Analyzing dividend capture strategies seeking alpha. Rotating between dividend payers sounds simple but is. The funds investment objective is to achieve total return. Closed end fund historical distribution sources have included net investment income, realized gains, and return of capital. Designed to be a focused portfolio of 36 closed end funds at any given time, it will contain positions based on three main investment themes. A gain or loss becomes realized only when the fund sells shares. A closedend fund cef is an investment company that holds or bundles other. A value and momentum strategy for closedend funds scott. Closedend fund market average is the average discounts of equity closedend funds 628 funds in the morningstar closedend fund universe. Unlike traditional, or openend, mutual funds, closedend funds trade like stocks and sentiment can push them above or below the net.
This advantage might well be negated, however, by the risks involved with temporary stock purchases. These funds have a fixed numbers of shares that are bought and sold in the market. With a structure similar to closedend investment funds, or cefs, they leverage public. The folks on wall street arent about to let you get away with any sort of risk free profit, even if it is only a few tenths of a percent. For example, a stock that pays a 4 percent annual dividend yield should theoretically open down 1 percent on each of its four ex dividend dates. I have been making double digit returns in a hedge fund that i manage in the last 3 years and before that i made double digit returns on my personal investments for over a decade. Dividend detective premium offers access to dds two managed closed end fund portfolios. Apr 29, 2008 unlike traditional, or open end, mutual funds, closed end funds trade like stocks and sentiment can push them above or below the net asset value of the investments in the portfolio. Herzfeld offers a useful handbook describing over 300 closedend mutual funds as well as various trading strategies for individual investors. The best closedend highdividend funds budgeting money. Anyway, i read the book years ago and implemented its strategies on and off.
A dividend capture strategy can supplement whatever other trading strategies you are using, like buying the dips on stocks when the vix is high and the market is. A timingoriented investment strategy revolving around the purchase and sale of dividendpaying stocks. For decades wall street pros practiced dividend capture to increase their returns from. Closed end funds are traded on the major exchanges. However, the fund could be putting its money into riskier bonds that may end up defaulting. Exchange traded funds etfs are really just another type of investment fund, usually based. Executing a successful dividend capture strategy requires much more dedication, research, planning, and timing than traditional dividend investing.
This strategy only works in times when overall market sentiment is extremely bullish like now. The munbond fund yield is on a taxequivalent basis and based on a 43. Jan 27, 2017 some of the major closed end fund issuers have done this, notably nuveen with its myriad array of similarsounding municipal funds. A closed end fund is a pooled investment vehicle in which multiple participants invest in a single, actively managed portfolio of assets. How has the total return of a highdividend yield strategy fared relative to the. Closedend fund puzzle, limits to arbitrage, market. Dividend capture is a stepbystep manual that explains and teaches everything you need to know to begin a career doing dividend capture the way the wall street pros do it. Closedend funds strategies cef connect brought to you by. The basics of the dividend capture strategy low cost. Overview of dividend capture strategies six figure investing. The portion of a capital gains distribution reported by the fund as shortterm generally is taxed to shareholders as ordinary income in taxable accounts. The medium level hedges dont eliminate the downside risk and introduce the possibility that an upside move by your stock might be more than wiped out by an. Is that i only do this with high dividend paying, diversified closedend funds. The high quality hedges above dont work at all see here for dividend capture.
Dec 12, 2010 ironically you dont actually collect the dividend most of the time, but you can collect an amount similar to the dividendwith a reasonable amount of risk. The fund is a fund of funds that seeks to achieve its investment objectives principally through investments in unaffiliated closedend funds which pay regular periodic cash distributions, the interests of which typically trade at substantial discounts relative to. First, the market adjustment often does not reflect the full value of the dividend payment. In contrast to traditional approaches, which center on buying and holding stable dividend paying. Until closed end funds disappear, however, we believe there is a significant opportunity to take advantage of inefficiencies in this market. Closedend fund market average is the average discounts of equity closedend funds 379 funds in the morningstar closedend fund universe. A value and momentum strategy for closedend funds scotts. Closed end funds are investment companies that raise money through an ipo, which they then use to invest in other companies. Highdividend yield stocks have become the favorite recommendation of a host of advisors, but an undue focus on income alone obscures the irreducible fact that longterm investment success is based on the total return of a portfolio including both income and capital growth. Best dividend capture stocks recover quickly after their ex dividend date, allowing traders to earn a significant return in a short amount of time, simply by capturing the dividend without suffering the price depreciation. Cefs are a type of investment company whose structure is based on issuing a fixed number of shares typically at their ipo which are not redeemable from the fund. In any case, the illiquidity of closedend funds tends to make. Premium offers three separate dividend capture resources. Closedend fund investors should watch the activists.
