Today, 5/20/13, I sold 6 PBI Jun13 $15 Puts for a net deposit of $222.40 in 2 IRA accounts.  I also sold 2 PBI Jun13 $16 Covered Calls for a net deposit of $22.47 in another IRA Account.  There are 33 days to expiration.  The details follow.

I sold 3 $15 PBI Puts for a net deposit of $112.71.  My basis for these shares would be about $14.18 if assigned to me.  This transaction represents a simple return of about 2.65% and an annualized return of about 29.32.40% on my potential assigned value.

I sold 3 $15 PBI Puts for a net deposit of $109.69.  My basis for these shares would be about $14.19 if assigned to me.  This transaction represents a simple return of about 2.58% and an annualized return of about 28.52.40% on my potential assigned value.

I sold 2 $16 PBI Covered Calls for a net deposit of $22.47.  My basis for these shares is now $14.29.  This transaction represents a simple return of about .78% and an annualized return of about 8.62.40% on my prior basis.

This is the latest in a series of occasional option transaction on PBI.  Starting last January, I have sold Puts at $11, $13, and $14 all of which expired worthless.  My $15 Puts were assigned to me last Friday.

I note that I own 200 shares in another IRA account.  I currently have Covered Calls on those shares expiring in June at a strike of $16.

I have looked at PBI in the past but do not remember why I made no trades prior to last January.  I decided to go with it again and be happy if I am assigned.

PBI has paid a dividend for 30 consecutive years.  It paid a .375 quarterly dividend, until last quarter when it cut the dividend to .1875.  The stock took a hit then but has recovered most of the reduction.  The dividend was over 10% and is now 4.93%, which is still a pretty good dividend.  PBI is trading at $15.20 as I write this.

S&P continues a 1-year price target of $15 and a Hold recommendation for PBI.  MarketEdge has a price opinion of $14.79 and an Avoid recommendation.  The 4 Yahoo Analysts continue a mean 1-year estimate of $17.00 with a recommendation of 2.2 where 1.0 is a Strong Buy and 5.0 is a Strong Sell.

Today, 5/20/13, I sold 2 FB June 14, 2013 $27.00 Covered Calls in an IRA Account for a net deposit of $56.47.  My basis for these FB shares in now $26.58.  This transaction represent a simple return of about 3.07% and an annualized return of about 101.73% on my prior basis with 11 days to option expiration.

I only sold FB Puts once this time before the stock was assigned to me last Friday.  This is my first Covered Call on those shares.  I was hoping to be able to trade the weekly FB options, either Puts of Covered Calls, on a regular basis.  However, FB has fallen low enough (closing at $25.76 today) that I had to skip to a couple of weeks this time.  FB does not pay a dividend.  I consider these shares as a trade, even if I might roll them out and up before they are called away.

S&P has a 12-month price target of $33 and a Hold recommendation.  MarketEdge continues a reduced price opinion of $26.25 and an Avoid recommendation.  The 28 Yahoo Analysts have a mean 12-month price target of $33.21 and a recommendation of 2.2 where 1.0 is a Strong Buy and 5.0 is a Strong Sell.

Today, 5/20/13, I bought 200 shares of CCL and sold 2 CCL Jun13 $36.00 Covered Calls for a net deposit of $80.47 in an IRA account.  My basis for these CCL shares is now $34.96.  This option trade produces a simple return of about 1.14% and an annualized return of about 12.58% on my basis if held to expiration.

CCL has had LOTS of bad publicity the past year.  Even so, CCL is currently in the middle of its 52-week trading range.  I made some profitable trades on its competitor Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) last year and some on CCL earlier this year.  They both seem to have very good option premiums.

CCL pays a good dividend of .25 for a yield of 2.83% at the current price.  CCL also goes ex-dividend in two days, 5/22/13, which helped make the decision to buy the stock today.

S&P has a 12-month price target of $44 and a Strong Buy recommendation.  MarketEdge has a price opinion of $35.34 and a Neutral recommendation.  The 15 Yahoo analysts have a 12-month mean price target of $39.68 and a recommendation of 2.3 on a scale where 1.0 is a Strong Buy and 5.0 is a Strong Sell.