fbpx

What is Hedging?

Hedging

Share This...

Hedging

Hedging is an investment strategy used to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in an asset. It involves making an investment designed to offset potential losses that may be incurred by another investment. In essence, hedging is a form of insurance.

A simple example of hedging would be if you owned a stock (say, Company A), and you’re worried about potential short-term losses in your portfolio. You could buy a put option (a derivative that increases in value when its underlying asset decreases in value) on Company A shares. This put option would rise in value if the Company A shares fall, offsetting the loss in value of your direct investment.

In the context of companies, hedging can be used to protect against various risks, including:

  • Commodity price risks: A company that requires oil for its operations might hedge against rising oil prices by using futures contracts. These contracts would allow the company to buy oil in the future at a price set today.
  • interest rate risks: A company with significant debt might hedge against rising interest rates by swapping its variable rate interest for a fixed rate using an interest rate swap.
  • Currency exchange rate risks: A company that receives revenue in a foreign currency might hedge against the risk of the foreign currency falling relative to their domestic currency. This can be done using foreign exchange forwards, which allow the company to exchange the foreign currency revenue at a set rate in the future.

Hedging can help to manage risk, but it’s not free. The cost of the hedging instrument (like an options contract or futures contract) is a direct cost, and if the adverse price movement doesn’t occur, the cost of the hedge could exceed the benefits. Therefore, hedging strategies need to be carefully developed and managed.

Example of Hedging

Let’s say you are an investor who owns 1000 shares of Company A’s stock, which is currently trading at $50 per share. You believe in the company’s long-term prospects but are concerned about some short-term market volatility that could negatively impact the stock price over the next few months.

To protect your investment from a potential decline in the stock price, you decide to buy put options on Company A’s stock. A put option gives you the right to sell a stock at a specific price, called the strike price, before a specific date.

Let’s say you buy put options with a strike price of $45 that expire in three months. The cost (also known as the premium) of these options is $3 per share.

Here’s what happens:

  • If Company A’s stock price falls to $40, you can exercise your put options to sell the stock for $45 per share, even though it’s currently trading at $40. This limits your downside to the cost of the options ($3 per share) and the $5 drop in share price instead of a full $10 drop.
  • If Company A’s stock price stays the same or rises, you lose the premium paid for the put options ($3 per share), but your stock is worth at least what you paid for it, and you still own the shares, which you believe will be worth more in the long term.

This example simplifies a lot of details but should give you a sense of how investors can use hedging to protect against potential losses. Keep in mind that while hedging can limit losses, it also can limit gains and costs money upfront. It’s important to carefully consider these factors before deciding to hedge an investment.

Other Posts You'll Like...

Want to Pass as Fast as Possible?

(and avoid failing sections?)

Watch one of our free "Study Hacks" trainings for a free walkthrough of the SuperfastCPA study methods that have helped so many candidates pass their sections faster and avoid failing scores...