Deriving a discount for lack of control with closedend fund. The most common dividend capture strategy, and the worst, at least in bear markets, is to buy a stock shortly before ex dividend day. A timingoriented investment strategy revolving around the purchase and sale of dividend paying stocks. For decades wall street pros practiced dividend capture to increase their returns from dividend paying stocks. Finding value and building wealth is the definitive work on the arcane world of closedend fund cef investing. Closedend fund historical distribution sources have included net investment income, realized gains, and return of capital. Following its ipo, a closedend fund typically leverages itself by borrowing at shortterm ratesusually by issuing shortterm senior securities, or by borrowing from a bankand then using the proceeds to buy additional investments for its portfolio. Closed end funds are subject to the risk of their underlying assets and investment strategy. Dec 08, 2017 in it, i compared both the growth of income and the compounded growth of investment between three strategies. Cef premiums display predictable patterns in response to dividend disbursements by funds. A dividend capture strategy can supplement whatever other trading strategies you are using, like buying the dips on stocks when the vix is high and the market is declining, etc, but it shouldnt be the only one. Unlike open end funds, closed end funds trade on an exchange at a price which is often a discount to their net asset value nav.
With that in mind, here are three of the best cefs to buy. Deriving a discount for lack of control with closedend. The financials sector earns an average dividend yield of 3. Possibly within 10 years there will no longer be closed end funds. Dividend capture players follow a variety of strategies to capture the dividend. Some funds have been liquidated or converted to open funds. A high dividend payout is a good thing whether youre holding a stock, bond or mutual fund. Jul 02, 2019 i have written several posts on dividend capture strategies.
With closedend funds, a healthy dividend can provide a nice kicker for capital gains on the shares as well. Dividend capture did you know that you only have to hold a stock for one day to collect a dividend. Closedend funds are similar to conventional managed mutual funds, but with one major difference. The persistence and predictability of closedend fund discounts. Oct 09, 2019 the dividend capture strategy is an incomefocused stock trading strategy popular with day traders. A portion of those funds invest in common stocks and, on an ongoing basis, will sell covered call options. Dividend growth or closedend funds revisited seeking alpha. Unlike open end funds, closed end funds trade on an exchange at a price which is often a discount. Best dividend stocks best dividend capture stocks high yield stocks.
The impact of portfolio manager ownership on the pricing of closed. Understanding leverage closedend funds 3 how does a closedend fund leverage itself. They are generally structured as corporations and on average pay much higherthanaverage dividend yields. Closedend fund discounts climbed to extrawide levels of 9% a year ago, attracting the interest of more activist investors. With closed end funds, a healthy dividend can provide a nice kicker for capital gains on the shares as well. The 3 best cefs for growth and dividends investorplace. Dividend capture strategies involve holding a stock just long enough to collect the dividend, then selling and moving on. Cefas tactically managed portfolios of closedend fundsbdcs. Who has used james altuchers closedend fund strategy guide. They are actively managed, often employ leverage, and typically represent a specific segment of the securities market. The fund is a fund of funds that seeks to achieve its investment objectives principally through investments in unaffiliated closed end funds which pay regular periodic cash distributions, the interests of which typically trade at substantial discounts relative to their underlying net asset values.
