Synthetic Long Stock

Synthetic long stock refers to a trading strategy in which an investor or trader creates a position that mimics owning a long position in a stock. They achieve this by using a combination of other financial instruments, such as options or futures contracts.

This strategy allows traders and investors to gain exposure to the performance of a stock without actually owning the stock outright. It can be useful in situations where owning the stock is impractical, such as when the investor wants to avoid high transaction costs or limit their exposure to a single stock. 

Synthetic long stock position is a trading method that involves an investor or trader creating a position that resembles having a long position in a stock. This is created through the strategic use of options contracts. It allows investors to replicate the profit potential and price movement of owning the underlying stock without directly purchasing it.

This approach provides flexibility and cost efficiency, as it involves a combination of derivative contracts tailored to mirror the behavior of holding the stock. This concept is based on the use of options contracts to replicate the performance of an underlying asset, such as a stock while altering the cash flow and duration characteristics of the position.

By leveraging options contracts, investors can replicate the price movement and profit potential of owning the stock while minimizing the upfront capital commitment. This is because the cost of the call options is at least partially offset by the money received for selling the put options, reducing the overall cost of the position.

Synthetic long asset positions come with unlimited risk, as the losses from a decrease in the stock price can theoretically be boundless. On the other hand, they also offer unlimited potential profit if the stock price continues to increase.

Let us look at some examples to understand the concept better:

Example #1

Let's say an investor, Jacob, is bullish on the stock of XYZ Corporation and wants to gain exposure to its potential upside without buying the stock outright. The current market price of XYZ stock is $100 per share, and Jacob has $2,000 to invest.

To create a synthetic long stock position, Jacob can purchase a call option with a strike price of $100 and an expiration date of one month from now for $200. The call option gives him the right to buy 100 shares of XYZ stock at the strike price of $100 per share.

To offset the cost of the call option, Jacob can sell a put option with a strike price of $100 and an expiration date of one month from the present date for $100. The put option gives him the obligation to buy 100 shares of XYZ stock at the strike price of $100 per share if the stock price falls to that level.

By combining the call and put options, Jacob has created a synthetic long stock position. This position behaves similarly to owning 100 shares of XYZ stock but with a lower initial investment and potentially lower transaction costs.

If the stock price of XYZ increases to $110 per share by expiration, the call option will have a value of $1,000, representing a gain of $800 ($1,000 - $200) on Jacob's $2,000 investment. However, if the stock price decreases to $90 per share by expiration, the put option will have a value of $1,000, representing a loss of $900 ($1,000 - $100) on Jacob’s $2,000 investment.

Example #2

Consider Rachel, a trader, has $5,000 to invest and the market price of ABC stock is $50 per share at the moment. She may purchase a call option and sell a put option with the same strike price to replicate a long stock position.

Rachel pays $200 for a single ABC call option with a $50 strike price and a three-month expiration date. She sells one $100 ABC put option with the same strike price and expiration date to cover this expense.

Rachel combines the call and put options and creates a synthetic long stock, equivalent to holding 100 shares of ABC stock. If ABC's share price increases to $60 at expiration, the $5,000 investment would have generated a profit of $700 ($1,000 - $300) on the call option. In contrast, the put option would be worth $500 if ABC's share price drops to $40 at expiration, meaning Rachel would lose $300 ($500 - $200).

The advantages and disadvantages of the synthetic long stock strategy are listed below: 

Advantages 

• Lower capital requirement: This approach can be created with a lower capital requirement than buying the underlying stock outright. This is because the cost of the call options is partially offset by the money received for selling the put options. 
• Unlimited profit potential: It offers unlimited profit potential if the stock price rises significantly, as the trader has the right to buy the stock at the strike price. 
• Defined risk: Unlike buying the underlying stock outright, this approach has a defined risk. This risk is limited to the premium paid for the call and put option. 
• Flexibility: This approach can be created with options contracts that have different strike prices and expiration dates. This offers flexibility to the trader to tailor the position to their specific needs and market views. 

Disadvantages 

• Limited time frame: This approach typically has a limited time frame, as the options contracts used to create the position have expiration dates. 
• Risk of losing premium: There is a risk of losing the premium paid for the options contracts if the stock price doesn't move in the desired direction. In contrast, buying the underlying stock outright allows the investor to hold the stock for an indefinite period of time, giving them more time to profit from a potential increase in the stock price.
• Affected by market volatility: It can be affected by changes in market volatility, which can impact the prices of the call and put options used to create the position. High market volatility can result in higher premiums for the options contracts.