Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of BRK.ABest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of BRK.ABest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Stocks A to Z / Stocks B / Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (6) |
Author: mungofitch 🐝🐝🐝 GOLD
SHREWD
  😊 😞

Number: of 21944 
Subject: Re: DITM calls and hedging
Date: 09/15/25 4:19 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 13
What's the catch?

Comments on the assumption that you use the freed-up cash to buy T-bills: this is not a great idea, other than optionality (which isn't nothing).. You'll be paying more on the implied interest rate of the calls than you'll be making on the T-bills.

Comments on the assumption that you use all your funds for this, rather than just some: a problem if it is very expensive when it comes time to roll, which happens sometimes. You need to be prepared for the notion t hat a roll might consume quite a lot of cash, giving your thesis time to work out.

On the general long approach:

The leverage giveth, and the leverage taketh away.

During stretches that the stock does badly, your market-value portfolio balance will sink like a rock. This bothers some people.
During stretches that the stock is flat, you lose money. Slowly, but you lose.

When it comes time to roll your calls, there may not be suitable new options available to replace the ones you own. The implied interest rate might be prohibitive, or long-dated alternatives may not be available, or they might be banned. This is OK if the stock price is good at the time, but not good if the stock price is poor.

Your choice of underlying security might be poor. Sometimes the thing that looks safest can turn around and bite you. As a random example, GE was the sure thing in the late 20th century. Pennsylvania Railroad in the early 20th--there is a very famous huge trust that went bust that way.

Jim
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to mungofitch here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 21,448 posts about Berkshire Hathaway. The article-length ones it recommended most:
BRK: Why Not XOM? · 62 recs · 2024
Second quarter comments · 60 recs · 2023
Berkshire's Profit Contributors · 57 recs · 2023
Summary of 2Q 2026 · 54 recs · 2026
3Q Summary · 53 recs · 2024
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (6) |


Announcements
Berkshire Hathaway FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of BRK.A | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community