NOW Cash-Secured Put: Strike Selection, Premium & Risk
How to sell cash-secured puts on ServiceNow Inc. — optimal strikes, expected premium, and the risks that actually matter for a large-cap technology name.
Is NOW a good cash-secured put candidate?
NOW (ServiceNow Inc.) is a large-cap technology name with an elevated share price and excellent options liquidity. Implied volatility is moderate — enough premium to make selling options worthwhile, without the heart-stopping price swings you get on speculative names. It pays no dividend, so every dollar of income must come from the options you sell.
Strike selection for a NOW cash-secured put
For NOW cash-secured puts, target strikes 7-10% below the current price at deltas of 0.20-0.30. Use 30-45 DTE — the sweet spot for theta-to-gamma balance. The rule is simple: only sell a put at a strike where you would genuinely be happy owning 100 shares, because on a moderate-volatility ticker you will occasionally get assigned.
Expected premium and income on NOW
Typical monthly premium collected on NOW runs around 1.0-2.0% of capital, which annualizes to roughly 12-24% if you sell new contracts every cycle. Capital required to run a single contract wheel on NOW is $20,000+ — the share price and the 100-share lot size set the minimum, not the strategy.
Reference Trade
Example Covered Call on NOW
- Strike: $1,150 (6% OTM)
- Expiration: 30 days
- Premium: $25.00 per share
- Return if flat: 2.3% ($2,500)
- Return if called: 8.4% ($9,100)
- Probability keep shares: 72% keep shares
Risk management for NOW cash-secured put trades
The core risk on a cash-secured put is assignment into a falling stock: your break-even is the strike minus the premium, so a sharp drop below that level leaves you with unrealized losses on the assigned shares. NOW moves in a moderate-volatility range most of the time, but earnings week and sector rotations can still produce 5%+ single-day prints. Tech names are especially vulnerable to interest-rate shifts and earnings guidance revisions — both tend to produce gap moves that hurt short options.
NOW Cash-Secured Put FAQ
What is the best delta for a NOW cash-secured put?
A delta of 0.20-0.30 on NOW balances premium income with assignment probability. Many traders anchor to 0.20 delta as a starting point and adjust based on their willingness to own shares.
How much cash do I need to sell a put on NOW?
Cash required is 100 × strike price. For NOW, that's roughly $20,000+ per contract at a typical strike. Most brokers let you use margin, but for a true cash-secured put you set aside the full amount.
What expiration should I use for NOW cash-secured put trades?
Use 30-45 DTE as a default for NOW. This is the classic theta sweet spot and works well on a stable ticker like this.
Is NOW suitable for beginners selling options?
Yes — it's a well-known, liquid name with established options markets, which is what beginners need.
Related NOW strategies
Price a NOW cash-secured put right now
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