favorable interest rates (in the case of deep puts) or dividends (in the case of deep calls).

This is because owning a deep put is effectively the same as being short the stock—but without being credited the short proceeds that can earn interest. Likewise, being long a deep call is effectively the same as being long the stock, but contract holders would not receive the dividends paid unless they owned the shares instead.

Deep in the Money Example

Suppose an investor buys a May call option for stock ABC with a strike price of $175 on Jan 1, 2019. The closing price for ABC was $210 on Jan 1, 2019, and strike prices for May call options on the same day were: $150, $175, $210, $225, and $235.

Because the option term is more than 90 days, the call option with a strike price of $150 (two strikes less than $210) is a deep in the money option. At the same time, these options both probably have deltas somewhere in the high 0.90s.

Investopedia does not provide tax, investment, or financial services and advice. The information is presented without consideration of the investment objectives, risk tolerance, or financial circ*mstances of any specific investor and might not be suitable for all investors. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.

Correction–Dec. 24, 2021: This article has been edited to clarify that the maximum possible delta value for an option is 1.00 (sometimes called "delta one" or "100 delta").

Deep in the Money: Definition and How They're Used in Trade (2024)

FAQs

What is depth in money? ›

Financial depth captures the financial sector relative to the economy. It is the size of banks, other financial institutions, and financial markets in a country, taken together and compared to a measure of economic output.

How do you trade deep in the money covered calls? ›

One strategy when holding a deep-in-the-money covered call is to hold to expiration and see if the call option is assigned or not. If the call option is assigned, you would have sold the shares of stock at the strike price. This will occur if the stock price exceeds the call option strike price at expiration.

Why do people sell deep ITM options? ›

The advantage of selling deep in the money calls is the safety you get with increased downside protection (intrinsic value). The disadvantage is that there may not be much time premium and you give up all of your upside potential.

What is in the money option with example? ›

An in the money call option, therefore, is one that has a strike price lower than the current stock price. A call option with a strike price of $132.50, for example, would be considered ITM if the underlying stock is valued at $135 per share because the strike price has already been exceeded.

Why would someone buy deep in the money puts? ›

A put option is said to be in the money when the strike price is higher than the underlying security's market price. Investors commonly use put options as downside protection, which cuts or prevents a drop in value. Puts may give investors short market exposure with limited risk if the underlying asset's price rises.

How do you trade using depth chart? ›

The X-Axis measures the price, while the Y-Axis measures the number of orders. The green area on the left represents the lowest prices that customers are looking for. The red area on the right represents the highest prices sellers desire. The split represents the price levels from the most recent trade in the middle.

What happens if my call option expires deep in the money? ›

What Happens When Options Expire in the Money? When a call option expires in the money, it means the strike price is lower than that of the underlying security, resulting in a profit for the trader who holds the contract.

Why would you buy an ITM call? ›

An investor with a call option that is in the money (ITM) at expiry has a chance to make a profit since the market price is above the strike price. An investor holding an in-the-money put option has a chance to earn a profit since the market price is below the strike price.

Why would you sell ITM covered calls? ›

It involves writing (selling) in-the-money covered calls, and it offers traders two major advantages: much greater downside protection and a much larger potential profit range.

Is it good to buy deep ITM options? ›

Deep in the money options allow the investor to profit the same or nearly the same from a stock's movement as the holders (or short sellers) of the actual stock, despite costing less to purchase than the underlying asset. While the deep money option carries a lower capital outlay and risk; they are not without risk.

Are deep ITM puts bullish? ›

Deep ITM Bull Put Spread - Introduction

The Deep In The Money Bear Call Spread is a complex bullish options strategy with limited profit and limited loss. It is an unique bullish strategy that has reward risk ratio so high that it could even become an arbitrage position when certain conditions are met!

When should I buy deep OTM options? ›

A deep OTM option contract is a financial instrument that traders can use to wager that a security's price will be far different from its current price at some point in the future. A deep OTM call option strategy used on deep value stocks allows traders to pursue a strategy with a favorable asymmetric payoff.

Which broker allows deep OTM options? ›

Which broker allows deep (Long Term) OTM option Buying or Selling? 5paisa is one of the most popular brokers for buying and selling deep OTM options, as well as trading options with a variety of strike prices.

What is in the money trade? ›

If it is equal to the strike price, it is at the money. Ideally, a trader always wants their option to be in the money at the time of expiry, otherwise it will expire worthless. In the money means that the option has an intrinsic value, and that it can be exercised.

How is ITM options calculated? ›

The intrinsic value of put option = Strike Price – Spot Price. Any option that has an intrinsic value is classified as 'In the Money' (ITM) option. Any option that does not have an intrinsic value is classified as 'Out of the Money' (OTM) option.

