Wow, I'd hope you'd catch that one but you seem to have dropped...

Wow, I'd hope you'd catch that one but you seem to have dropped the ball.

There is no such thing as a 'silly' option.

Options are 'In the money' if the 'exercise price' (the cost of converting one option to a full share) plus the purchase price of the option equals or exceeds the current price of a full share (also called a 'head' share).

The exercise price is set by the company (IMU) and is fixed during the life of the option and in the case of IMUOE it's 11.8 cents per option.

Some people buy their options on the open market - they are no easier or more difficult to sell than any other share - merely there are usually less buyers and sellers. The market for options is generally 'shallower' than for head shares.

Option prices go up or down day by day and trade by trade just like any other share.

Some people get their options for free as part of a promotion during a capital raising (CR) - these 'free' options are exactly the same as options bought and sold on the open market.

If you hold an option at it's expiry date and have not paid the 'exercise' price by then, it becomes worthless.

IMUOE options don't expire until August 2026.

Even if the options are not in the money before the expiry date, a holder may still choose to pay the exercise price - for example to avoid total loss or for tax purposes or even for altruistic purposes.

Any exercise price that you do pay to the share registry managing the option (in this case Automic) ends up with IMU, so ... buying options can be seen as a way of funding IMUoutside CRs.

Another way of dunding IMU of course, is to wait for the next IMU CR and then subscribe to their offer.

Buying 'heads' on the open market only benefits the seller, not IMU (a bit like buying a second-hand book - the author does not get any royalties!).

Some other points to consider :
Options don't carry voting rights
There is generally a time delay after paying the exercise price and getting selling rights to the newly-acquired heads.
Options can be tricky when considering Capital Gains Tax in Australia
Shareholders can lose control of options acquired via some Australian superannuation funds - there is a separate IMU thread ('Class Action') out there.

This is all general and not financial advice.