Daily Options Backtest — Jan 1 to 2026-04-17, 2026
| Filter | Status |
|---|---|
| None — all days traded | |
| Avg credit ratio (traded days) | 0.717 (7.17/10) |
| Avg straddle % of QQQ (traded days) | 1.985% |
| Leg | Strike | Action | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Put | ATM − $10 | Buy | Outer put wing — defines max loss on downside |
| Short Put | ATM | Sell | ATM short — max profit zone (butterfly body) |
| Short Call | ATM | Sell | ATM short — max profit zone (butterfly body) |
| Long Call | ATM + $10 | Buy | Outer call wing — defines max loss on upside |
| Net credit at open (9:40 ET) | Max profit = credit × 100 × 40 (at expiry if QQQ = ATM) |
| QQQ moves > $10 from ATM | Max loss = ($10 − credit) × 100 × 40 |
| Avg net credit collected | $7.1700 per share |
| Auto-exit profit target | Close if P&L ≥ +90% of max profit |
| Auto-exit stop loss | Close if P&L ≤ −80% of max profit |
| Average winner | +$3,217 |
| Average loser | $-2,536 |
| Best trade | +$14,560 (2026-01-21) |
| Worst trade | $-9,040 (2026-04-02) |
| Total gross wins | +$112,600 |
| Total gross losses | $-81,160 |
Total P&L of +$31,440 over 67 trades across Jan–2026-04-17. The iron butterfly's ATM structure collects short-term premium on QQQ, a highly liquid ETF with excellent OPRA data coverage.
The live script monitors positions every 5 minutes and can exit intraday. This backtest applies +90%/−80% thresholds at the 14:20 ET bar close only, understating how often stops would trigger intraday. Real performance may differ.
With QQQ trading near $400–500, a ±$10 wing is a relatively narrow ~1.7% range. In high-volatility periods QQQ can easily move more than $10 intraday, frequently triggering max loss. Consider widening wings (±$15–$25) or reducing QTY for live trading.
| Date | Day | Expiry | QQQ Open | ATM | LP/SP/SC/LC | Credit Open | Cr/Wing | Straddle% | Credit Close | P&L | Cum P&L | Exit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-02 | Friday | 2026-01-09 | $619.26 | 619 | 609/619/619/629 | $7.1900 | 0.719 | 1.744% | $6.6100 | +$2,320 | +$2,320 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-05 | Monday | 2026-01-09 | $617.51 | 618 | 608/618/618/628 | $6.8700 | 0.687 | 1.569% | $6.3800 | +$1,960 | +$4,280 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-06 | Tuesday | 2026-01-09 | $619.34 | 619 | 609/619/619/629 | $6.4400 | 0.644 | 1.350% | $6.7900 | $-1,400 | +$2,880 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-07 | Wednesday | 2026-01-09 | $624.14 | 624 | 614/624/624/634 | $5.7400 | 0.574 | 1.112% | $5.3400 | +$1,600 | +$4,480 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-08 | Thursday | 2026-01-09 | $620.41 | 620 | 610/620/620/630 | $5.4000 | 0.540 | 1.009% | $4.9300 | +$1,880 | +$6,360 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-09 | Friday | 2026-01-16 | $622.41 | 622 | 612/622/622/632 | $7.2000 | 0.720 | 1.893% | $7.7400 | $-2,160 | +$4,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-12 | Monday | 2026-01-16 | $625.38 | 625 | 615/625/625/635 | $6.8900 | 0.689 | 1.585% | $6.9700 | $-320 | +$3,880 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-13 | Tuesday | 2026-01-16 | $628.74 | 629 | 619/629/629/639 | $6.2300 | 0.623 | 1.266% | $6.4500 | $-880 | +$3,000 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-14 | Wednesday | 2026-01-16 | $621.16 | 621 | 611/621/621/631 | $6.3400 | 0.634 | 1.365% | $6.5400 | $-800 | +$2,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-15 | Thursday | 2026-01-16 | $626.00 | 626 | 616/626/626/636 | $4.6700 | 0.467 | 0.832% | $3.7200 | +$3,800 | +$6,000 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-16 | Friday | 2026-01-23 | $625.30 | 625 | 615/625/625/635 | $6.8000 | 0.680 | 1.553% | $6.4300 | +$1,480 | +$7,480 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-20 | Tuesday | 2026-01-23 | $611.58 | 612 | 602/612/612/622 | $7.2200 | 0.722 | 1.934% | $7.4500 | $-920 | +$6,560 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-21 | Wednesday | 2026-01-23 | $609.25 | 609 | 599/609/609/619 | $6.8500 | 0.685 | 1.523% | $3.2100 | +$14,560 | +$21,120 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-23 | Friday | 2026-01-30 | $618.79 | 619 | 609/619/619/629 | $7.5700 | 0.757 | 2.149% | $7.6500 | $-320 | +$20,800 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-26 | Monday | 2026-01-30 | $624.20 | 624 | 614/624/624/634 | $7.3700 | 0.737 | 1.868% | $7.8200 | $-1,800 | +$19,000 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-27 | Tuesday | 2026-01-30 | $627.85 | 628 | 618/628/628/638 | $6.9200 | 0.692 | 1.625% | $7.3000 | $-1,520 | +$17,480 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-28 | Wednesday | 2026-01-30 | $635.34 | 635 | 625/635/635/645 | $7.0200 | 0.702 | 1.549% | $6.5000 | +$2,080 | +$19,560 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-29 | Thursday | 2026-01-30 | $630.28 | 630 | 620/630/630/640 | $5.9100 | 0.591 | 1.149% | $4.9500 | +$3,840 | +$23,400 | SCHED |
