Annualized Return Filter: Compare Trades Across Expirations
Annualized Return normalizes premium yield across DTEs so a 7-day trade and a 45-day trade are directly comparable. Filter by your hurdle rate.
What it measures
Raw yield is misleading because a 1% return earned in 7 days is dramatically better than 1% earned in 45 days. The screener annualizes for you:
Annualized Return = Yield × (365 ÷ DTE)
So a 1% yield at 7 DTE annualizes to ~52%. The same 1% at 45 DTE annualizes to ~8%.
Where to find it
The Annualized Return filter is in the sidebar of both screeners with an exponential slider from 0% to 100%+.
Recommended hurdles
| Posture | Min annualized | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| T-bill replacement | 8% | Beat short-term Treasuries |
| Index-beating | 12% | Beat S&P long-term |
| Income hunting | 25% | Active wheel returns |
| Aggressive | 50%+ | Usually weeklies / high IV |
Set your floor to your minimum acceptable hurdle and stop wasting time on contracts that pay less.
A worked example
You want anything that beats 25% annualized for your active capital:
- Open the Put screener.
- Set Annualized Return ≥ 25%.
- Apply the Earnings Safe preset for safety.
- Sort by Annualized Return descending.
You'll see only contracts that comfortably beat your hurdle rate.
Annualized return vs raw yield — when to use which
- Raw yield is useful when comparing contracts at the same DTE.
- Annualized return is the right tool when comparing contracts at different DTEs.
Most pros leave both columns visible and sort by Annualized Return for screening, then verify raw yield before pulling the trigger.
Common mistakes
1. Believing annualized = realized. A 50% annualized return assumes you can repeat the trade weekly all year. Real life has gaps and management costs — expect 60–80% of headline annualized to translate into actual return.
2. Ignoring losing trades. Annualized is the rosy view; assignments and drawdowns drag the real number down.
Where to go next
- Pair with Yield filter for percentage view.
- Try Weekly preset for high annualized contracts.
- Use Wheel Expectancy Calculator for realistic projections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 50% annualized return realistic?
On individual contracts yes, but sustained portfolio-level returns of 50% are rare. Most disciplined wheel traders earn 12–25% annualized after accounting for assignments and drawdowns.
Why does the screener show two yield columns?
Raw Yield is the immediate percentage return; Annualized Return scales it to a one-year basis. Use raw Yield to compare same-DTE contracts and Annualized Return to compare across expirations.