Author Archive: Michael Foster

Investment Strategist

Ignore This Advice and Risk Losing 50% of Your Nest Egg

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: May 3, 2018

With the jaw-dropping stock-market dives we’ve seen in the last 3 months, you can be forgiven if your stomach tightens just a bit when you go to check your retirement account.

So today I’m going to give you my 3 best tips for securing your hard-earned cash—and even better, locking in a dividend stream you can easily live off of in retirement.

And no, you won’t need a seven-figure nest egg to pull off what I’m going to show you now.

Step #1: Diversify the Right Way

You no doubt know that diversification is key to protecting your wealth, but if you only go halfway, it will end in disaster.… Read more

My No. 1 Strategy for Big Gains (and Dividends) for the Rest of 2018

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 30, 2018

Remember when stocks took some of the biggest nosedives in market history back in early February?

I know that sounds like a ridiculous question, but I ask because many folks seem to have forgotten, with stocks quite a bit calmer now than they were in those days, even though they’ve seen a little more turbulence recently.

But it’s not too late for us contrarians to go on a bargain hunt—and we’re going to do it with my tool of choice: a high-dividend (I’m talking 7%+ cash yields here), yet easy-to-buy fund called a closed-end fund (CEF).

Wall Street’s Hidden Winners

First off, don’t be surprised if you’re not familiar with CEFs.… Read more

These 7% Dividends Could Skyrocket in May

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 26, 2018

By this point, you’ve probably heard that earnings season has been off the charts so far.

But there’s a problem.

You see, corporate profits are so good that the big buying opportunity I’ve been telling you about for months is vanishing fast!

Why? Because US firms are too profitable, and economic growth is too strong for the herd to not want to pile into stocks very soon.

So today we’re going to front run those folks by buying before they do.

In a moment, I’ll show you not only why you should buy now, but 2 funds you that are solid bets for serious upside and a huge dividend stream of 7%.… Read more

This Rare “Double Discount” in Stocks Will Vanish in May

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 24, 2018

We need to talk about a rare double discount in the stock market that’s out there now—just waiting for us to jump on it.

And doing so couldn’t be easier. It all comes down to 3 funds primed to spike when one of these discounts closes—and then spike again when the second one snaps shut!

Both of these ridiculous markdowns are already starting to narrow, so we need to make our move soon.

One other thing: these 3 funds pay massive dividends—from 7.4% to 11.7%!

Before I reveal the names of these funds, let’s talk about the first discount: the massive undervaluation of the stock market—and when we can expect investors to go from extreme fear to extreme greed.… Read more

4 Beaten-Down Funds Set to Soar (with dividends up to 10.9%)

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 19, 2018

Today I want to show you a beaten-down sector that has a long history of crushing the market—and 4 funds that should be on your radar now.

These 4 funds are a great place to pocket dividends up to 10.9% (or $10,900 a year on a $100k investment) while you wait for the market to realize that it’s discounting their industry far too much.

I’m talking about 4 standout fund buys from the biotech sector.

Biotech has fallen over 10% from its 2018 high and is now down a bit more than the broader market. Just look at the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) vs.… Read more

20 Funds to Beat the Fed and Pocket Dividends up to 12.4%

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 16, 2018

There are 20 elite closed-end funds (CEFs) that have proven their toughness in the last 10 years (including through the Great Recession, the most brutal test of all) and have still handed investors market-beating returns.

And below we’re going to look at all 20 of them.

So if you’re looking for a proven dividend payer that will hold its own through today’s troubles—trade wars and rising interest rates, to name just two—these 20 funds are a great place to start.

The Toughest of the Tough

Some of these cash machines throw off dividends of 6.8% or more (and one I’ll tell you about in a moment pays a sky-high 12.4%!).… Read more

4 Dividends Up to 11.7% From My Own Watch List

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 12, 2018

When investors ask me why they should invest in closed-end funds (CEFs), I tell them three things:

First, CEFs pay an outsized income stream—7% yields are easy to get and easy to sustain with a CEF portfolio.

Second, CEFs often trade for less than their intrinsic worth. While ETFs trade at their net asset value (NAV, or the liquidation value of the assets in their portfolios), CEFs can trade for 10% less … or even more.

That can set you up for nice 20%+ upside on top of those 7%+ dividends.

And finally, if not most importantly, a bunch of CEFs have crushed the S&P 500 for years.… Read more

This “Yield Trap” Is About to Dive 38% (sell now!)

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 9, 2018

It’s everyone’s dream—a double-digit yield. And what’s dreamier than a 13.6% payout?

That’s exactly what the little-known, small fund I’m going to show you today promises.

And you should run away fast.

Before I explain why, let me tell you what this fund does and how it works.

I’m talking about the Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Income Fund (EDF), a tiny fund focusing on developing countries that has just $229.4 million in assets under management.

For the last 8 years, the fund’s managers have been doing their best to make it grow (and keep its juicy 13.6% payout coming) by choosing the best stocks, bonds, foreign currencies and other assets in emerging markets.… Read more

3 Cheap Selloff Buys Yielding Up to 6.4% (sale won’t last)

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 5, 2018

It’s happening again: blood is in the streets.

And if you remember the timeless advice of Warren Buffett, you know what to do: be greedy.

Because this selloff shouldn’t be happening (I’ll show you why in just a couple paragraphs)—and as a result, there are plenty of extremely undervalued bargains just waiting to be snapped up.

Toward the end of this article, I’ll reveal 3 funds chock full of high-quality, oversold stocks and yielding up to 6.4%. But first, let’s look at what’s driving this income (and gain) opportunity. It comes down to a glaring (and very temporary) disconnect in the market.… Read more

The #1 Blunder Investors Are Making Now (and how to tap it for 7.5% dividends)

Michael Foster, Investment Strategist
Updated: April 2, 2018

Today I want to show you one of the most ridiculously oversold funds. Not only is it absurdly cheap right now, but it also pays a 7.5% sustainable dividend.

Before I get into those big cash payouts and how they’re possible, let me first explain why this fund is such an incredible bargain today.

Imagine that you could get shares in Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOG), Apple (AAPL) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) for 5.4% less than the market price of all of these companies.

Wouldn’t you buy as much as you could?

Well, now you can, thanks to the Eaton Vance Enhanced Equity Income Fund (EOI).… Read more