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optionsxpress Australia Pty Limited Exchange Traded Options - PDF
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1 Part 1 Incorporating Part 2 - Schedule of Fees and Costs Issued by: ABN: Australian Financial Services Licence No Address: Unit 5, 4 Skyline Place Frenchs Forest NSW 2086 Phone: Fax: (+61) Date of Issue: Page 1 of 11
2 CONTENTS Definitions.. 3 Part 1-4 Purpose of this PDS 4 How to Contact Us 4 Updating of Information.4 PDS in Two Parts. 4 What Products does this PDS Cover. 4 Introduction to ETO s. 4 What You must so before You can trade ETOs with Us... 5 Key Features of ETO s. 5 Deliverable or Cash Settled.. 5 Standardised Contracts. 5 Adjustments.. 6 Premium No Dividends or Entitlements. 6 Execution of Your ETO Orders 6 Opening an Option Position 6 Closing out of Option Contracts. 6 Expiry. 6 Exercise. 6 Automatic Exercise.. 7 Settlement. 7 Benefits of Trading Options 7 Risks of Trading Options 7 Foreign Currency Risk. 8 Other Foreign Transaction Risks... 8 Costs and amounts payable that arise from ETO trading.. 8 Costs.. 8 Margins.. 8 US Options Margin Requirements. 9 Other Significant Characteristics of ETO s 9 Trading and Clearing Options. 9 Client Trust Accounts and Collateral. 9 National Guarantee Fund... 9 Significant Taxation Implications 9 How do I place an Order or change my personal details 9 Privacy 9 Complaints or Suggestions. 9 Part 2 - Schedule of Fees and Costs 10 Fees and costs Associated with trading ETO s 10 Brokerage. 10 Government Taxes. 11 Remuneration.11 Relationships or Associations.11 Professional Indemnity Insurance..11 Page 2 of 11
3 Definitions Clearing House (or Clearer) An agency associated with an exchange, which settles stock or derivative trades and regulates delivery. Combination Order A trading position involving out-of-the-money puts and calls on a one-to-one basis. The puts and calls have different strike prices, but the same expiration and underlying stock. A long combination is when both options are owned, and a short combination is when both options are written. Example: a long combination might be buying 1 XYZ May 60 call, and buying 1 XYZ May 55 put. Covered Calls/Buy Writes An option strategy in which a call option is written against an equivalent amount of long stock. Example: writing 2 XYZ May 60 calls while owning 200 shares or more of XYZ stock. A Buy Write is a Covered Call where the Call Option is written simultaneously with the long stock position entry. Derivative A financial instrument whose characteristics and value depend upon the characteristics and value of an underlying instrument, typically a commodity, bond, equity or currency. Examples of derivatives include futures and options. European Style Exercise Options A type of option that allows the holder to exercise only on the expiry date. Exchange Any organization, association or group that provides or maintains a marketplace where securities, options, futures, or commodities can be traded; or the marketplace itself. Exchange Traded Option An Option that is bought and sold on an Exchange. Forward Contract An agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset (which can be of any kind) at a pre-agreed future point in time. Therefore, the trade date and delivery date are separated Low Exercise Price Option (LEPO) European Style Exercise Options traded over an options Exchange, with a relatively low strike price. Since the strike price is so low, the LEPO's owner is extremely likely to exercise it, and it is roughly equivalent to a Forward Contract with a low price. Market Makers An Exchange member on the trading floor who buys and sells options for his or her own account and who has the responsibility of making bids and offers and maintaining a fair and orderly market. Option A contract between two parties, giving the taker (buyer), the right, but not the obligation, to buy (for a call option) or sell (for a put option) a specific amount of an underlying asset (for example, a given stock, commodity, currency, index, or debt), at a specified price (the strike price) during a specified period of time. Pay-Off Diagram A chart of the profits and losses for a particular options strategy prepared in advance of the execution of the strategy. The diagram is plot of expected profit or loss against the price of the underlying security. Penny Stocks A stock which sells for less than one dollar per share (or in some cases, less than five dollars per share). Most penny stocks have only a few million dollars in net tangible assets and have a short operating history. Penny stocks are almost always small cap stocks, but the reverse isn't necessarily true. Spreads The purchase of one option and the simultaneous sale of a related option, such as two options of the same class but with different strike prices and/or expiration dates. Straddles The purchase or sale of an equal number of puts and calls, with the same strike price and expiration dates. A straddle provides the opportunity to profit from a prediction about the future volatility of the market. Long straddles are used to profit from high volatility. Long straddles can be effective when an investor is confident that a stock price will change dramatically, but cannot predict the direction of the move. Short straddles represent the opposite prediction, that a stock price will not change. Terms and Conditions The specific details of the optionsxpress user/customer agreement that must be entered into to enable a client to trade with optionsxpress. Trading Account An Account held with a stockbroker that enables a client of that stockbroker to accept and make payments in the course of entering and exiting various trades. Trading Statement A list detailing transactions undertaken through a client s Trading Account over a period of time. Volatility A measure of the amount of fluctuation in the price of an underlying security. Page 3 of 11
