Alligator Spread

Filed Under » ,
Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Alligator Spread'

An unprofitable spread that occurs as a result of large commissions charged on the transaction, regardless of favorable market movements. An alligator spread is usually used in the options market to describe a collection of put and call options that may not be profitable.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Alligator Spread'

Pricing models and a more efficient market can help reduce the traditional spread on a security, but it is commissions that create the alligator spread, not market inefficiencies. The commissions are dependent on a transaction's brokers. Investors should check the commission schedules carefully to avoid having their profits devoured by the alligator spread.

Directory (Option Strategy)

  1.

    Alligator Spread

  2. Atlantic Spread

  3. Back Fee

  4. Backspread

  5. Bailard, Biehl And Kaiser Five-Way Model

  6. Bear Call Spread

  7. Bear Put Spread

  8. Bear Spread

  9. Bear Straddle

  10. Box Spread

  11. Bull Call Spread

  12. Bull Put Spread

  13. Bull Spread

  14. Bullet Trade

  15. Butterfly Spread

  16. Buy A Spread

  17. Calendar Spread

  18. Call Ratio Backspread

  19. Collar

  20. Collar Agreement

  21. Condor Spread

  22. Contingent Order

  23. Conversion Arbitrage

  24. Covered Call

  25. Covered Combination

  26. Covered Straddle

  27. Credit Spread

  28. Death Put

  29. Debit Spread

  30. Delta Hedging

  31. Delta Neutral

  32. Delta Spread

  33. Diagonal Spread

  34. Dividend Arbitrage

  35. Double One-Touch Option

  36. Fence (Options)

  37. Fiduciary Call

  38. Fixed Dollar Value Collar

  39. FMAN

  40. Forex Hedge

  41. Forex Option & Currency Trading Options

  42. Form 6781: Gains And Losses From Section ...

  43. Front Fee

  44. Gut Spread

  45. Heston Model

  46. Horizontal Spread

  47. Implied Volatility - IV

  48. Interest Rate Collar

  49. Iron Butterfly

  50. Iron Condor

  51. Leg

  52. Leg Out

  53. Long Jelly Roll

  54. Long Leg

  55. Long Put

  56. Long Straddle

  57. Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities ...

  58. Married Put

  59. Modidor

  60. Multi Index Option

  61. Multi-Leg Options Order

  62. Naked Call

  63. Naked Option

  64. Naked Position

  65. Naked Put

  66. Negative Butterfly

  67. Net Option Premium

  68. Neutral

  69. Option Premium

  70. Outright Option

  71. Overwrite

  72. Overwriting

  73. Positive Butterfly

  74. Protective Put

  75. Put Calendar

  76. Put On A Call

  77. Put On A Put

  78. Put Ratio Backspread

  79. Put To Seller

  80. Ratio Call Write

  81. Ratio Spread

  82. Reverse Calendar Spread

  83. Reverse Conversion

  84. Risk Reversal

  85. Roll Down

  86. Roll Forward

  87. Roll Up

  88. Seagull Option

  89. Sell To Open

  90. Series 4

  91. Short Leg

  92. Short Straddle

  93. Straddle

  94. Strangle

  95. Swing Option

  96. Synthetic Dividend

  97. Variable Ratio Write

  98. VIX Option

  99. Writing An Option

  100. Zero Cost Collar

  101. Zomma

Articles Of Interest

  1.

    The Basics Of The Bid-Ask Spread

    The bid-ask spread is essentially a negotiation in progress. To be successful, traders must be willing to take a stand and walk away in the bid-ask process through limit orders.

  2. Options Basics Tutorial

    Discover the world of options, from primary concepts to how options work and why you might use them.

  3. Vertical Bull and Bear Credit Spreads

    This trading strategy is an excellent limited-risk strategy that can be used with equity as well as commodity and futures options.

  4. Trading The QQQQ With In-The-Money Put Spreads

    Even beginners may use this strategy to trade a bullish outlook.

  5. What is an alligator spread?

    An alligator spread refers to a financial position (a unique combination of put and call options) that is unprofitable because of the high commission it generates. This phenomenon is called an ...

  6. Option Spread Strategies

    Learn why option spreads offer trading opportunities with limited risk and greater versatility.

  7. 6 Asset Allocation Strategies That Work

    Your portfolio's asset mix is a key factor in whether it's profitable. Find out how to get this delicate balance right.

  8. American Vs. European Options

    These two options have many similar characteristics, but it's the differences that are important.

  9. Pay Attention To The Proxy Statement

    Don't overlook this overview of a company's well-being.

  10. How Risk Free Is The Risk-Free Rate Of Return?

    This rate is rarely questioned - unless the economy falls into disarray.
comments powered by Disqus
Marketplace
Hot Definitions

  1. Racketeering

    Racketeering refers to criminal activity that is performed to benefit an organization such as a crime syndicate. Examples of racketeering activity include...

  2. Lawful Money

    Any form of currency issued by the United States Treasury and not the Federal Reserve System, including gold and silver coins, Treasury notes, and Treasury bonds. Lawful money stands in contrast to fiat money, to which the government assigns value although it has no intrinsic value of its own and is not backed by reserves.

  3. Fast Market Rule

    A rule in the United Kingdom that permits market makers to trade outside quoted ranges, when an exchange determines that market movements are so sharp that quotes cannot be kept current.

  4. Absorption Rate

    The rate at which available homes are sold in a specific real estate market during a given time period.

  5. Yellow Sheets

    A United States bulletin that provides updated bid and ask prices as well as other information on over-the-counter (OTC) corporate bonds...

  6. Bailment

    The contractual transfer of possession of assets or property for a specific objective.
Trading Center