In finance, a collar is an option strategy that limits the range of possible positive or negative returns on an underlying to a specific range. A collar strategy is used as one of the ways to hedge against possible losses and it represents long put options financed with short call options. The collar combines the strategies of the protective put and the covered call. Equity collar Structure A collar is created by: buying the underlying asset buying a put option at strike price, X (called the floor) selling a call option at strike price, X + a (called the cap). These latter two are a short risk reversal position. So: Underlying − risk reversal = Collar The premium income from selling the call reduces the cost of purchasing the put. The amount saved depends on the strike price of the two options. Most commonly, the two strikes are roughly equal distances from the current price. For example, an investor would insure against loss more than 20% in return for giving up gain more than 20%. In this case the cost of the two options should be roughly equal. In case the premiums are exactly equal, this may be called a zero-cost collar; the return is the same as if no collar was applied, provided that the ending price is between the two strikes. On expiry the value (but not the profit) of the collar will be: X if the price of the underlying is below X the value of the underlying if the underlying is between X and X + a, inclusive X + a, if the underlying is above X + a. Example Consider an investor who owns 100 shares of a stock with a current share price of $5. An investor could construct a collar by buying one put with a strike price of $3 and selling one call with a strike price of $7. The collar would ensure that the gain on the portfolio will be no higher than $2 and the loss will be no worse than $2 (before deducting the net cost of the put option; i.e., the cost of the put option less what is received for selling the call option). There are three possible scenarios when the options expire: If the stock price is above the $7 strike price on the call he wrote, the person who bought the call from the investor