4 Part 1 - Purpose of this This (PDS) has been prepared by ( optionsxpress, Us, We ) as the issuer of (ETOs). This PDS is designed to assist an Investor ( You, "Your") to decide whether the ETO products described in this PDS are appropriate for Your needs. It outlines important information You should consider before investing in ETOs, including: Significant characteristics Benefits Risks Costs Our fees This PDS is an important document and We recommend You contact Us should You have any questions arising from it - prior to entering into any transactions with Us. How to contact Us Unit 5, 4 Skyline Place Frenchs Forest NSW 2086 Website: Phone: Facsimile: (+61) The information contained in this PDS is general information only, it does not take into account the personal objectives, financial situation or needs of any individual. Before trading in the ETOs referred to in this PDS, You should read this PDS and be satisfied that such trading is suitable for You after consideration of Your circumstances. We recommend that You consult Your investment advisor or obtain other independent advice before trading in ETOs. Updating of Information The information contained in this PDS may be updated from time to time where the updated information is not considered adverse from an investors point of view. optionsxpress may provide this updated information on its website A printed copy of the updated information can be obtained by contacting optionsxpress. optionsxpress may be required to issue a supplementary PDS as a result of certain changes, eg where the updated information is considered adverse from the investors point of view in deciding whether or not to open an account with optionsxpress and/or trade in exchange traded options. PDS in two parts This PDS is in two parts. Part 1 contains all information other than the Schedule of Fees and Costs, which is contained in Part 2. What products does this PDS cover? This is a PDS for ETOs traded on the United States Stock Exchanges including Chicago Board Options Exchange Incorporated, NYSE Euronext., NASDAQ Stock Exchange, Inc, Boston Options Exchange and International Securities Exchange, Inc. It deals with exchange traded equity options and index options but not Low Exercise Price Options. Exchange traded equity options are options over quoted shares (or other securities) of a range of different companies listed on the US Exchanges mentioned above. Exchange traded index options are options over an index such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index. A list of companies and indices over which ETOs are traded can be found on Our website Introduction to ETOs Options are a type of Derivative product. The price of the option is Derived from the price of the underlying share or index. This PDS provides an overview of the operation of options trading, however for more detailed information on the types of options, contract sizes, risks and how trading in these operates, You must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options which is published jointly by American Stock Exchange, Inc., Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated, New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Pacific Stock Exchange Incorporated and Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc. and can be downloaded from ETOs are versatile financial products that can enable investors to: manage risk by hedging against price movements in their underlying share portfolio; increase the income earned from their portfolio; profit from speculation; benefit from the leverage provided by options trading (however with greater leverage, generally comes more risk). The use of ETOs within an investor's overall investment strategy can provide great flexibility to take advantage of rising, falling and sideways markets. However, both the purchase and sale of ETOs involves risks that are discussed in detail below. Specific concepts which should be practically understood before engaging in an options strategy are: The effect time has on any one position/strategy; How volatility changes, both up and down, may change Your Pay-Off Diagram for a position; How to calculate margins and worst-case scenarios for any position; The likelihood of early exercise and the most probable timing of such an event; The effect of dividends and capital reconstructions on an options position; Liquidity of an options series, the role of Market Makers, and the effect this may have on Your ability to exit a position. Page 4 of 11
5 When buying an ETO, the initial outlay of capital may be small relative to the total contract value so that transactions are "leveraged" or "geared". You should understand the nature and extent of Your rights, obligations and risks associated with trading ETOs when entering into transactions. When selling an ETO, the initial income may seem attractive but the downside may be unlimited. Risk minimisation strategies should be employed to mitigate losses when a position does not move in a favourable manner. What You must do before You can trade ETOs with Us Prior to trading ETOs with Us, You are required to do the following: Read and understand the US Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options explanatory booklet; Read this PDS which explains Our services and the types of ETO products that We can arrange for You to be issued with; Open a Trading Account