The Terry's Tips 2017 Track Record Final Results
The year has ended, and it is time to record the results for 2017. The composite average of our 10 portfolios gained 113% for 2017, just about the best year we have enjoyed in our 16 years of publishing Terry’s Tips. Only one portfolio (Honey Badger) lost money (and it covered the entire loss for the year in the first week of 2018).
• Boomer’s Revenge – (restarted with $5000 on 1/22/18 after withdrawal of $2797) – 56% gain for 2017
• Capstone Cascade – (restarted with $10,000 on 1/2/18 after withdrawal of $4836) – 48% gain for 2017
• Contango (our only portfolio not available for Auto-Trade – restarted with $5000 on 1/2/18) – 138% gain for 2017
• Earnings Eagle (started with $5000 on 6/7/17) – 31% gain over last 6 months of 2017
• Galloping Turtle (restarted with $5000 using new strategy on 11/20/17 after withdrawal of $3960) – 79% gain for 2017
• Honey Badger (restarted with $5000 using a new strategy on 12/26/17) – 48% loss for 2017 (fully recovered in the first week of 2018)
• Leaping Leopard (restarted on 12/26/17 with $5000 after withdrawal of $2001) – 40% gain for 2017
• Rising Tide (restarted on 1/2/18 with $5000 after withdrawal of $7615) – 152% gain for 2017
• Vista Valley (restarted in 2018 after VXX reverse split is carried out with $5000 after withdrawal of $5058) – 101% gain for 2017
• Wiley Wolf (restarted on 11/8/17 with $5000 after $19,840 withdrawal) – 728% gain for 2017
Each of the above portfolios is carried in a separate brokerage account and include all commissions. We currently carry out 9 portfolios at Terry’s Tips, 8 of which are available for Auto-Trade at thinkorswim (so you can follow a portfolio and never have to make a trade on your own). All except one of these portfolios can be carried out inside an IRA. Paying subscribers can follow the results of all 9 portfolios. Some newsletters only reveal their winning portfolios to all subscribers, but at Terry's Tips, we disclose every trade and every position for every portfolio at all times.
All results include commissions at the standard rate charged by thinkorswim for Terry's Tips subscribers. Many newsletters conveniently (for them) do not include commissions when they report their trading results. By the way, our subscription rates are considerably less than just about any other options newsletter.
While we can’t promise that future years will be anywhere near as profitable as 2017 has been for us, we do believe that the basic strategies that we have developed can consistently deliver far greater returns than any conventional investments that we know of.
The Long-Term Track Record at Terry's Tips
Terry’s Tips has operated sample option portfolios since 2003 for their subscribers to follow or mirror in their own accounts. These portfolios are actual portfolios, and results include all commissions that an investor would pay at thinkorswim, Inc. by TD Ameritrade. Many option newsletters conveniently (for them) do not include commissions in their performance numbers. This makes their results look a lot better than they actually are because commissions are a significant cost of trading options (unlike stock trading which involves much lower commissions).
In most of these years, the option portfolios have beaten the market averages by a very large margin. In some years, the portfolios have incurred losses similar to the magnitude of the market losses.
Option trading involves leverage, and leverage works in both directions. Gains (and losses) are often greater than changes in the market. However, we have tried to minimize the losses in down years so that our losses are less than those of the markets in general, and to enjoy greater gains than the markets in good years. Most of the time, we have been successful in carrying out these goals.
Terry's Tips Stock Options Trading Blog
June 17, 2019
This week we are looking at another of the Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 List companies. We use this list in one of our options portfolios to spot outperforming stocks and place option spreads that take advantage of the momentum.
Terry
The Trade Desk (TTD) Has Doubled in Value YTD
TTD has had an impressing rally in the year thus far, and these two analysts think it can continue the upward moment
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June 9, 2019
This week we are looking at another of the Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 List companies. We use this list in one of our options portfolios to spot outperforming stocks and place option spreads that take advantage of the momentum.
Terry
Has the Tide Turned for Five Below Inc (FIVE)?
