Wheel strategy · $AKAM

Wheeling $AKAM covered calls & cash-secured puts

Akamai Technologies, Inc. last traded at $85.40 (Nov 13, 2026). The featured monthly expiry is Dec 18, 2026, 34 days out.

Price

$85.40

52-week $77.37 – $165.45

Volatility

57%

Implied, at the money

Expected move

±$14.82

±17.3% to Dec 18, 2026

Dividend yield

None

Trailing 12 months

Next earnings

Wk of Feb 15

01

The numbers that matter

What a wheel seller checks before opening a trade.

Volatility & expected move

Implied volatility of 57% implies a one-standard-deviation move of about ±$14.82 (17.3%) by Dec 18, 2026 — a range of roughly $70.58 to $100.22.

3-month historical volatility: 60%.

Dividends

$AKAM paid no dividend in the last 12 months.

Earnings

Next report expected: Wk of Feb 15

The next report is after the Dec 18, 2026 expiry — a ~30-day trade avoids it.

02

Sample trades at ~30 days

One contract at the listed strike closest to 30 delta (its actual delta is shown), computed with the YieldCove calculator’s maths.

Cash-secured put

Strike
$80.00
Delta (this strike)
0.32
Premium
$3.50
Cash secured
$8,000.00
Credit collected
$350.00
Return on capital
4.38% · 47.0% annualised
Breakeven
$76.50
Cushion to breakeven
10.4%
Chance of assignment
39%

Premium = last trade on Nov 13, 2026 (delayed; the live bid/ask can differ).

Open in the calculator

Covered call

Strike
$95.00
Delta (this strike)
0.30
Premium
$2.45
Share cost
$8,540.00
Credit collected
$245.00
Return on capital
2.87% · 30.8% annualised
If called away (this cycle)
14.11%
Breakeven
$82.95
Chance of being called
23%

Assumes 100 shares bought at today’s price. Premium = last trade on Nov 13, 2026 (delayed; the live bid/ask can differ).

Open in the calculator

03

How the wheel works on $AKAM

Sell a cash-secured put. At a $80.00 strike you would collect about $3.50 per share and need $8,000.00 set aside. If $AKAM stays above $80.00 until Dec 18, 2026, you keep the premium and can sell another put.

If assigned, you own 100 shares. Your effective cost is the strike minus the premium — $76.50 in the example above — not the strike itself.

Sell covered calls above your cost. A $95.00 call would pay about $2.45 per share; if $AKAM finishes above $95.00, the shares are called away and the cycle starts again.

$AKAM sits in the middle of the volatility range: premiums are meaningful and moves can be sharp. Position size matters more than strike selection here.

04

YieldCove research on $AKAM

Stance: HoldElevated riskReviewed Aug 17, 2026

Akamai: cloud growth meets a margin and leverage test

Akamai is turning its global edge network into a security and AI-cloud platform. The opportunity is credible, but the build-out is pressuring margins and free cash flow while convertible debt and execution risk rise.

Read the research

05

Common questions

What the numbers mean — and what they leave out.

What strike should I use to wheel $AKAM?
Many wheel sellers start near 30 delta, about 30 days out. With $AKAM at $85.40, that was roughly a $80.00 put and a $95.00 covered call for the Dec 18, 2026 expiry at the last refresh. Pick a put strike you would genuinely be happy to own the stock at.
How much money do I need to wheel $AKAM?
One cash-secured put reserves 100 × the strike: about $8,000.00 at a $80.00 strike. That cash stays locked until the put expires, is closed, or you are assigned.
Does $AKAM report earnings before the next monthly expiry?
No — the next report (Wk of Feb 15) is after the Dec 18, 2026 expiry.
Does $AKAM pay a dividend, and why does it matter for the wheel?
It paid no dividend in the last 12 months, so the income comes from option premium alone — and there is no ex-dividend early-assignment risk on covered calls.
Is wheeling $AKAM safe?
No options strategy is risk-free. The wheel’s main risk is owning 100 shares after a large drop: premium cushions a fall, it does not prevent one. This page is educational and not a recommendation to trade $AKAM.

06

Keep exploring

Track this wheel free

Log the put, the assignment and the calls in one place: YieldCove tracks premium, cost basis and annualised return across the whole cycle — free.

Track this wheel free

Data: delayed Yahoo Finance prices and option trades, Nasdaq/FMP earnings calendars and the YieldCove catalyst roadmap; refreshed every few hours. As of Nov 13, 2026.

Educational content only — not financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell $AKAM or any option. Options involve risk and are not suitable for every investor. Market data is delayed and may be incomplete. Full disclaimer

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