Author Archive: Michael Foster

Today we’re going to talk about a subject that might seem a little outside the dividend plays we normally discuss.

But as you’ll see, this topic—a big shift in how Americans feel—is the main reason why some of our favorite high-yielding closed-end funds (CEFs) are woefully underpriced, like one equity-focused 9%-yielder with an incredible track record.

Let’s start with that unlikely topic: Happiness. It matters because, as we’ll see, how happy Americans are ties directly into investing behavior in very predictable ways.

Source: CEF Insider

This chart shows the results of the General Social Survey, from the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.… Read more

The bankruptcy of auto-parts supplier First Brands has hit a corner of the market known for high dividends. Does that make these assets bargains?

Maybe. But we need to be careful here, and avoid making the mistake of “reaching for yield”: that is, buying yields that are high for a reason: the stock price has plunged.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The corner of the market I’m talking about is business development companies (BDCs), which loan money to small- and mid-sized firms.

Investors first got worried about BDCs a couple months ago, when the First Brands story broke. The news raised alarm about the private-credit market (where BDCs operate).… Read more

When most people think about the soaring stock market, they’re really only thinking back to the end of 2022, when it feels like it all started.

I know. 2022. A year we’d all like to forget.

But looking back only that far ignores the fact that the S&P 500 is a long-term wealth generator—a really long-term wealth generator, in fact. Over the last century, it’s posted a 10.6% annualized return.

Over the last 10 years, it’s done even better, returning a robust 14.6%.

I bring this up because it’s easy to lose sight of that these days, with the news cycle constantly amping up the fear, most recently on worries about an AI bubble.… Read more

When it comes to our favorite income investments—8%+ yielding closed-end funds (CEFs)—there are a lot of misconceptions out there.

It’s critical that we put those right, because they’re causing some investors to miss out on CEFs, and the big (and often monthly) dividends they provide. And I know I don’t have to tell you that in turbulent times like these, high payouts like those are a lifesaver.

Two of the biggest misunderstandings surrounding these funds are:

• CEFs have higher expense ratios than passive funds, and …
• You’re better off to buy stocks, such as Microsoft (MSFT), direct, on the open market, than through CEFs.

I often get asked about crypto. My response often surprises people: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it.

That might sound odd given crypto’s massive popularity (though many holders are no doubt regretting their buys these days, given the swan dive Bitcoin and its ilk have been on).

Nope, I avoid Bitcoin because I (and readers of my are interested in dividend income. And you won’t find any of that in crypto. Plus it’s far more volatile than we’d like. All of this is why, when we want tech exposure, we look to CEFs holding top-quality tech stocks.… Read more

It never ceases to amaze me how many investors confuse investing with straight-up gambling.

Of course, we income investors know that gambling is a one-way ticket to losses (the house always wins, after all!). That’s why we always focus on long-term wealth creation (and a solid income stream) at my CEF Insider service, whose portfolio yields nearly 10% on average as I write this.

Nonetheless, with stocks having soared the way they have, it’s easier, even for normally prudent investors, to get caught up in dangerous speculation. That’s especially true when gambling seems to be everywhere these days.

Even though—a funny aside—gambling actually hasn’t grown as a percentage of Americans’ earnings in the last 25 years.… Read more

I’ve seen a lot more news stories trying to do something that seems a bit weird these days: stoke anger between generations.

I bring this up because it’s an example of why, when it comes to picking stocks (and 8%+ paying closed-end funds), we simply can’t trust the media anymore.

Why? Because many outlets are so focused on generating emotional responses (and the clicks that go with them) that they’ve gotten far away from what really matters: the real data behind what they’re saying.

With that in mind, we’re going to look at a data-driven indicator that tells us whether or not it’s a good time to buy.… Read more

It’s been a long time since we talked about pandemic bargains, but believe it or not, there’s still a big one out there.

I do think it’s finally on borrowed time, though, which is why it’s on our radar now.

I’m talking about publicly traded real estate investment trusts (REITs). What we’re looking at with REITs is a classic “buy the dip” play with a (very!) long buy window indeed. Here’s a snapshot:

REITs Trail Stocks Post-Pandemic …

Over the five years since the depths of the pandemic, the S&P 500 (shown by the popular index fund in purple above) has posted a 106.5% total return, as of this writing.… Read more

Selling on fear is a habit that’s so easy to fall into (especially now!). But giving in to it could cost you a lot: as much as $2,300 on every $10K invested.

And if you’re investing for income (as we are!), you face a double hit.

Not only do investors almost always get the timing wrong, but they cut off their income stream, too! When you’re holding our favorite income plays, closed-end funds (CEFs) yielding 8%+, it’s especially damaging.

I mention this now because I was reading a recent report from Morningstar that put the potential damage from this mistake into dollars and cents.… Read more

Today we’re going to run a simple “rinse and repeat” trade that—time and time again—gives us income investors what we all really want:

High—but sustainable—dividends, plus a nice capital gains “bonus.”

In other words, the full package of income and upside. In investing, this combo goes by the name total return, and it’s what we really need to focus on to build a portfolio that lets us retire with true peace of mind.

Most investors know this, but then quickly forget it when they run up against a stock with a massive yield, like the 21.1% (!) payout on Prospect Capital Corp.… Read more