Collar StrategyCVX · USRisk: Very high

Collar Strategy on Chevron Corporation

Complete example: Collar Strategy on Chevron (CVX) — including strikes, premium, break-even, and interactive payoff diagram.

Market view
Neutral to defensive
Complexity
Intermediate
Sector
Energy
Typical price
$155
Explained for beginners

Collar Strategy in plain terms

Level
Intermediate
Risk
Very low (stock protected)
Best in
Neutral to defensive
Goal
Hedging
What is this strategy for?
Cheaply protect an existing stock position against a sharp reversal.
When should I use it?
When you want to protect paper gains without selling the stock.
How do I earn with it?
You buy a protective put and finance it by selling a call.
What is the main risk?
The protection costs upside: above the call strike you no longer participate.
Who should avoid it?
If you are hoping for a big rally — the collar caps exactly that gain.

Educational content, not investment advice. Options carry risk up to the total loss of the capital employed.

Underlying

Chevron Corporation for Options Traders

Chevron Corporation is, alongside ExxonMobil, one of the two largest integrated US oil companies and a reliable dividend aristocrat with an attractive yield (~4%). As a defensive energy stock, Chevron shows comparatively low volatility (IV typically 22-35%), driven mainly by crude oil prices (Brent/WTI) and geopolitical events. The combination of a stable dividend and moderate option premiums makes Chevron an ideal underlying for conservative covered call and cash-secured put strategies.

Symbol
CVX
Market
US
IV range
2235%
Currency
USD
Options note: Traded on US exchanges (CBOE/NYSE); good options liquidity for an energy stock; American-style; weekly expirations (including 0DTE); contract size 100 shares; strikes in $2.50/$5 increments.
Overview

Collar Strategy — Quick Overview

The collar combines an existing stock position with buying a protective put and simultaneously selling an OTM call. The short call partially or fully finances the expensive protective put (zero-cost collar). The result: your downside loss is limited (put protects), but your upside profit is capped (short call). A collar is the strategy of choice for investors who want to protect existing gains in a position.

Advantages

  • Clearly limited downside loss risk
  • Often free or cheap to implement (zero-cost collar)
  • No need to sell the stock position
  • Dividend rights are maintained (as long as not assigned)

Disadvantages

  • Upside capped: strong price gains are not captured
  • More complex than a simple protective put
  • Early assignment of short call possible with US options (before dividends)
  • Three positions (stock + put + call) increase management complexity
Example Trade

Collar Strategy on Chevron

Illustrative example based on a typical Chevron price of $155. Strikes and premiums are indicative — actual market prices will vary.

PositionTypeStrikeActionPremium
100 Shares (held)Stock position$155Long (entry price)
Long Put (protection)Put$143Buy (debit)-$2,34
Short Call (finances put)Call$165Sell (credit)+$3,12
Net credit received+$0,78 ($78 per contract)
Max Profit
$1.078
per contract
Max Loss
-$1.172
per contract
Break-even
$154
Payoff

Payoff Diagram at Expiration

Profit and loss of the Collar Strategy on Chevron depending on the price at expiration. Values per contract (100 shares).

Suitability

Why Collar Strategy for Chevron?

A stable, low-volatility stock is the classic collar candidate: put and call premiums balance well, making a zero-cost collar easily constructible. Choose puts 8% below the price and calls 10-12% above. This stock is particularly suited for collar strategies to protect long-term gain positions.

When is the right time?