with Us by completing Our Account Opening Form available from Our website. Importantly, whilst this PDS provides an overview on ETOs, including information about their key features, risks and benefits, You must inform Yourself - and where necessary seek advice - about the specific features, risks and benefits of the ETOs that You intend to trade, as well as the relevant Exchange rules. Key Features of ETOs ETOs may be American or European style exercise. Most options are American style, which means they are tradeable and can be exercised at any time prior to the expiry day. European options which include index options, can only be exercised on the expiry day. An exchange traded equity option is a contract between two parties which gives the buyer (the taker) the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the shares underlying the option at a specified price (exercise price) on, or before a predetermined date. An exchange traded index option is a contract between two parties which gives the buyer (the taker) the right, but not the obligation, to require cash settlement for the value of the option position over a specified price (exercise price) on a predetermined date. To acquire either of these rights, the taker pays a premium (price of the option) to the writer (seller) of the contract. The premium is not a standardised feature of the ETO contract and is established between the taker and writer at the time of the trade. The taker will always pay the writer the premium to enter into the option contract. The writer receives and keeps the premium but has the obligation to buy from or deliver to the taker the underlying shares / cash settle the index option position at the exercise price if the taker exercises the option. ETO sellers are referred to as writers because they underwrite (or willingly accept) the obligation to deliver or accept the shares / cash equivalent delivery obligation of the option. Similarly, buyers are referred to as takers of an ETO as they take up the right to buy or sell a parcel of shares / cash equivalent delivery obligation of the option. Every ETO contract has both a taker and a writer. There are two types of ETOs, namely call options and put options. Call options give the taker the right, but not the obligation, to buy a standard quantity of underlying shares at a predetermined price on or before a predetermined date. If the taker exercises its right to buy, the seller (writer) is required to sell the standard quantity of shares at the predetermined exercise price. Put options give the taker the right, but not the obligation to sell a standard quantity of underlying shares at a predetermined price on or before a predetermined date. If the taker exercises its right to sell, the seller (writer) is required to buy the standard quantity of shares at the predetermined exercise price. All option positions consist of one or more of either a bought call, a sold call, a bought put, or a sold put. A long (or bought) option position is created by the purchase of a call or put. A short (or sold) position is created by the sale of a call or put. By combining two or more of these basic positions, an investor can create a trading strategy that meets a range of investment objectives, including the protection of an existing portfolio of shares. Deliverable or cash settled ETOs are either deliverable or cash settled. Most exchange traded equity options are deliverable, that is with physical delivery of the underlying security, whilst index options are cash settled. Cash settlement occurs in accordance with the rules of the Clearing House against the Opening Index Price Calculation (OPIC) as calculated on the expiry date. Standardised Contracts ETOs are created by the exchange on which the underlying equity or index is listed. The relevant Exchange determines the key contract specifications for each series of ETOs listed, including: the underlying security or underlying index; 1 option contract in the US usually represents 100 underlying shares; the exercise price (or strike price), being the specified price at which the taker (buyer) of an equity option can buy or sell the underlying shares. The Exchanges set the range of exercise prices at specific intervals according to the value of the underlying shares. It is important to note that the exercise price of an equity option may change during the life of an option if the underlying share is subject to a bonus or rights issue or other form of capital reconstruction. The number of underlying shares may also be subject to an adjustment; and the expiry date ETOs have a limited pre-determined life span and generally follow a three month cycle. For example, a stock may have ETOs that expire in March, another series in June, another in September and a final one in December. For details of expiry dates for a particular stock, please refer to the optionsxpress website. For more information in respect of the contracts traded on the US Exchanges, please refer to their respective websites: Chicago Board Options Exchange Boston Options Exchange Page 5 of 11
