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ATM call delta with a 3% dividend yield

Question

Consider the same one-year at-the-money European call with r=6%r = 6\%, but now the stock pays a continuous dividend yield of 3%3\%. Is delta above or below 0.50.5?

Short answer

Still above 0.50.5. Now Δ=e−qTN(d1)\Delta = e^{-qT}N(d_1) with d1=0.03σ+σ2d_1 = \frac{0.03}{\sigma} + \frac{\sigma}{2}. That is at least 20.015≈0.2452\sqrt{0.015} \approx 0.245 for every σ\sigma, so N(d1)≥0.597N(d_1) \ge 0.597 and Δ≥0.97×0.597≈0.58\Delta \ge 0.97 \times 0.597 \approx 0.58. The dividend discount e−0.03e^{-0.03} is not enough to pull it below one half.

Adapted from Crack, Heard on the Street, Q2.6, p.24; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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