  • 1Protect existing stock gains (e.g., position is significantly up)
  • 2Turbulent market phases or uncertainty before specific events
  • 3Tax optimization: protection without selling the position (controls realization timing)
  • 4Long-term investors seeking temporary hedges
  • 5Hedge equity compensation plans (RSUs, stock options)
Deep Dive

Why Chevron for Options Traders

Chevron is, alongside ExxonMobil, one of the two largest integrated US oil companies, and at the options level it is known mainly as a disciplined dividend payer and an oil-price play. Like Exxon, Chevron spans the whole chain from production to refining, but it traditionally pursues a strategy centered on capital discipline and reliable dividend payments: Chevron is a dividend aristocrat with an attractive yield around 4% — higher than Exxon's — which makes it especially appealing to income-focused investors. Implied volatility typically ranges 22-35% and, like any oil major, is dominated by the crude price (WTI/Brent), OPEC+ decisions, and geopolitical events. Chevron is often perceived as somewhat more oil-price driven than Exxon (higher oil beta), which keeps its IV on average slightly above Exxon's. At a price near $155, a contract controls roughly $15,500 of underlying — the combination of a high dividend and moderate premiums makes Chevron a classic underlying for conservative covered call and cash-secured put strategies.

Strategy Notes

Collar Strategy on Chevron: Practical Notes

Collars are especially sensible for Chevron shareholders, because they let you hedge the generous 4% dividend yield and a capital gain without having to sell into an oil-driven pullback. The moderate IV makes the short call well-priced, so it often largely finances a protective put. The most critical point on this high-dividend name: an in-the-money short call can be exercised early around the ex-dividend date, because the buyer wants to capture the especially high dividend — which would cost you the shares and the dividend. To keep both, be sure to roll the call before the ex-date or choose a clearly out-of-the-money strike. That keeps the collar a pure hedging tool.

Historical Context

Historical Context

Chevron has earned a reputation as the more disciplined of the two US oil majors — focused on defending the dividend even through harsh oil cycles. Like the whole sector, Chevron lived through the pandemic oil collapse of 2020 and the strong recovery of 2021/22, when rising energy prices enabled record profits and generous capital returns. A defining feature of its recent history is the battle to acquire Hess, through which Chevron sought access to the lucrative oil fields off Guyana — a deal burdened and delayed by a lengthy arbitration with ExxonMobil over rights of first refusal, which at times injected uncertainty into the stock. For options traders, as with Exxon, volatility follows oil primarily, not the quarterly reports. Earnings moves are usually moderate (2-4%), but oil shocks and deal-specific news can lift IV quickly.

FAQ

FAQ: Collar Strategy on Chevron

What distinguishes Chevron from ExxonMobil?
Both are large integrated US oil majors and dividend aristocrats, but with nuances. Chevron is seen as the more disciplined company with a particular focus on defending the dividend and offers a higher yield (~4% versus ~3.3% for Exxon). Chevron is also often perceived as somewhat more oil-price driven (higher oil beta), with IV around 22-35% versus 20-34% for Exxon. Exxon is the larger company with more production growth. For options traders both are solid dividend-supported underlyings with oil-driven volatility.
Why is the dividend particularly relevant for Chevron options?
Chevron is a dividend aristocrat with an especially high yield around 4%. That high dividend makes the risk of dividend-driven early assignment on US-style options more pronounced than on most names: an in-the-money short call can be exercised early just before the ex-dividend date, because the holder wants to capture the generous dividend. For covered calls and collars you should therefore know the ex-date precisely and, if needed, roll the call in time or choose strikes clearly out of the money.
How does the oil price affect Chevron options?
The crude price (WTI/Brent) is the single most important driver of Chevron's stock and its implied volatility. OPEC+ decisions, geopolitical events, demand data, and recession fears often move the stock more than the quarterly reports. Because Chevron has a somewhat higher oil beta than Exxon, it tends to react more markedly to oil moves — both up and down. Anyone trading Chevron options should actively follow the OPEC+ calendar and geopolitical risks.
Is Chevron suitable for conservative options strategies?
Yes. The combination of a stable, high dividend (~4%), moderate volatility (IV 22-35%), and good liquidity makes Chevron a classic underlying for conservative, income-focused strategies such as covered calls and cash-secured puts. The main risk is the oil price, which can move the stock regardless of the company — so size positions cautiously around OPEC+ dates and geopolitical events. This content is informational only and is not investment advice.
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