In the dividend-free Black-Scholes model, let , , , and
Then the displayed finite sum prices the European option with power put option payoff. Here is the standard normal distribution function. Indeed, conditionally has a normal distribution with mean and variance . Expand by the binomial theorem on and apply the lower truncated lognormal moment to each term. Equivalently,
This expectation representation proves monotonicity and convexity in . It also gives and as by the dominated convergence theorem. For positive the lognormal distribution smoothing makes the price smooth and strictly positive.
For a dividend-free Black-Scholes model with , , and positive integer , the optimal stopping value of the power put option is
In the continuation region the stationary Black-Scholes equation has powers and . Boundedness at infinity removes . Value matching gives the coefficient , maximized at the displayed ; equivalently this is the smooth fit boundary.
For a verification beyond constant-trigger policies, let . The maximum property of gives . For the infinitesimal generator , above . Below , set ; then
The candidate is continuously differentiable across , so the generalized Itô formula has no derivative-jump local time of a semimartingale term. The discounted candidate is a nonnegative supermartingale, bounding every stopping reward by optional stopping. First hitting of attains the bound; the remainder at infinite time vanishes since and . For this recovers the perpetual put option. At the value is for , approached but not attained at a finite exercise time. At the perpetual value is infinite, because exercise at deterministic times tending to infinity has unbounded discounted expected value.