In the 1990s, companies collected billions in premiums from peculiarly structured put options written on their own stock while almost all of these puts expired worthless. Buyers of these options, primarily �nancial intermediaries, lost money as a result. Although these losses might seem...

In the 1990s, companies collected billions in premiums from peculiarly structured put options written on their own stock while almost all of these puts expired worthless. Buyers of these options, primarily �nancial intermediaries, lost money as a result. Although these losses might seem...

Companies have collected billions in premiums from privately sold put options written on their own stock, yet almost all of these puts expired worthless and their owners lost money as a result. Although these losses seem puzzling, we model how by offering to buy put options from better informed...