A GOOD EXAMPLE OF CALL OPTION
A local newspaper advertises a sale on VCRs for only $129.95. The next day Jane goes down to the electronics store intending to purchase a VCR at the advertised price. Unfortunately, by the time she arrives, the VCR is already out of stock. The manager apologizes and gives her a rain check entitling Jane to buy the same VCR for the advertised price of $129.95 anytime within the next two months. Jane has just received a long call option which gives her the right, but not the ob ligation, to purchase the VCR at the guaranteed strike price of $129.95 until the expiration date two months away.
Scenario 1: A few weeks later, Jane return's to the store to exercise her rain check. The same VCR is now in stock, priced at $179.95. Jane approaches the store manager who agrees to honor the rain-check and sell her a VCR for the advertised p rice of $129.95. Jane has just saved $50. Her long call option was in-the-money.
Scenario 2: A few weeks later, Jane returns to the store and finds the VCR on sale for $119.95? Her rain check is now worthless because she can simply purchase the VCR at the reduced price. In this case, Jane's call option expired worthless b ecause it was out-of-the-money. Just because you own a long call option doesn't mean you are under any obligation to use it.
Scenario 3: Jane's friend Jeff phones and mentions that his VCR has just broken. She tells him about her rain-check and agrees to sell it to Jeff for $5 (the option premium). The strike price is still $129.95 and the expiration date is 2 month s out. However, Jeff is taking a risk. The VCR might be priced lower than the $129.95 strike price in which case the rain-check is worthless and Jeff loses $5.