6 International Securities Exchange NASDAQ Stock Exchange NYSE Euronext Adjustments The relevant Exchange may, in accordance with its operating rules, make an adjustment to one or more of the option specifications if the listed entity over which the option relates announces a corporate event that will result in some form of capital reconstruction of the underlying security. If the Exchange does make an adjustment it will endeavour to preserve the open positions of takers and writers at the time of the adjustment as best as possible. In the US, the determination of whether to adjust outstanding US Options in response to a particular event, and if so, what the adjustment should be, is made by a majority vote of an Adjustment Panel. The panel consists of two representatives of the US Options Market on which the series is traded and one representative of the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), the US options markets clearing agent. Every determination by an Adjustment Panel is at its own discretion and is binding on all investors. As a general rule, adjustments are not made for tender offers or exchange offers, or to reflect a change in the capital structure of the issuer where all of the underlying securities outstanding in the hands of the public (other than dissenter s shares) are not changed into another security or cash. Premium The premium (price of the option) is not a standardised feature. It is determined by market forces and is negotiated between the buyer and seller of the ETO through the market. The premium for an equity option is quoted on a cents per share basis so the dollar value payment is calculated by multiplying the premium amount by the number of underlying shares (usually either 100 or 1000). Index Option premiums are quoted in points, where the full premium payable is calculated as the premium in points multiplied by the index multiplier (e.g., $10 per point). The option premium will fluctuate during the option s life depending on a range of factors including the exercise price, the price of the underlying securities or the level of the index, the volatility of the underlying securities or the underlying index, the time remaining to the expiry date, interest rates, dividends and general risks applicable to markets. US ETOs are quoted in US Dollars. Most option pricing involves the use of a mathematical formula which includes calculating the intrinsic and time value of the particular option. You should refer to the section entitled Options Nomenclature" in the US booklet Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options for more information regarding the fundamentals of pricing options. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Incorporated (CBOE) provides a pricing calculator on its website No Dividends or Entitlements ETOs do not entitle investors to dividends or other entitlements paid by the issuer of the underlying securities, unless the investor exercises the option to become the holder of the underlying securities at or before the relevant date for dividend or entitlement purposes. Execution of Your ETO orders ETO orders may be placed by You electronically, via logging on to Our website ( Orders will be subject to vetting in respect of the appropriate Exchange s rules, and will be placed into the relevant market as received. Opening an option position The establishment of a contract is referred to as opening a position. Once the taker of an ETO has an open position they have three alternatives: 1. The taker can exercise the option; 2. The taker can hold the option to expiry and allow it to lapse; or 3. The taker can close out their position by writing (selling) an option in the same series as originally taken and instructing their broker to close out the earlier open position. The writer of an ETO has two alternatives: 1. Let the option go to expiry and risk being exercised against (if it is not exercised against, it will expire without any further obligation or liability on the writer); or 2. Close out the option by taking (buying) an option in the same series as originally written (provided it has not been exercised against). Closing out of option contracts An ETO position may be closed out by placing an order equal and opposite in effect to Your original order this effectively cancels out the open position. An investor would close out an option contract: when there is a risk of unwanted early exercise (except for an index option as they can only be exercised on expiry day); to take a profit; or to limit a loss. It is important that You advise Us if You are seeking to close out an existing position when placing an order. Closing out can be achieved without reference to the original party to the trade because of the process of novation. Under this process, the relevant Clearer is able to substitute a new buyer as the contract party when an existing buyer sells to close their position. The process of novation is discussed in more detail below in the section entitled Trading and Clearing Options. Expiry ETOs have a limited life span and every option within the same series, which has not already been exercised, will expire on the expiry day. The expiry day is a standard day set by the relevant Exchange. Expiry for US options vary and You should Refer to Our website for details in respect of this. Exercise Option takers make the decision to exercise the option contract. This means that an equity option writer may be exercised against at any time prior to expiry. The relevant Clearing House will randomly allocate a writer for every exercised taken position. This Page 6 of 11
