Cash-secured puts · new lists scheduled hourly in market hours
Learning to sell puts? Start with a short list you can check.
We scan about 100 US stocks and ETFs, drop contracts that are hard to trade, and rank the rest. Every contract shows the income you would collect, the cash you would set aside, the price where you would start losing money at expiry, and whether earnings land before expiry.
5 picks free without an account. Sign in free (Google or an email link) for all 20.
Lists are scheduled hourly from 09:45 to 16:00 ET on trading days. Prices are delayed 15 minutes.
Yesterday's list, unedited.
The top of the most recent published list, exactly as it went out. Each list is saved when it's published and never edited afterwards.
| Rank | Stock | Strike & Expiry | Bid | Income | Cushion | Earnings | Cash needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | HPQ | $30.00 Put 2026-11-20 | $0.66 | +$662.2% in 22 days · 36.5%/yr | 5.9%break-even $29.34 | Earnings Nov 24 · after expiry | $3,000 |
| #2 | SNOW | $300.00 Put 2026-11-20 | $7.20 | +$7202.4% in 22 days · 39.8%/yr | 9.0%break-even $292.80 | Earnings Dec 2 · after expiry | $30,000 |
| #3 | CRM | $215.00 Put 2026-11-27 | $4.35 | +$4352.0% in 29 days · 25.5%/yr | 6.9%break-even $210.65 | Earnings Dec 2 · after expiry | $21,500 |
| #4 | TSM | $410.00 Put 2026-11-20 | $6.55 | +$6551.6% in 22 days · 26.5%/yr | 5.0%break-even $403.45 | Earnings Jan 14 '27 · after expiry | $41,000 |
| #5 | MSFT | $510.00 Put 2026-11-20 | $6.55 | +$6551.3% in 22 days · 21.3%/yr | 3.8%break-even $503.45 | Earnings Jan 27 '27 · after expiry | $51,000 |
Cushion is how far the stock can fall from today's price before it reaches the strike. Break-even is the strike minus the premium you received. Below break-even at expiry you lose money. A cushion is a distance, not protection: a price gap can go straight through it.
If you're assigned, you buy 100 shares per contract at the strike, however far the stock has fallen.
- Top 5 free, no sign-up
- Open-interest and spread minimums
- Earnings timing flagged
- See why each contract ranked
- Data delays labeled
One contract, explained.
Each contract is scored on the stock, the income it pays for the cushion it leaves, and earnings timing.
How the list is built- Risk as loud as reward
Every income figure sits next to the price where you would start losing money.
- See why it ranked
Open any contract to see what helped it, what held it back, and the arithmetic behind its place on the list.
- Research, not signals
No alerts, no countdowns, no "buy now". A shortlist to study, and your own decision.
A real contract from a past list
One contract. Three clear answers.
From the Oct 29 list, prices as of Oct 29, 16:02 ET. Not current prices.
Sell 30 Put · Nov 20 · 22 days to expiry
Stock price then $31.89
- Income
- $66
- Cash received upfront
- Cushion
- 5.9%
- Distance to the strike
- Cash needed
- $3,000
- Cash set aside
You may have to buy 100 shares at $30.00. Below $29.34 at expiry, losses grow as the stock falls.
What could go wrong?
The cushion is a price distance, not protection or a limit on losses. Assignment can also happen before expiry.
Break-even is the $30.00 strike minus $0.66 of premium per share. The premium offsets part of a loss; it does not prevent one.
At $28.70 at expiry, the loss would be −$64 per contract.
Gross amounts, before fees and taxes. A fixed teaching scenario, not current market data.
A few things to know.
What the list does, what it doesn't, and where the risk sits.
Who is OptimonPro for?
Stock investors learning about cash-secured puts and put sellers who want a more focused research process. You should understand the obligation to buy shares and decide whether the risk fits your circumstances.
Which strategies can I use today?
Today the list covers cash-secured puts (Sell a Put). Put Spread and Buy a Call are planned; they are not available screening strategies.
How do I start, and how much cash do I need?
Open today's list and set your budget. Cash required depends on the contract: a standard cash-secured put sets aside the strike price × 100 shares. There is no single cash amount that fits every contract; check your broker’s requirements before trading.
Are the prices live?
No. Published Picks use market-data snapshots, which may be delayed. Check the snapshot information in the product and verify prices with your broker. The illustration on this page is a fixed educational example, not current market data.
What goes into the ranking?
First, contracts that are hard to trade, too close to the price, or have an earnings report before expiry are dropped. The rest are ranked on the stock (financials, trend, and option pricing against recent moves) and on the income they pay for the cushion they leave. A higher rank means research it first, not that it is safer.
LearnWhat's the catch?
The list is free today. A paid tier may come later, and it would be announced in advance. There are no broker kickbacks, no affiliate links, and no paid placement in the rankings. "Pro" is part of the name, not a paid plan.
AboutCan I lose money selling a put?
Yes. You may be assigned and have to buy 100 shares per standard contract at the strike price, even if the stock has fallen much further. Premium reduces the loss but does not prevent it.
DisclosuresNot the right fit if you want trade alerts, guaranteed income, or someone to tell you what to buy.