Selling a call means you're giving someone the right to buy your shares at a certain price. If you already own the shares (a covered call), then you don't have to buy the shares to deliver them at that certain price.
Let's say you sell the rights to buy 100 shares, at a price of $100 per share. You sell these rights for $1 per share. You earn $100 for selling the rights to the shares.
For the person who owns the rights to make money, the share price must go past $101 per share. Scenario A: If the price stays at $100 per share, he just paid you for the right to buy your stocks at the market rate. Scenario B: if the shares go up to $101/share, he breaks even; he paid $100 for a $1 discount on 100 shares. Scenario C: If the shares go up to $102/share, he makes money, because he paid $100 for a $200 discount. Scenario D: the stock pirce drops below $100, he loses money because he paid $100 for the right to buy shares at ABOVE the market rate.
In all scenarios, you get $100, AND except C and MAYBE B, you keep all your shares. The only scenario you "lose" is C, where you only earn $100 instead of earning $200.
If you DON'T own the shares, you have to buy them to hand them over. In this scenario, you lose more money the higher the stock goes. If the price hits $200/share, you're fucked, because you promised to sell it for $100/share.
-8.52% mainly just some shares and an NVDA call at the top made some back on MRNA and VOO calls the day of JPows last rate cut. Owning BRK B and GOOG softened the blow somewhat as well.
I've spoken to bankers about this. All the borrowers gotta do is say "we can keep making the interest payments if you let us and we all make money this year".
It's in no ones interest to force a default when credit is loose. Think about it. If you manage a book of loans and the choice is to A) admit you fucked up and lose your firm a ton of money or B) help your borrower renew and keep making money, what are you going to do? The answer is obvious.
There's gonna be the occasional really bad ones like Tricolor but most just want an extension.