| 2026-01-30 | Friday | 2026-02-06 | $627.70 | 628 | 618/628/628/638 | $7.1700 | 0.717 | 2.211% | $8.3500 | $-4,720 | +$18,680 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-02 | Monday | 2026-02-06 | $622.29 | 622 | 612/622/622/632 | $7.6400 | 0.764 | 2.014% | $7.6800 | $-160 | +$18,520 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-03 | Tuesday | 2026-02-06 | $625.53 | 626 | 616/626/626/636 | $6.8600 | 0.686 | 1.570% | $7.5400 | $-2,720 | +$15,800 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-04 | Wednesday | 2026-02-06 | $614.01 | 614 | 604/614/614/624 | $7.3000 | 0.730 | 1.888% | $5.3200 | +$7,920 | +$23,720 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-05 | Thursday | 2026-02-06 | $603.45 | 603 | 593/603/603/613 | $7.5500 | 0.755 | 1.994% | $6.6200 | +$3,720 | +$27,440 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-06 | Friday | 2026-02-13 | $603.88 | 604 | 594/604/604/614 | $6.9900 | 0.699 | 2.982% | $8.2900 | $-5,200 | +$22,240 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-09 | Monday | 2026-02-13 | $609.03 | 609 | 599/609/609/619 | $6.6700 | 0.667 | 2.230% | $7.4600 | $-3,160 | +$19,080 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-10 | Tuesday | 2026-02-13 | $614.02 | 614 | 604/614/614/624 | $7.1500 | 0.715 | 1.756% | $6.1000 | +$4,200 | +$23,280 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-11 | Wednesday | 2026-02-13 | $614.81 | 615 | 605/615/615/625 | $6.3800 | 0.638 | 1.345% | $6.0300 | +$1,400 | +$24,680 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-13 | Friday | 2026-02-20 | $598.60 | 599 | 589/599/599/609 | $8.5900 | 0.859 | 3.032% | $8.1800 | +$1,640 | +$26,320 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-17 | Tuesday | 2026-02-20 | $601.63 | 602 | 592/602/602/612 | $6.2700 | 0.627 | 2.171% | $6.8300 | $-2,240 | +$24,080 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-18 | Wednesday | 2026-02-20 | $601.64 | 602 | 592/602/602/612 | $7.2700 | 0.727 | 1.812% | $6.5300 | +$2,960 | +$27,040 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-19 | Thursday | 2026-02-20 | $601.92 | 602 | 592/602/602/612 | $6.6100 | 0.661 | 1.460% | $5.7900 | +$3,280 | +$30,320 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-20 | Friday | 2026-02-27 | $603.39 | 603 | 593/603/603/613 | $7.4300 | 0.743 | 2.948% | $8.9500 | $-6,080 | +$24,240 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-23 | Monday | 2026-02-27 | $606.79 | 607 | 597/607/607/617 | $7.4100 | 0.741 | 2.197% | $8.4200 | $-4,040 | +$20,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-24 | Tuesday | 2026-02-27 | $602.50 | 602 | 592/602/602/612 | $7.6900 | 0.769 | 2.373% | $7.9900 | $-1,200 | +$19,000 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-25 | Wednesday | 2026-02-27 | $613.02 | 613 | 603/613/613/623 | $6.8900 | 0.689 | 1.589% | $7.1300 | $-960 | +$18,040 | SCHED |
| 2026-02-27 | Friday | 2026-03-06 | $605.06 | 605 | 595/605/605/615 | $7.8200 | 0.782 | 2.701% | $7.9300 | $-440 | +$17,600 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-02 | Monday | 2026-03-06 | $603.36 | 603 | 593/603/603/613 | $6.9400 | 0.694 | 2.627% | $7.8000 | $-3,440 | +$14,160 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-03 | Tuesday | 2026-03-06 | $597.74 | 598 | 588/598/598/608 | $7.4000 | 0.740 | 2.536% | $7.6800 | $-1,120 | +$13,040 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-04 | Wednesday | 2026-03-06 | $604.66 | 605 | 595/605/605/615 | $7.3300 | 0.733 | 1.841% | $7.2800 | +$200 | +$13,240 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-05 | Thursday | 2026-03-06 | $609.85 | 610 | 600/610/610/620 | $6.1900 | 0.619 | 1.312% | $3.0600 | +$12,520 | +$25,760 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-06 | Friday | 2026-03-13 | $600.11 | 600 | 590/600/600/610 | $8.5500 | 0.855 | 