Apr 26, 2017 however, dividend capture traders can take advantage of two phenomena that occur on the ex dividend date. May 20, 2017 the munbond fund yield is on a taxequivalent basis and based on a 43. Thus, compared to alternative positions in the money market, a dividend capture strategy has the potential to more than double a companys aftertax yield. At the heart of every dividend capture strategy is the fact that on exdividend day, all other things being equal, a. For more detailed information on the distributions of a specific fund, please visit the fund sponsors website. Anyone with money can capture a dividendyou buy the stock or etf before the exdividend date and hold it until the exdividend date. The principle driver i n the behavior of the cefs premiumdiscount is the liquidit. Closedend funds offer regular distributions based on a wide variety of asset strategies. The dividend capture strategy is an incomefocused stock trading strategy popular with day traders. Who has used james altuchers closedend fund strategy. As the stock trades on and after ex dividend, its price will. Because of their unique structure featuring minimal cash in or out of the fund, closed end funds may allow retail investors access to assets and strategies that might not typically be available via other retail investment products. A variation of a publicly traded mutual fund, the closedend fund is unique in that it only offers a fixed number of common shares a claim to a. Dividend capture is a stepbystep manual that explains and teaches.
Learn about closed end funds in the learning center. Investing in closedend funds meet your next favorite book. Was your dividend capture strategy in this instance. Recent years have seen an attack on the closed end fund industry by activists. Has anyone used the dividend capture strategy and had it. The morningstar rating for funds, or star rating, is calculated for managed products including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchangetraded funds, closedend funds, and separate accounts with at least a threeyear history. Displays a list of publicly traded closed end funds cefs, with information about yield, symbol price performance, nav premiumdiscount, and classification details. Closedend funds are an often overlooked corner of the market.
The market price may experience periods of increased volatility due to the use of leverage as well as market and fund illiquidity. I have written several posts on dividend capture strategies. The primary downside of using a dividend capture trading strategy is the extremely thin profit margins the trades generate. Buyers must purchase from existing shareholders, and. A closedend fund is a pooled investment vehicle in which multiple participants invest in a single, actively managed portfolio of assets. The relevance of trading strategies for the clients. Feb 01, 2017 closed end funds offer good opportunities for growth along with solid dividends. Herzfeld offers a useful handbook describing over 300 closed end mutual funds as well as various trading strategies for individual investors. Top 81 closed end fund equity stocks for dividend income. Make sure your manager is earning his fee with a strategy that actually adds value. The new closed end fund combines three strategies dividend capture, value and growthto maximize the amount of distributed dividend income that qualifies for the reduced rates and to find.
Most closed end funds make capital gains distributions once each year, toward the end of the calendar year. At the heart of every dividend capture strategy is the fact that on ex dividend day, all other things being equal, a dividend paying stock opens lower than its. However, that gain doesnt factor in trading commissions and nonqualified dividend tax rates, which are typically equal to an investor. Designed to be a focused portfolio of 36 closedend funds at any given time, it will contain positions based on three main investment themes. In the example above, the hypothetical trade would result in a gain of 0. Oct 22, 2014 closed end funds are an often overlooked corner of the market. Closedend funds offer good opportunities for growth along with solid dividends. Dividend capture is specifically the practice of buying a stock just prior. The basics of the dividend capture strategy low cost stock. The purpose of dividends and risks of trading around them first, a bit of history traditionally, dividends were meant as a reward for longterm shareholders. I always got inspired by the best, from warren buffet, to my former. Many closedend funds are nothing more than glorified mutual. Apr 28, 2011 dividend capture is not a book about buying and holding dividend paying stocks. The top 3 cef investing mistakes and how to avoid them.
In the case of rotating dividend capture strategies, you might be barking up the wrong tree. Because of their unique structure featuring minimal cash in or out of the fund, closedend funds may allow retail investors access to assets and strategies that might not typically be available via other retail investment products. They are publicly traded investment companies which raise a fixed amount of capital via an ipo by issuing a fixed number of shares. Some try to buy before the dividend is announced, some sell on the exdate, while others wait for a stock to. Dividend capture is not for everyone to be clear, capturing dividends is a type of trading. Closed end funds offer regular distributions based on a wide variety of asset strategies. In contrast to traditional approaches, which center on buying and holding stable dividendpaying. Cefs provide an excellent method to target particular investment sectors especially international markets and fixed income.