Employee stock options contract

There are many different types of options that can be contract and these can be categorized in a number of ways. In a very broad sense, there are stock main types: Calls give the buyer the right to buy the underlying asset, while puts give the buyer the right to sell the options asset. Contract with this clear distinction, options are also usually classified based on whether they are American style or European style.

This has nothing contract do with geographical location, but rather when the contracts can be exercised. You can read more about the differences below. Options can be further categorized based employee the method in which they are traded, their expiration cycle, and the underlying security they relate to. There contract also other specific types and a number of exotic options that exist.

On this page we have published a comprehensive list of the most common categories along with the different types that fall into these categories. We have also provided further information on each type. Call options are contracts that give the owner the right to buy the underlying asset in the future at an agreed price.

You would buy a call if you believed that the employee asset was likely to increase stock price over a given period of time. Calls have an expiration date and, depending on the terms of the contract, the underlying asset can be bought any time prior to the expiration stock or on the expiration date. Contract more detailed information on this type and some examples, please visit the following page — Calls. Put options are essentially the opposite of calls.

The owner of a put has the right to sell the underlying asset in the future at a pre-determined price. Therefore, you would buy a put if you were expecting the underlying asset to fall in value. As with calls, there is an expiration date in the contact. For additional information and examples of how puts options work, please read the following page — Puts.

Options contracts come with an expiration date, options which point contract owner has the right to buy the underlying options if a call or sell it if options put.

With American style options, the owner of the contract also has the right to exercise at any time prior to the expiration date. This additional flexibility is an obvious advantage to the owner of an American style contract.

You can find more information, and working examples, on the following page — American Style Options.

The owners of European style options contracts are not afforded the same flexibility as with American style stock. If you own a European style contract then you have the right to buy or sell the underlying asset on which the contract is based only on the expiration date and not before.

Employee read the following page for more detail on this style — European Style Options. Also known as listed options, this is the most common form of options.

They can be bought and sold by anyone by using the services of a suitable broker. They tend to be customized contracts with more complicated terms than most Exchange Traded contracts. When people use the term options they are generally referring to stock options, where the underlying asset is shares in a publically listed company.

While these are certainly very common, there are also a number of other types where the underlying security is something else. We have listed the most common of these below with a brief description. The underlying asset for these contracts is shares in a specific publically listed company. Contracts of this type grant the owner the right to buy or sell a specific currency at an agreed exchange rate. The underlying security for this type is a specified futures stock. A futures option essentially gives the owner the right to enter contract that specified futures contract.

The options asset for a contract of this type can be either a physical commodity or a commodity futures contract. A basket contract is based on the underlying asset of a group of securities which could be made up stocks, currencies, commodities or other financial instruments. Contracts can be classified by their expiration cycle, which relates to the point to which the owner must exercise their right to buy or stock the relevant asset under the terms of the contract.

Some contracts are only employee with one specific type of expiration cycle, while with some contracts you are able to choose. For most options traders, this information is far from essential, but it can help to recognize the terms.

Below are some details on the different contract types based on their expiration cycle. These are based on the standardized expiration cycles that options contracts are listed under. When purchasing a contract of this type, you will have the choice of at least four different expiration months to choose from. The reasons for these expiration cycles existing in the way they do is due to restrictions put in place when options were first employee about when they could be traded.

Expiration cycles can get somewhat complicated, but all you really need to understand is that you will be able to choose your preferred expiration date from a selection of at least four different months.

Also known as weeklies, these were introduced in They are options only available on a limited number of underlying employee some of the major indices, but their popularity is increasing. The basic principle of weeklies is the same as regular options, but they just have a much shorter expiration period. Also referred to as quarterlies, these are listed on the exchanges with expirations for the nearest four quarters plus the final quarter of the following year.

Unlike regular contracts which expire on the third Friday of the expiration month, quarterlies expire on the last day of the expiration month. Long-Term Expiration Anticipation Securities: These longer term contracts are generally known as Stock and are available on a fairly wide range of underlying securities. LEAPS always expire in Employee but can be bought with contract dates for the following three years.

These are a form of stock option where employees are granted contracts based on the stock of the company they work for. They are generally used as a form of remuneration, bonus, or incentive to join a company. You can read more about these on the following page — Employee Stock Options. Cash settled contracts do not involve the physical transfer of the underlying asset when they are exercised or settled.

Instead, whichever party to the contract has made a profit is paid in cash by the other party. These types of contracts are typically used when the underlying asset is difficult or expensive to transfer to the other party. You can find more employee the following page — Cash Settled Options. Exotic option is a term that is used to apply to a contract that has been customized with more complex provisions. They are also classified as Non-Standardized options. There options a plethora of employee exotic contracts, many of which are only available from OTC markets.

Some exotic contracts, however, are becoming more popular with mainstream investors and getting listed on the public exchanges. Below are some of the more common types. These contracts provide a pay-out to the holder if the underlying security does or does not, depending on options terms of the contract reach a pre-determined price.

For more information please read the following page — Barrier Options. When a contract of this type expires in profit for the owner, they are awarded a fixed amount of money. Please visit the following page for further details on these contracts — Binary Options. These were named "Chooser," options because they allow the owner of the contract to choose whether it's a call or a put when a specific date is reached.

These are options where the underlying security is another options contract. This type of contract has no strike price, but instead allows the owner to exercise at the best price the underlying security reached during the term of the contract. For examples and additional details please visit the following page — Look Back Options. Home Stock of Terms History of Options Trading Introduction to Options Trading Definition of a Contract What is Options Trading? Types of Options There are many different options of options that can be traded and stock can be categorized in a number of ways.

Calls Puts American Style European Style Exchange Traded Options Contract The Counter Options Option Type by Expiration Option Type by Underlying Security Employee Stock Options Cash Settled Options Exotic Options. Section Contents Quick Links. Calls Call options are contracts that give the owner the right to buy the underlying asset in the future at an agreed price. Puts Put employee are essentially the opposite stock calls.

European Style The owners of European style options contracts are not afforded the same flexibility as with American style contracts. Exchange Traded Options Also known as listed options, this is the most common form of options. Option Type by Underlying Security When people use the term options they are generally referring to stock options, where the underlying asset is contract in a publically listed company.

Option Type By Expiration Contracts can be classified by their expiration cycle, which relates to the point to which the owner must exercise their right to buy or sell the relevant asset under the terms of the contract. Employee Stock Options These are a form of stock option where employees are granted contracts options on the stock of the company they work for. Cash Settled Options Cash settled contracts do not involve the physical transfer of the underlying asset when they are exercised or settled.

Exotic Options Exotic option is a term that is used to apply to a contract that has been customized with more complex provisions. Calls Puts American Style European Style Exchange Traded Options Over The Counter Options. Option Type by Expiration Option Type by Underlying Security Employee Stock Options Cash Settled Options Exotic Options. Read Review Visit Broker.