Bull Put Spread Vs Short Box (Arbitrage) Options Trading Strategy Comparison

This strategy works well when you're of the view that the price of a particular underlying will rise, move sideways, or marginally fall.

Being risks free arbitrage strategy, this strategy can earn better return than earnings in interest from fixed deposits for any investor. The earning from this strategy varies with the strike price chosen by the trader. i.e. Earning from strike price '10400, 10700' will be different from strike price combination of '9800,11000'.

The short box strategy should be used when the component spreads are overpriced in relation to their expiration values. In most cases, the trader has to hold the position till expiry to gain the benefits of the price difference.

Note: If the spreads are underpriced, another strategy named Long Box (or Box Spread) can be used for a profit.

This strategy should be used by advanced traders as the gains are minimal. The brokerage payable when implementing this strategy can take away all the profits. This strategy should only be implemented when the fees paid are lower than the expected profit.

The market view for this strategy is neutral. The movement in underlying security doesn't affect the outcome (profit/loss). This arbitrage strategy is to earn small profits irrespective of the market movements in any direction.

• Buy OTM Put Option
• Sell ITM Put Option

A Bull Put Strategy involves Buy OTM Put Option + Sell ITM Put Option.

For example, If you are of the view that the price of Reliance Shares will moderately gain or drop its volatility in near future. If Reliance is currently trading at 600 then you will buy a OTM PUT OPTION at 700 and a sell a ITM PUT OPTION at 550. You will make a profit when at expiry Reliance closes at 700 level and incur losses if the prices fall down below the current price.

• Buy Call Option 2
• Sell Call Option 1
• Buy Put Option 2
• Sell Put Option 1 (2>1)

Say for XYZ stock, the component spread is relatively overpriced than its underlying. You can execute execute Short Box strategy by selling 1 ITM Call and 1 ITM Put while buying 1 OTM Call and 1 OTM Put. There is no risk of loss while the profit potential would be the difference between two strike prices minus net premium.

Maximum loss occurs when the stock price moves below the lower strike price on expiration date.

Max Loss = (Strike Price Put 1 - Strike Price of Put 2) - Net Premium Received

Max Loss Occurs When Price of Underlying <= Strike Price of Long Put

The Short Box Spread Options Strategy is a relatively risk-free strategy. There is no risk in the overall position because the losses in one spread will be neutralized by the gains in the other spread.

The trades are also risk-free as they are executed on an exchange and therefore cleared and guaranteed by the exchange.

The small risks of this strategy include:

1. The cost of trading - Some brokers charges high brokerage/fees, which along with the taxes could make the overall loss-making trade.
2. The box spread can be liquidated by an offsetting transaction easily and transparently on an exchange with minimal loss/profit.

Maximum profit happens when the price of the underlying moves above the strike price of Short Put on expiration date.

Max Profit = Net Premium Received

The reward in this strategy is the difference between the total cost of the box spread and its expiration value. Being an arbitrage strategy, the profits are very small.

It's an extremely low-risk options trading strategy.

Both options unexercised

Both options exercised

Allows you to benefit from time decay in profit situations. Helps you profit from 3 scenarios: rise, sideway movements and marginal fall of the underlying.

1. In short box, you are taking money in, so there's no capital tied up.
2. This is an Arbitrage strategy. This strategy is to earn small profits with very little or zero risks.

Limited profit. Time decay may go against you in loss situations.

1. It's a professional strategy and not for retail investors. The opportunities are closely monitored by High-Frequency algorithms. These arbitrage opportunities are usually for the high-frequency algorithms and need large pools of money to make it worth it and usually with better brokerage commission schemes.
2. This strategy has high margin maintenance requirements and in many cases, the trader won't have the margin available to do that.
3. For retail investors, the brokerage commissions don't make this a viable strategy. Only low-fee traders can take advantage of this.
4. In theory, this strategy sounds good but in reality, it may not as profits are small.
5. Locking the box - Trader has to wait until to expiry by keeping the money stuck in the box.

• Box Spread or Long Box