What happens if you buy an option in the money? ›

Call options are “in the money” when the stock price is above the strike price at expiration. The call owner can exercise the option, putting up cash to buy the stock at the strike price. Or the owner can simply sell the option at its fair market value to another buyer before it expires.

How is stock depth calculated? ›

Stock depth is the total stock level build up in a supply chain, from the firm most upstream to the firm most downstream in the chain. The stock depth of the supply chain is calculated as the sum of the stock levels of all firms in a given supply chain.

What are the depth numbers on a chart? ›

Depths. Numbers printed on the water areas of the chart indicate the depth of the water at that spot. However, a 2 on the chart might mean two feet, two fathoms, or two meters. It is essential to know which unit of measurement is used.

Can you sell a call option before it hits the strike price? ›

Question To Be Answered: Can You Sell A Call Option Before It Hits The Strike Price? The short answer is, yes, you can. Options are tradeable and you can sell them anytime.

What happens if you don t sell your call option before expiration? ›

When an option you own expires without reaching the strike price, your brokerage will automatically close the trade and remove the option from your list of positions. You don't need to do anything for that to happen.

Do you get money back if option expires? ›

If a put option expires out of the money (OTM), and you are a buyer of the put option, you will simply lose your amount which you have paid (premium) for buying the put option. Again, if you are a seller of the put option, you will get the full amount as a profit which you received for selling the option.

When should I sell ITM option? ›

Generalization 1 – Sellers of the Put Options are profitable as long as long as the spot price remains at or higher than the strike price. In other words sell a put option only when you are bullish about the underlying or when you believe that the underlying will no longer continue to fall.

Can you lose a lot of money selling covered calls? ›

There are two risks to the covered call strategy. The real risk of losing money if the stock price declines below the breakeven point. The breakeven point is the purchase price of the stock minus the option premium received. As with any strategy that involves stock ownership, there is substantial risk.

Can you get rich with covered calls? ›

Some advisers and more than a few investors believe selling “Covered Calls” is a way of generating “free money.” Unfortunately, this isn't true. While this strategy could work for investors whose focus is immediate cash to pay bills, it likely won't work for investors whose focus is on long-term total return.

What happens when a covered call goes in the money? ›

If you do not want to sell the stock, you now have greater risk of assignment, because your covered call is now in the money. You therefore might want to buy back that covered call to close out the obligation to sell the stock.

Are ITM puts bullish or bearish? ›

An ITM put option is a bearish investment strategy in which the investors are allowed to sell the stock with the expectation that the actual market price will fall further below the strike price.

Does deep value investing work? ›

Historical outperformance. Over and over again, research has proven that deep value strategies outperform “normal” value investing strategies based on such metrics as low PE, low P/B, and P/FCF.

Are deep ITM calls bearish? ›

Deep ITM Bear Call Spread - Introduction

The Deep In The Money Bear Call Spread is a complex bearish options strategy with limited profit and limited loss.

What is the most bullish option strategy? ›

Buying a call option is considered to be the most bullish options strategy. This strategy gives the buyer of the call option the right but not the obligation to buy a security at a specific price at a specific time.

How deep ITM should leaps be? ›

As a starting point, consider a LEAPS call that is at least 20% of the stock price in-the-money. (For example, if the underlying stock costs $100, buy a call with a strike price of $80 or lower.) However, for particularly volatile stocks, you may need to go deeper in-the-money to get the delta you're looking for.

What is the best time of day to buy options? ›

The opening 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Eastern time (ET) period is often one of the best hours of the day for day trading, offering the biggest moves in the shortest amount of time. A lot of professional day traders stop trading around 11:30 a.m. because that is when volatility and volume tend to taper off.

Why do people buy OTM options? ›

Out-of-the-money (OTM) options are cheaper than other options since they need the stock to move significantly to become profitable. The further out of the money an option is, the cheaper it is because it becomes less likely that underlying will reach the distant strike price.

What happens if you don't square off OTM options? ›

If you have bought options:

Out of the money - OTM option contracts will expire worthlessly. You will lose the entire amount paid as premium .

Do people exercise OTM options? ›

"Out of the money" (OTM) refers to a situation where the strike price is higher than the market price for a call, or lower than the market price for a put. Professional traders may exercise OTM options at the time of expiration in order to eliminate risk.

Did Warren Buffett use options? ›

You'd think that someone like Buffett who seems devoted to blue-chip stocks would steer clear of complicated derivatives, but you'd be wrong. Throughout his investing career, Buffett has capitalized on the advanced options-trading technique of selling naked put options as a hedging strategy.

