On the Mean-Variance Tradeoff in Option Replication with Transactions Costs

Abstract

This paper analyzes the tradeoff between cost and risk of discretely rebalanced option hedges in the presence of transactions costs. I present closed form solutions for expected hedging error, transactions costs, and variance of the cash-flow from a time based hedging strategy similar to that analyzed by Leland (1985). Furthermore, I characterize the cost and risk of a move based hedging strategy without resorting to Monte Carlo simulations. All results are sufficiently general to accommodate the use of a transactions costs adjusted hedging volatility and an asset rate of return which differs from the riskfree rate of return.

JEL Classification: G13