From its 2009 lows near $3 a share, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) made a massive rebound near the $20 level in 2009 and 2010, but then saw a renewed push down with last year’s base lows at $7.

The move back above the $10 pivot point this year sets Bank of America up for another attack on the $20 resistance level. That objective is also the top of a four-plus-year trading range.

The $20 target is more than 65% higher than current prices, but traders who use a capital-preserving, stock substitution strategy could more than double their money on a move to that level.#-ad_banner-#

One major advantage of using long call options rather than buying the stock outright is putting up much less to control 100 shares — that’s the power of leverage. But with all of the potential strike and expiration combinations, choosing an option can be a daunting task.

Simply put, you want to buy a high-probability option that has enough time to be right, so there are two rules traders should follow:

Rule One: Choose an option with 70%-plus probability.
An option’s strike price is the level at which the options buyer has the right to purchase the underlying stock or exchange-traded fund (ETF) without any obligation to do so. (In reality, you rarely convert the option into shares, but rather simply sell back the option you bought to exit the trade for a gain or loss.)

Any trade has a 50/50 chance of success. Buying in-the-money options increases that probability. It is important to buy options that pay off from a modest price move in the underlying stock or ETF rather than those that only make money on the infrequent price explosion. In-the-money options are more expensive, but they’re worth it, as your chances of success are mathematically superior to buying cheap, out-of-the-money options that rarely pay off.

The options Greek delta also approximates the odds that the option will be in the money at expiration. Delta is a measurement of how well an option follows the movement in the underlying security.

With Bank of America stock trading at about $12.10 at the time of this writing, an in-the-money $7 strike call currently has $5.10 in real or intrinsic value. The remainder of any premium is the time value of the option.

Rule Two: Buy more time until expiration than you may need — at least three to six months — for the trade to develop.
Time is an investor’s greatest asset when you have completely limited the exposure risks. Traders often do not buy enough time for the trade to achieve profitable results. Nothing is more frustrating than being right about a move only after the option has expired.

With these rules in mind, I would recommend the Bank of America Jan 2015 7 Calls at $5.50 or less.

A close below $8 in the stock on a weekly basis or the loss of half of the option premium would trigger an exit. If you do not use a stop, the maximum loss is still limited to the $550 or less paid per option contract. The upside, on the other hand, is unlimited. And the January 2015 options give the bull trend almost two years to develop.

This trade breaks even at $12.50 ($7 strike plus $5.50 option premium). That is less than $1 above Bank of America’s current price. If shares hit the upside breakout target of $20, then the call options would have $13 of intrinsic value and deliver a gain of more than 100%.

Action to Take –> Buy Bank of America Jan 2015 7 Calls at $5.50 or less. Set stop-loss at $2.75. Set initial price target at $13 for a potential 136% gain in 23 months.

This article originally appeared on ProfitableTrading.com:
Bank Stock’s Rebound Could Land Traders 136% Profits