7 means that if the taker wants to exercise the options and either buy or sell (depending on whether it is a call or a put) at the predetermined price then a writer of that option is randomly allocated the option exercised against them. The writer must then sell the shares at a predetermined price for a call or buy the shares at the predetermined price for a put. The taker of an option will generally only exercise for a profit and therefore the exercise may result in a loss to the writer of the option, depending on their initial costs. Once a writer has been allocated, the writer loses the opportunity to close their position and must effect the delivery or cash settlement obligations for the particular equity option contract. The latest time optionsxpress will accept an exercise instruction in order for it to be exercised that day is 4.00pm New York time for US options. We cannot however, guarantee that instructions received at or near this latest time will actually be acted on due to unforeseen delays in processing (including computer system or telecommunications delays), and strongly recommend that such instructions be given early. Automatic Exercise All expiring equity options closing in-the-money at.01 or more will be eligible for automatic exercise per the contract terms of standardized options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation's (OCC). Index options will be exercised automatically if they are in-the-money by any amount. You may be required to request exercise of valuable options: You should note that long equity options that are in-the-money less than.05, or out-of-the money, are not automatically exercised. These option may be exercised, however you must specifically request exercise of these options by 4:30 pm ET on the last day of trading before expiration. Settlement Payment for, and the delivery of underlying securities, on exercise of an open ETO contract occurs in the US on T+3, where T is the date the trade occurred. For cash settled index options, a cash settlement amount calculated having regard to the opening price index calculation on expiry day, is paid to exercising takers on the day following the expiry date. The level used for settling index options is determined by a special formula. If You intend investing in index options You should take the time to understand these arrangements. For more information on settlement of index options see the Features of Index Options section in Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. We require that You settle any shortfall at T+1 (that is within 24 hours from the time the trade occurred) for all cash positions which arise from premiums, interest, and other cash financial transactions. You are required to pay the shortfall in any margin amounts that We call from You by depositing cash into Your Trading Account within 24 hours of being advised of the margin amount by Us. Benefits of Trading Options ETOs have a number of advantages that include: Risk management where investors can hedge (protect) their share portfolio from a drop in value. Put options allow investors holding shares to hedge against a fall in the share price; Shareholders can earn income by writing call options over shares they already hold. As a writer of options, the investor will receive the premium amount up front. The risk is that the writer may be exercised against and be required to deliver their shares to the taker at the exercise price. By taking a call option, the purchase price for the underlying shares is locked in. This gives the call option holder time to decide whether or not to exercise the option and buy the shares. The holder has until the expiry date to make their decision. Likewise the taker of a put option has time to decide whether or not to sell the shares; ETOs benefit from standardisation and registration with a clearing and settlement facility which reduces counterparty default risk. This process provides the benefit that the client s position can be closed out without reference to the original counterparty and the client s risk to that counterparty is transferred to the options Clearing House; Speculation, where the flexibility of entering and exiting the market prior to expiry permits an investor to take a view on market movements and trade accordingly. In addition the variety of option combinations allows investors to develop strategies regardless of the direction of the market; Options do not require a rising market to make money, rather investors can profit from both rising and falling markets depending on the strategy they have employed. Strategies may be complex and strategies will have different levels of risk associated with each strategy; The initial outlay for an options contract is not as much as investing directly in the underlying shares. Trading in options can allow investors to benefit from a change in the price of the share without having to pay the full price of the share. An investor can therefore purchase an option (representing a larger number of underlying shares) for less outlay and still benefit from a price movement in the underlying shares. The ability to make a higher return for a smaller initial outlay is called leverage. Investors however, need to understand that leverage can also produce increased risks; and Given the lower initial outlay attaching to options, investors can diversify their portfolios and gain a broad market exposure over a range of securities or the index itself. Risks of Trading Options The risk of loss in trading in ETOs can be substantial. It is important that You carefully consider whether trading ETOs is appropriate for You. You should only trade ETOs if You understand the nature of the products and the extent of Your exposure to risks. The risks attached to investing in ETOs will vary in degree depending on the option traded. This PDS does not cover every aspect of risk associated with ETOs. For further information concerning risks associated with ETO trading You are referred to the US booklet Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options entitled Principal Risks of Options Positions. ETOs are not suitable for all retail investors. For example investors who have a low risk tolerance should not enter into ETO trades which have the potential for unlimited losses. When deciding whether or not You should trade ETO contracts, You should be aware of the following matters relating to risk: The high level of leverage that is obtainable in trading ETOs (due to the low level of initial capital outlay) can work against the investor as well as for the investor. Depending on the market movement, the use of leverage may lead to large losses as well as large gains; ETOs have a limited life span as their value erodes as the option reaches its expiry date. It is therefore important to ensure that the option selected meets the investor s investment objectives; ETOs are subject to movements in the underlying market. Options may fall in price or become worthless at or before expiry; Page 7 of 11
