Learn what a collar options strategy is and how investors use a long put and short call to limit downside and upside around a stock position.
A collar options strategy usually combines ownership of an underlying stock with a purchased put option and a written call option to create a band around likely outcomes.
The long put sets a downside floor, while the short call helps fund the hedge but caps some upside. Investors use collars when they want to keep the position but reduce short-term downside risk without paying the full cost of a standalone protective put. The tradeoff is that protection is purchased by giving up part of the upside beyond the call strike.
An investor who owns shares trading at $50 might buy a put with a lower strike and sell a call with a higher strike, narrowing the range of future outcomes.
An investor says, “A collar protects downside and keeps unlimited upside.” Is that correct?
Answer: No. The sold call is what usually limits the upside of the position.