- Current stock price
- Current stock price. If this price is above your option strike price, you are already in the money. If it is currently below the option strike price, your options will not have any value until it exceeds the strike price.
- Stock appreciation
- This is the annual rate of return you expect from the stock underlying your options. Thanks to the leveraged nature of your stock options, once the underlying stock value has exceeded your strike price, the value of your options will increase at an accelerated rate. The actual rate of return is largely dependent on the types of investments you select. The Standard & Poor's 500® (S&P 500®) for the 10 years ending December 31st 2023, had an annual compounded rate of return of 15.2%, including reinvestment of dividends. From January 1, 1970 to December 31st 2023, the average annual compounded rate of return for the S&P 500®, including reinvestment of dividends, was approximately 10.9% (source: www.spglobal.com). Since 1970, the highest 12-month return was 61% (June 1982 through June 1983). The lowest 12-month return was -43% (March 2008 to March 2009). Savings accounts at a financial institution may pay as little as 0.25% or less but carry significantly lower risk of loss of principal balances.
It is important to remember that these scenarios are hypothetical and that future rates of return can't be predicted with certainty and that investments that pay higher rates of return are generally subject to higher risk and volatility. The actual rate of return on investments can vary widely over time, especially for long-term investments. This includes the potential loss of principal on your investment. It is not possible to invest directly in an index and the compounded rate of return noted above does not reflect sales charges and other fees that investment funds and/or investment companies may charge.
- Number of options
- This is the number of stock options you were granted.
- Strike price
- The strike price is the stock price that your options were issued at. The underlying stock price must exceed the strike price for your options to have any value.
- Number of years
- The number of years you expect to hold these options. This can be any number from one to twenty-five.