8 ETO s can be subject to relatively large, rapid price movements. This price variation, or volatility, can make entering or exiting a position more difficult than would otherwise be experienced with the underlying security. The maximum loss in taking (buying) an ETO is the amount of premium paid. If the option expires worthless, the taker will lose the total value paid for the option (the premium) plus transaction costs; Whilst writers (sellers) of ETOs earn premium income, they may also incur unlimited losses if the market moves against the option position. The premium received by the writer is a fixed amount; however the writer may incur losses greater than that amount. For example, the writer of a call option has increased risk where the market rises and the writer does not own the underlying shares. If the option is exercised, the writer of the option is forced to buy the underlying shares at the current (higher) market price in order to deliver them to the taker at the exercise price. Similarly where the market falls, the writer of a put option that is exercised is forced to buy the underlying shares from the taker at a price above the current market price; Writers of options could sustain a total loss of margin funds deposited with Us. In addition, the writer may be obligated to deposit additional margin funds (which may be substantial) to maintain the option position or upon settlement of the contract. Margining is discussed below; Under certain conditions, the investor could face liquidity risk, where it could become difficult or impossible to close out a position. For example, this can happen where there is a significant change in price over a short time period - if You want to close Your position, there may not be sufficient buying support to allow You to sell out of Your position. The US Exchanges, and their respective Clearing Houses, have discretionary powers in relation to the market. They have the power to suspend market operation, or lift market suspension in options while the underlying securities are in trading halt if the circumstances are appropriate, restrict exercise, terminate an option position or substitute another underlying security (or securities), impose position limits or exercise limits or terminate contracts - all to ensure fair and orderly markets are maintained as far as practicable. These actions can affect an investor s option positions; The placing of risk minimisation orders may not always limit an investor s losses to the amounts that are expected. Market conditions may make it impossible for Us to execute the risk minimisation orders. Strategies using combinations such as spreads or straddles may be as risky as taking a simple long or short position; Trades effected may be subject to dispute. When a trade is subject to a dispute the relevant Exchange has powers, in accordance with its rules, to request that We amend or cancel a trade, which will in turn result in the contract with the client being amended or cancelled; Trades effected with optionsxpress are traded on an electronic trading platform. As with all such electronic platforms and systems, they are subject to failure or temporary disruption. If the system fails or is interrupted We will have difficulties in executing all or part of Your order according to Your instructions. An investor s ability to recover certain losses in these circumstances will be limited given the limits of liability imposed by US Exchanges and their relevant Clearing Houses. Orders placed with Us are subject to regulatory review against rules determined by the Exchanges. We may amend or cancel an order as required if the order that has been placed fails this review. For more information in respect of Our obligations and their impact on Your orders, please refer to Section 21 of the optionsxpress account Terms & Conditions. Foreign Currency Risk An additional risk associated with trading in United States Options is foreign currency risk. US Options are denominated in US Dollars, not Australian Dollars. Therefore, there are risks associated with the exchange rates applicable to positions held in US Dollars moving adversely against the Australian Dollar. If the value of the Australian Dollar rises, the value of any US balances will correspondingly fall and the reverse applies should the Australian Dollar fall in value. Other Foreign Transaction Risks In addition to the currency risk associated with trading on foreign exchanges, the following also apply: Dealings on foreign exchanges are subject to foreign laws; Australian regulators have no jurisdiction over the operations of the foreign market; Protections available under the Corporations Act 2001 will not be available; and Settlement procedures may be different to those in Australia. Costs and Amounts Payable that Arise from ETO Trading Costs Part 2 of this PDS contains information on the commission, brokerage and fees attaching