The Difference between Trading Stocks and Stock Options

In the stock market industry, the trade for stocks and stock options are often interchanged and many may be confused between the concepts behind these types of trades. However, what you should know is that these two have very different characteristics from each other, and using them interchangeably can be very lethal if you want to engage in the stock trading game.

Knowing the difference between these two would not only save you on making serious trading mistakes, but perhaps, you can be guided on making a smart business decision on which particular trade you would actually want to make your investments.

Stocks versus Stock Options

By definition, stocks are actually shares of a particular company that can be traded through the act of buying or selling by an investor. If you happen to own a particular stock from a company, you are entitled to certain rights, which may include a profit share from earnings. You may also have the liberty to sell your share of stock if you no longer desire it.

A stock option on the other hand, is not the stock or share of the company itself, but it is actually the rights for a certain stock. It actually allows you to buy and sell company stock at a set price in a certain time period. However, you do not gain the profits from the company itself.

Take note that in doing transactions for stock options, there will always be a buyer and a seller, and this may not always hold true when compared to stocks. When you sell stock options, you are actually creating a certain degree of security for the company as well as for yourself. In this way, the parties involved can make sure that money is actually made to the frequent trade that happens.

Comparing the Benefits

In comparing the benefits of trading stocks and stock options, many experts would claim that stock options might be a promising gamble for companies and individuals, especially if you have adequate experience in the trading game and can substantially use very good strategies to survive. However, the same results might not be expected if you are only a beginner.

What makes a lot of experts prefer options trading is usually because in this particular trade, no matter what would happen to the underlying security, an option buyer cannot lose to more than that of the initial price paid for the rights. Therefore in trading options, there are fewer risks involved on the part of the buyer, especially when it comes to the possibility of losing a lot of money. And it may even give promises of profitable gains.

But on the other hand, the seller may experience greater risks.  There may be a possibility that one has to deliver or take deliveries of the stock shares. Unless the option is actually covered by a different option, then the seller may end up losing much more than the stock option’s original price.

And so, if you are not well skilled and knowledgeable about how you can prevent severe losses, then the best way for you to play the stocks trading game is to stick with the more traditional trading of stocks as this can be easier.

However, if you do believe that you can manage then options trading may give you many promising positive results. Just make sure that you take the time to understand concepts and strategies behind stock options before you actually start trading.