Can you profit from OTM options? ›

Investors can make a profit using the put OTM option by selling the asset when there is a sharp rise in value before the expiration date of the contract. Else, there will be no profit since trading the stock at the market value will give a better return than trading it at the strike price.

Do ITM options increase in value closer to expiration? ›

If the option is in-the-money (ITM) or profitable, it will retain some of its value as the expiration approaches since the profit is already built-in and time is less of a factor. The option would have intrinsic value, while time decay would increase at a slower rate.

What happens when stock options expire ITM? ›

When the call option expires ITM, it means that the spot price is trading higher than the strike price. So, the option holder shall choose to exercise the call option and buy the underlying security at the strike price which is lower than the market price.

What happens if an option goes ITM after hours? ›

With after-hours trading taken into consideration, there are certain situations in which options traders should follow after-hours markets. For the most part, options that are in-the-money (ITM) will be automatically exercised at the closing market price.

What is called depth? ›

noun. a dimension taken through an object or body of material, usually downward from an upper surface, horizontally inward from an outer surface, or from top to bottom of something regarded as one of several layers. the quality of being deep; deepness. complexity or obscurity, as of a subject: a question of great depth ...

What is the difference between depth and credit? ›

While both words have to do with owing money, credit and debt are not the same. Debt is the money you owe, while credit is money you can borrow. You create debt by using credit to borrow money. Let's say you charge $200 on a credit card with a $1,000 credit limit.

What is the difference between depth and equity? ›

With debt finance you're required to repay the money plus interest over a set period of time, typically in monthly instalments. Equity finance, on the other hand, carries no repayment obligation, so more money can be channelled into growing your business.

What is depth and equity? ›

Differences between Debt and Equity Capital
Debt CapitalEquity Capital
Definition
Debt Capital is a low-risk investmentEquity Capital is a high-risk investment
Payoff
The lender of Debt Capital gets interest income along with the principal amount.Shareholders get dividends/profits on their shares.
12 more rows

What is depth give a example? ›

Depth is the measure of how deep something goes. The swimming pool has a depth of six feet. The well has an unknown depth.

What is the meaning of depth in business? ›

Market depth refers to a market's ability to absorb relatively large market orders without significantly impacting the price of the security. Market depth considers the overall level and breadth of open orders, bids, and offers, and usually refers to trading within an individual security.

What are the two types of depth? ›

Binocular and Monocular Depth Cues

Binocular depth cues are all of the ways that both eyes can help to perceive the world around us. Monocular depth cues are all the ways that just one eye can see the world around us and help us to perceive it.

What is considered deep debt? ›

Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.

How do you build credit depth? ›

Here are some strategies to quickly improve your credit:
  1. Pay credit card balances strategically.
  2. Ask for higher credit limits.
  3. Become an authorized user.
  4. Pay bills on time.
  5. Dispute credit report errors.
  6. Deal with collections accounts.
  7. Use a secured credit card.
  8. Get credit for rent and utility payments.
Nov 1, 2022

What is a deep credit check? ›

A hard credit check is when a creditor does a deep dive into your credit history. This happens when you apply for something requiring a decision, such as a loan or credit card. Each time a hard pull is conducted, there's a ding to your credit score. The good news is these dings aren't very significant.

What is the purpose of a sinking fund? ›

A sinking fund is a strategic way to save money for a specific purchase by setting aside a little bit each month. Sinking funds work like this: Every month, you'll set money aside in one or multiple categories to be used at a later date.

What are the 3 types of equity securities? ›

Private equity securities are issued primarily to institutional investors in private placements and do not trade in secondary equity markets. There are three types of private equity investments: venture capital, leveraged buyouts, and private investments in public equity (PIPE).

What are the 4 types of equity? ›

Four Common Types of Equity Compensation

The types of equity compensation you're most likely to encounter fall into four categories: incentive stock options (ISOs), non-qualified stock options (NSOs), restricted stock or restricted stock units (RSUs) and employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs).

What is the difference between depth and loan? ›

Debt is anything owed by one person to another. Debt can involve real property, money, services, or other consideration. In finance, debt is more narrowly defined as money raised through the issuance of bonds. A loan is a form of debt but, more specifically, is an agreement in which one party lends money to another.

What does buy depth mean? ›

Depth of market (DOM) is a measure of the supply and demand for liquid, tradeable assets. It is based on the number of open buy and sell orders for a given asset such as a stock or futures contract. The greater the quantity of those orders, the deeper or more liquid, the market is considered to be.

Where can I see market depth? ›

Usually, an electronic list of buy orders and sell orders that is organized according to price levels is maintained at exchanges. It is the form in which market depth exists, and generally, trading platforms offer market depth displays to the public.

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