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Harvest Score

Canonical definition, formula, interpretation, and API reference.

Definition

0-100 composite: is this a good time to sell premium? Combines VRP richness, gamma regime, wing liquidity, event risk and VIX term structure.

Formula
net_harvest_score = vrp_richness(0-25) + vrp_percentile(0-20) + gamma_regime(5 or 20) + wing_liquidity(0-10)
    − event_risk(0, 8 or 15) − credit_stress(0, 5 or 10) + vix_term_structure(0, 5 or 10)

Additive composite, clamped to 0-100. Higher = better for selling. Dealer flow risk is reported separately in dealer_flow_risk and is not subtracted from this score.

Inputs
vrp_spreadvrp_percentilegamma regimewing liquiditydays to earningsHY credit spreadVIX term slope
Output
net_harvest_score (0-100)
Interpretation
  • >70: strong harvest conditions
  • 40-70: moderate
  • <40: poor - avoid selling premium

API Reference

Endpoint
GET /v1/vrp/{symbol}
Tier
Alpha+
Response field
net_harvest_score

The screener exposes the same value under the alias harvest_score. Not to be confused with gex_conditioned.harvest_score, a separate 0-1 sub-score on the same response.

Why Harvest Score Matters for Trading

TL;DR

Harvest score is a 0-100 composite asking 'is premium harvestable now?'. Above 60 = go. Below 30 = don't. It combines VRP, regime, liquidity, event risk and macro conditions; dealer flow risk is reported separately.

What it measures
A composite score (0-100) blending VRP richness and percentile, gamma regime, wing liquidity, event risk, credit stress and VIX term structure.
What it signals
Whether short-premium trades have the structural tailwind right now.
Why we measure it
The score's reward, regime, liquidity, event and macro inputs tell separate stories. Harvest combines those into a go/no-go threshold; dealer flow risk remains a separate sizing check.
Who uses it
Systematic vol sellers, short-premium desks, iron-condor strategies. ALPHA TIER.

How to read Harvest Score

High (≥ 60)
  • All sub-signals aligned for sellers
  • Full-size short premium
  • Iron condors, strangles, covered calls
  • Best condition for harvesting
Good for: full-size short premium
Low (< 30)
  • Sub-signals hostile to sellers
  • Do not sell premium
  • Consider long vol / hedges
  • Toxic short-vol regime
Bad for: short premium
Mid (30-60)
  • Mixed signals
  • Reduced size
  • Only highest-conviction names
  • Wait for confirmation
Reduce

Rules of thumb

  • Use as primary gate. Threshold first; individual inputs second.
  • Pair with dealer flow risk. Harvest + low flow risk = best setup. Harvest + high flow risk = size down.
  • Updates intraday. Score shifts as VRP and regime shift - re-check before entering.
  • Name-specific. Harvest scores differ across tickers. Don't apply SPX score to single stocks.
  • Alpha tier only. Composite score requires the full input set - Alpha-gated.

Related Concepts

VRP
Regime
Dealer Flow Risk
VRP Regime

Learn More

Deep-dive article
VRP API Guide
API documentation
GET /v1/vrp/{symbol}
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