to the ETOs We issue. Margins Margins are generally a feature of all exchange traded derivative products and are designed to protect the financial security of the market. A margin is the amount of cash required to be deposited with Us by an option writer as collateral for the writer s obligation to buy or sell the underlying interest, or in the case of index options, to pay the cash settlement amount, if assigned an exercise. In the US, minimum margin requirements are imposed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the options market and other self-regulatory bodies. Margins are calculated to cover the risk of financial loss on an options contract due to an adverse market movement. This means that if the price of Your options moves against You, You will be asked to pay a margin which reflects that adverse movement. We may call more margin from You, compared to the amount that it is obligated to be paid according to the respective Exchange rules. We do this as a risk management tool. The amount which We may call is unlimited. If the amount We call is not provided in accordance with Our call, We can close Your trading position and if any shortfall exists, will be entitled to recover this amount from You. Margin amounts may not be capped as for some positions, risk is unlimited. Margin must be paid in cash by You into Your Trading Account within 24 hours of You being advised of the margin call by Us. Any interest levied on late settlement and margin payments is due and receivable at the time the amount is levied and certainly within 1 business day of a demand being made by Us. Page 8 of 11
9 US Options Margin Requirements To cover an option writer s obligation under a contract, the option writer is obligated to lodge collateral either in cash or securities with the brokerage firm optionsxpress, Inc. As mentioned above, the minimum margin requirement is calculated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the options market and other self-regulatory bodies and may change over time for a particular contract. For details in relation to US margin requirements, please refer to the individual exchange s websites for example or Other Significant Characteristics of ETOs Trading and Clearing Options ETOs are traded via the optionsxpress trading platform, through the relevant Exchanges, and cleared by the US Clearing House. The Clearing Houses stand between the buying and selling brokers and guarantee the performance to each of them. This process is known as novation. Importantly the Clearing House does not have an obligation to You, the underlying client. Client Trust Accounts and Collateral In order for Us to trade an ETO contract for You, We require You to provide Us with money or collateral to enable Us to manage the risks associated with Our dealings for You in ETOs. Client money and collateral paid or given by You in connection with Our dealing in ETOs must be held by Us in trust in accordance with the Corporations Act and the Exchange rules. Money is held in trust for You in a trust account, however, this does not apply to money paid to reimburse Us for payments We may have had to make to the Clearing House (generally margin calls) in respect of dealings for You. The Corporations Act provides that money held in the trust account can be used for specific purposes such as meeting margin obligations, guaranteeing, securing, transferring, adjusting or settling dealings in derivatives. This money is only used for these purposes and no authorisation from You is required for Us to do so. National Guarantee Fund The National Guarantee Fund (NGF) provides investors with the following protection: 1. If a stock option is exercised, the NGF guarantees completion of the resulting trades in certain circumstances; and 2. If You have entrusted property to Us in the course of dealing in options, and We later become insolvent, You may claim on the NGF, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of the NGF, for any property which has not been returned to You or has not otherwise been dealt with in accordance with Our obligations to You. There are limits on claims to the NGF for property entrusted. For more information on the possible protections offered by the NGF see Significant Taxation Implications It is important to note that Your tax position when trading ETOs will depend on Your individual circumstances and You should consult Your own taxation adviser before making any decisions to trade in ETOs. The taxation consequences of trading in ETOs are complex and will depend on Your individual circumstances. It is therefore important that You ascertain whether You are a trader, a speculator or a hedger as the tax treatments for each may differ. We are not taxation advisers and recommend that You discuss any taxation issues with Your tax adviser before entering or disposing of an ETO. How do I place an order or change my personal details? You can provide Your transaction instruction details to Us via Our website. The Terms and Conditions governing the operation of Your account are maintained on Our website. If You need additional information about Our services, please do not hesitate to contact Us at: Unit 5, 4 Skyline Place Frenchs Forest NSW 2086 Telephone: Fax: (+61) Privacy We are committed to addressing the privacy concerns of Our clients. This has led to Us to develop a privacy policy to inform clients about how We endeavour to keep their information secure and in what manner We use their personal information. We are bound by the National Privacy Principles that form part of the Privacy Act, This determines the ways in which We must treat personal information. A copy of Our privacy policy is available on Our website. If you would like further information regarding this policy, please contact Us by at or write to Us at the address shown above. Complaints or Suggestions We have procedures in place to ensure that complaints are fully considered and properly dealt with. If you have a difficulty or are not satisfied with our services, You are entitled to complain. Please take the following steps to make a complaint or suggestion: 1. If at the first point of contact Your problem is not resolved to Your satisfaction, please contact our Customer Service Manager: Post: Customer Service Manager Unit 5, 4 Skyline Place Page 9 of 11
