The value of embedded real options: Evidence from consumer automobile lease contracts--A note

Giaccotto et al. [2007. Journal of Finance 62, 411-445] provide a simple model for pricing the cancellation and the purchase options typically embedded in automobile lease contracts, assuming constant interest rates. They show that the cancellation option is worthless because of a penalty applied if the lease is terminated before maturity. We extend their results by developing a model with stochastic interest rates, and show that the cancellation option has a significant value also in presence of the penalty. We provide sufficient conditions to make the cancellation option worthless in our more general framework.