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Black-Scholes is a know-nothing system. If you know…

“Black-Scholes is a know-nothing system. If you know nothing about value - only price - then Black-Scholes is a pretty good guess at what a 90-day option might be worth. But the minute you get into longer periods of time, it's crazy to get into Black-Scholes. For example, at Costco we issued stock…” quote by Charlie Munger
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“Black-Scholes is a know-nothing system. If you know nothing about value - only price - then Black-Scholes is a pretty good guess at what a 90-day option might be worth. But the minute you get into longer periods of time, it's crazy to get into Black-Scholes. For example, at Costco we issued stock options with strike prices of $30 and $60, and Black-Scholes valued the $60 ones higher. This is insane.”

Charlie Munger

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Black‑Scholes works for short‑term options but becomes unreliable for longer horizons, especially when assumptions break down.

In simple terms: Short‑term pricing works; long‑term is risky.

Key Takeaway

Use Black‑Scholes cautiously for long terms.

Themes

finance valuation risk

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

advice critical

When to use this quote

  • stock option grants
  • financial planning
  • investment analysis

Key Concepts

option pricing model risk

Questions to Reflect On

  • When should alternative models be used?
  • How to adjust for long‑term uncertainty?
A Different Perspective

Model assumptions may not hold in volatile markets.

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