10 Frenchs Forest NSW Facsimile: (+61) Please be aware that we will do everything within reason to address and resolve Your concerns. If you are not satisfied with a response received from our Customer Service Manager within 14 days, You are entitled to refer the matter to an external, independent complaint handling body. We are a member of the Financial Ombudsman Service Limited ( FOS ). FOS can be contacted at: Post: GPO Box 3 Melbourne VIC 3001 Telephone: Facsimile: (+61) Website: Part 2 Schedule of Fees and Costs This PDS comprises Two Parts. This is Part 2 of the optionsxpress' PDS and should be read in conjunction with Part 1 of the PDS 11 August 2009 which describes the ETO products traded by optionsxpress. Part 2 shows the fees and other costs that You may be charged. Fees and Costs associated with Trading ETOs Brokerage optionsxpress is remunerated directly through the commission and fees we charge you. The following table outlines the maximum amount for commissions and fees we may charge you for trading U.S. exchange traded options. Special rates may apply to customers of related companies. We charge Our brokerage fees on the purchase and sale of executed ETO transactions made through Your Trading Account. Our brokerage fees cover various expenses We incur to deliver the services shown below as well as a profit component. The table below sets out Our standard brokerage rates. The exact cost of Your transaction will be disclosed on Your Trading Statement. Some of the following fees may be tax deductible depending on Your individual circumstances. We recommend that You consult Your own professional tax adviser about this. Fees are charged to and deducted from Your Trading Account at the time of the relevant transaction. If there are insufficient funds in Your Trading Account to meet Your fee obligation, the transaction may be refused. The brokerage and other fees charged by Us are subject to change upon Us providing You with 30 days notice. STANDARD BROKERAGE RATES US TRADING (All prices in $US and inclusive of GST) Options $1.50 per contract, subject to a $14.95 minimum per trade Stocks $14.95 total for 1-1,000 shares. $0.015 per share for 1,001 shares and above. Penny Stocks Brokerage on Penny Stocks will be capped at 5% of total purchase price, subject to a $14.95 minimum per trade. Penny Options Buy to Close Spreads/ Straddles/ Combination Orders Covered Calls/Buy Writes Exercise or Assignment Bonds $0.50 per contract, subject to a $4.95 minimum per trade $14.95 minimum per order up to 4 legs with a maximum of 10 contracts. Each leg of the combination represents a trade, consequently, the standard brokerage rates above apply, subject to a $29.90 minimum per order. $8.95 per exercise/assignment $5.00 per bond subject to a $14.95 minimum Partial Fills If an order is partially filled one day and the balance of the order is filled on another day, two separate commissions will be charged. Page 10 of 11
11 # To qualify for the frequent trader rate, customers must complete and maintain a minimum of 35 equity and/or option trades per quarter. Customers must request that the rate be applied, as it will not be applied automatically. INTEREST CHARGED ON MARGIN BALANCES Interest $0 - $49, % charged on $50,000 - $99, % Margin $100,000 - $249, % Balances $250,000 - $499, % $500,000 - $999, % Over $1,000, % * Broker call is a variable rate that is published daily in the Wall St Journal and Investors Business Daily. Government Taxes Australian GST will be charged on all brokerage and fees at the rate of 10%. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also levies a charge on the sales of equity transactions. This fee is listed on Your official Trading Statement if applicable. For more information about SEC fees please read: We will deduct these charges from the proceeds of a sale or add applicable government charges to the purchase price of an order You make. Remuneration Our staff do not provide personal financial product advice. They are entitled to receive an annual salary and may in some cases receive performance based bonuses. Relationships or Associations optionsxpress is a related company of The Hubb Organisation Pty Ltd, Hubb (Australia) Pty Ltd and Optionetics Pty Ltd under the common ownership of optionsxpress Holdings, Inc, which is owned by The Charles Schwab Corporation. optionsxpress Australia Pty Ltd. and their officers, employees, independent contractors, and owners may receive compensation in connection with marketing efforts and offers. optionsxpress may refer you to or provide you with financial products or services of related companies. Professional Indemnity Insurance optionsxpress has professional indemnity insurance in place which complies with the requirements of S912B of the Corporations Act. This insurance provides cover to you even when a representative ceases to be employed or act on our behalf. You may find further information about Our other products and services through Our website Page 11 of 11