COVERED warrants provide an option for investors to exercise a right to buy or sell underlying stocks at a pre-arranged price. Unlike straight warrants, covered warrants are issued by a third party on shares they hold.
They have a finite life. If unexercised by the expiry date, warrants become worthless.
When the market price of the underlying stock is above the warrant's exercise price, the warrant has a minimum value which could, theoretically, be extracted by buying the warrant, converting it and selling the stock.
Usually, the market attributes a greater value to the warrant than the minimum value to take account of the future price rise potential.
This is called the premium and its level depends on the time remaining to the warrant's expiry date, the volatility of the underlying stock price and the gearing or leverage provided by the warrant.
If the current share price is higher than the exercise price, the warrant is regarded as ''in the money'', or ''out of the money'' when it is lower.