Retrieve an Option’s Strike Price with =QM_Strike()

The =QM_Strike() function in MarketXLS allows you to easily fetch the strike price for an option symbol directly in your Excel spreadsheet. By leveraging real-time or cached data (through QuoteMedia), you can rapidly assess an option’s key strike value without having to leave Excel. This streamlined process empowers traders and analysts to stay focused on making informed decisions, helping you optimize your trading or investment strategies.

Why Use This Function?

• Quickly gather the specific strike price of an option symbol in Excel.
• Reduce manual overhead by automating the retrieval of option-related data.
• Stay on top of option trading strategies with near real-time data (dependent on your QuoteMedia subscription).
• Minimize data errors by using a direct data source instead of typing strike prices manually.
• Ideal for building powerful Excel dashboards that track multiple option symbols simultaneously.

How to Use in Excel

Use this formula directly in a cell to retrieve the strike price of your desired option:

=QM_Strike("OPTION_SYMBOL")

• Replace "OPTION_SYMBOL" with a valid option symbol recognized by the QuoteMedia data service.
• If the data is not immediately available, you may see status messages such as "Refreshing", "Please Refresh", or "NA."

Parameters Explained

Notes on Different Possible Return Values: • "NA" – Returned in scenarios where the symbol is invalid or partial data indicates there’s no strike price.
• "Refreshing" – Displayed if MarketXLS is actively updating or requesting fresh data from QuoteMedia.
• "Please Refresh" – May appear if data isn’t in the cache at all. You may need a manual or automated refresh.
• "ERR" – If an unexpected error occurs.
• A numeric value (e.g., 150) – The valid strike price.

Example Usage

Basic Examples

1. Display the Strike Price of a Known Option:
   =QM_Strike("AAPL230120C150")
   ? This will return the strike price “150” if the option symbol is recognized.

2. Reference a Cell for the Symbol:
   • Suppose cell A2 contains TSLA230120C200. Then:
   =QM_Strike(A2)
   ? Checks for the strike price of that Tesla option, returning “200” if valid.

3. Using a Stock Symbol (Without an Option Suffix):
   =QM_Strike("TSLA")
   ? Likely returns “NA” because there’s no strike for a standard stock symbol alone.

Advanced Scenarios

1. Bulk Analysis for Multiple Option Symbols:
   • Place various option symbols (e.g., MSFT230318C250, AMZN230520C115) in a column.
   • Use =QM_Strike() in an adjacent column to pull the respective strikes.
   • Create a summary table analyzing potential profit/loss scenarios based on each strike price.

2. Integrating with Other Excel Functions:
   • Combine =QM_Strike() with Excel’s logical functions (IF, AND, OR) to build condition-based alerts.
   • For instance:
   =IF(QM_Strike("MSFT230318C250")>300, "Strike over 300!", "Strike under 300!")

3. Updating Intra-Day Option Data
   • If you have a real-time data subscription, the strike values may update as new data becomes available.
   • Use MarketXLS automatic refresh settings to ensure your workbook always reflects the latest data.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

• Why am I getting "NA"?

• The symbol might be invalid, or partial data indicates no strike is available for that option. Verify the symbol format.

• What does "Please Refresh" mean?

• Data isn’t immediately available in the local cache. Try a manual refresh or wait for the next scheduled automatic refresh to see updated data.

• Why do I get "Refreshing"?

• MarketXLS is in the process of fetching or updating data from QuoteMedia. The final strike price should appear once the refresh completes.

• License or Configuration Errors

• If you see a message stating the license is invalid or the data seller is not configured, ensure your MarketXLS subscription is active and verify your data seller settings in MarketXLS.

By using =QM_Strike(), you can focus more on your trading and less on switching between multiple platforms to find strike prices. Whether you’re managing a handful of positions or a large portfolio, MarketXLS empowers you to streamline option strike analysis right from your Excel worksheets.