3.383% | $6.6900 | +$7,440 | +$33,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-09 | Monday | 2026-03-13 | $593.40 | 593 | 583/593/593/603 | $9.5500 | 0.955 | 3.328% | $10.2200 | $-2,680 | +$30,520 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-10 | Tuesday | 2026-03-13 | $608.25 | 608 | 598/608/608/618 | $7.9600 | 0.796 | 2.134% | $8.1700 | $-840 | +$29,680 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-11 | Wednesday | 2026-03-13 | $610.54 | 611 | 601/611/611/621 | $7.0000 | 0.700 | 1.659% | $6.2500 | +$3,000 | +$32,680 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-12 | Thursday | 2026-03-13 | $603.61 | 604 | 594/604/604/614 | $6.4900 | 0.649 | 1.390% | $6.2900 | +$800 | +$33,480 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-13 | Friday | 2026-03-20 | $600.54 | 601 | 591/601/601/611 | $8.1800 | 0.818 | 2.997% | $7.6300 | +$2,200 | +$35,680 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-16 | Monday | 2026-03-20 | $600.38 | 600 | 590/600/600/610 | $8.1500 | 0.815 | 2.364% | $7.3000 | +$3,400 | +$39,080 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-17 | Tuesday | 2026-03-20 | $604.72 | 605 | 595/605/605/615 | $7.4100 | 0.741 | 1.799% | $6.8800 | +$2,120 | +$41,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-18 | Wednesday | 2026-03-20 | $602.28 | 602 | 592/602/602/612 | $7.0200 | 0.702 | 1.667% | $6.4500 | +$2,280 | +$43,480 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-19 | Thursday | 2026-03-20 | $588.41 | 588 | 578/588/588/598 | $6.8900 | 0.689 | 1.569% | $6.2400 | +$2,600 | +$46,080 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-20 | Friday | 2026-03-27 | $588.73 | 589 | 579/589/589/599 | $8.6500 | 0.865 | 2.896% | $8.6800 | $-120 | +$45,960 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-23 | Monday | 2026-03-27 | $591.56 | 592 | 582/592/592/602 | $8.8500 | 0.885 | 2.471% | $7.8600 | +$3,960 | +$49,920 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-24 | Tuesday | 2026-03-27 | $583.62 | 584 | 574/584/584/594 | $7.7400 | 0.774 | 2.339% | $7.5100 | +$920 | +$50,840 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-25 | Wednesday | 2026-03-27 | $590.37 | 590 | 580/590/590/600 | $6.9400 | 0.694 | 1.674% | $6.7900 | +$600 | +$51,440 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-26 | Thursday | 2026-03-27 | $580.52 | 581 | 571/581/581/591 | $6.4900 | 0.649 | 1.418% | $6.1100 | +$1,520 | +$52,960 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-27 | Friday | 2026-04-06 | $569.32 | 569 | 559/569/569/579 | $7.8000 | 0.780 | 3.668% | $8.5800 | $-3,120 | +$49,840 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-30 | Monday | 2026-04-06 | $565.24 | 565 | 555/565/565/575 | $8.3700 | 0.837 | 3.176% | $7.7700 | +$2,400 | +$52,240 | SCHED |
| 2026-03-31 | Tuesday | 2026-04-06 | $565.58 | 566 | 556/566/566/576 | $7.8700 | 0.787 | 2.578% | $8.0500 | $-720 | +$51,520 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-01 | Wednesday | 2026-04-06 | $583.65 | 584 | 574/584/584/594 | $7.6600 | 0.766 | 2.152% | $7.3900 | +$1,080 | +$52,600 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-02 | Thursday | 2026-04-06 | $572.17 | 572 | 562/572/572/582 | $7.2400 | 0.724 | 2.027% | $9.5000 | $-9,040 | +$43,560 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-06 | Monday | 2026-04-10 | $586.22 | 586 | 576/586/586/596 | $8.1500 | 0.815 | 2.444% | $8.2400 | $-360 | +$43,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-07 | Tuesday | 2026-04-10 | $584.91 | 585 | 575/585/585/595 | $7.8000 | 0.780 | 2.366% | $6.5100 | +$5,160 | +$48,360 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-08 | Wednesday | 2026-04-10 | $606.71 | 607 | 597/607/607/617 | $6.2400 | 0.624 | 1.333% | $6.0300 | +$840 | +$49,200 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-10 | Friday | 2026-04-17 | $611.58 | 612 | 602/612/612/622 | $7.5300 | 0.753 | 2.029% | $7.3000 | +$920 | +$50,120 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-13 | Monday | 2026-04-17 | $608.84 | 609 | 599/609/609/619 | $7.4100 | 0.741 | 1.869% | $9.3000 | $-7,560 | +$42,560 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-14 | Tuesday | 2026-04-17 | $621.47 | 621 | 611/621/621/631 | $6.4700 | 0.647 | 1.371% | $8.2800 | $-7,240 | +$35,320 | SCHED |
| 2026-04-15 | Wednesday | 2026-04-17 | $629.76 | 630 | 620/630/630/640 | $5.8000 | 0.580 | 1.200% | $6.7700 | $-3,880 | +$31,440 | SCHED |