Several analysts are looking for more upside in FIVE, here are two of them – Hedge Funds Have Never Been This Bullish On Five Below Inc and I’m Sorry, But the Five Below Stock Selloff Is Overdone.
FIVE fell under a little bit of pressure after reporting earnings in the past week. However, the stock recovered on Friday, resulting in a bullish engulfing candle. This pattern often signals a reversal but what makes it even more significant is that the pattern occurred following a test of important support. Specifically, from the 200-day moving average and the lower bound of a trend channel. A second reversal candlestick is seen on a weekly chart that makes an even strong case that FIVE might turn higher from here.
If you agree there's further upside ahead for FIVE, consider this trade which is a bet that the stock will continue to advance over the next five weeks, or at least not decline very much.
Buy To Open FIVE 12JUL19 124 Puts (FIVE190712P124)
Sell To Open FIVE 12JUL19 127 Puts (FIVE190712P127) for a credit of $1.33 (selling a vertical)
This price was $0.02 less than the mid-point of the option spread when FIVE was trading near $127.50. Unless the stock rallies quickly from here, you should be able to get close to this amount.
Your commission on this trade will only be $2.50 per spread (the rate charged by thinkorswim for Terry’s Tips’ subscribers). Each contract would then yield $130.50 and your broker would charge a $300 maintenance fee, making your investment $169.50 ($300 – $130.50). If FIVE closes at any price above $127 on July 12, both options would expire worthless, and your return on the spread would be 77% (878% annualized).
Changes to Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 This Week:
We have found that the Investor’s Business Daily Top 50 List has been a reliable source of stocks that are likely to move higher in the short run. Recent additions to the list might be particularly good choices for this strategy, and deletions might be good indicators for exiting a position that you might already have on that stock.
As with all investments, you should only make option trades with money that you can truly afford to lose.
Happy trading,
Terry
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June 4, 2019
This week we are looking at another of the Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 List companies. We use this list in one of our options portfolios to spot outperforming stocks and place option spreads that take advantage of the momentum.
Terry
Amazon (AMZN) Is Testing a Major Technical Support Area, Is It Time to Buy?
Some analysts did a double take this past week when a Piper Jaffray analyst said AMZN could reach $3000. Granted, his views are over a few years, but the article stands to spark some buying interest. Take a look at the following article for full details – Can Amazon Really Reach $3000? You Bet. Also take a look at this article which discusses an upside target from another analyst, and contains a video of Yahoo staff discussing the Piper Jaffray call – Amazon Stock Poised for Continued Growth; Here’s Why.
As indicated by the headline, Amazon is seen testing a significant support area. Specifically, there are three items that are lined up to create a confluence – The 100-day moving average, 200-day moving average, and a horizontal level. It’s quite rare to have all three lined up pretty much perfectly at the same price point and probabilities favor that buyers will be there to defend it.
If you agree there's further upside ahead for AMZN, consider this trade which is a bet that the stock will continue to advance over the next five weeks, or at least not decline very much.
Buy To Open AMZN 5JUL19 1770 Puts (AMZN190705P1770)
Sell To Open AMZN 5JUL19 1775 Puts (AMZN190705P1775) for a credit of $2.25 (selling a vertical)
This price was $0.02 less than the mid-point of the option spread when AMZN was trading near $1775. Unless the stock rallies quickly from here, you should be able to get close to this amount.
Your commission on this trade will only be $2.50 per spread (the rate charged by thinkorswim for Terry’s Tips’ subscribers). Each contract would then yield $222.50 and your broker would charge a $500 maintenance fee, making your investment $277.50 ($500 – $222.50). If AMZN closes at any price above $1775 on July 5, both options would expire worthless, and your return on the spread would be 80% (913% annualized).
Changes to Investor’s Business Daily (IBD) Top 50 This Week:
We have found that the Investor’s Business Daily Top 50 List has been a reliable source of stocks that are likely to move higher in the short run. Recent additions to the list might be particularly good choices for this strategy, and deletions might be good indicators for exiting a position that you might already have on that stock.
As with all investments, you should only make option trades with money that you can truly afford to lose.
Happy trading,
Terry
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