BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust operates as a closed-end investment fund and investment trust. Its primary investment objective is to seek current income and current gains, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The company was founded on August 31, 2005 and is headquartered in Wilmington, DE.

BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust

Barings Participation Investors

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund

Liberty All Star Equity Fund

For income investors, closed-end funds remain an attractive investment class that covers a variety of asset classes and promises high distributions and reasonable total returns. Closed-end funds, or CEFs, are generally characterized by higher volatility and deeper drawdowns than the broader market. For these reasons, they are not suited for everyone. In this monthly series, we highlight five CEFs with solid track records, pay high distributions, and offer "excess" discounts. We try to separate the wheat from the chaff using our filtering process to select just five CEFs every month from around 500 closed-end funds.

5 Best CEFs This Month For 9% Yield (September 2023)

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust is a covered call-writing fund, which has now dropped to an attractive discount. BDJ has a simple approach, a low expense ratio, and a value-oriented portfolio. The fund has a steady and reasonable distribution rate, backed by the underlying dividend payers and capital gain potential.

BDJ: Deep Discount Creating A Long-Term Opportunity

BlackRock Capital Allocation Trust

BlackRock Energy and Resources Trust

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust

BlackRock Enhanced International Dividend Trust

Blackrock Core Bond Trust

BlackRock Innovation & Growth Trust

BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust

Blackrock Limited Duration Income Trust

Blackrock Health Sciences Trust

BlackRock Health Sciences Trust II

BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust

BlackRock Science & Technology

BlackRock Science and Technology Trust II

BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust

BlackRock Utilities Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Capital and Income Fund

Blackrock Debt Strategies Fund Inc

Blackrock ESG Capital Allocation Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Government Fund

Blackrock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund Inc

BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust (NYSE: BCX), BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust (NYSE: BDJ), BlackRock Energy and Resources Trust (NYSE: BGR), BlackRock Enhanced International Dividend Trust (NYSE: BGY), BlackRock Health Sciences Trust (NYSE: BME), BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust (NYSE: BMEZ), BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust (NYSE: BOE), BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust (NYSE: BUI), Bla.

Certain BlackRock Closed-End Funds Announce Estimated Sources of Distributions

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Fund is trading at a more attractive discount due to its portfolio outperforming market price results, presenting a potential opportunity for investors. The fund provides exposure to the value-oriented sectors rather than a tech-heavy weighting; it helped provide downside protection last year. The fund's lack of leverage and covered call strategy can help reduce volatility, which also means no worrying about rising borrowing costs for this fund as interest rates climb.

BDJ: Discount Widens For This Attractive Covered Call Fund

The stock market has largely recovered from a rough 2022, driven by the "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks that have boosted the Nasdaq and S&P 500 averages. The CNN Fear and Greed Index currently reads 80, indicating "Extreme Greed", and there are concerns about market breadth if the "Magnificent Seven" are removed from the S&P 500. BDJ, a closed-end fund that partially hedges its portfolio, is suggested as a good way to hedge against a down market while providing global equity exposure.

BDJ: A Solid 8% Yielding Covered Call CEF With A Reasonable Expense Ratio

The BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust has underperformed the S&P 500 since we last covered it in September 2022, delivering -3.4% in total return compared to the S&P 500's 7.0% total returns. BDJ's recent performance lags peers, including the Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF and the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF. BDJ's underperformance vs. call-write peers is due to the fund's sector allocation, which can tilt significantly away from market weights. This can lead to periods of over/underperformance.

BDJ: Lagging Call-Write Peers Due To Mismatched Sector Exposures

Investors today are desperately in need of income due to the rapidly rising cost of living in both the United States and many other nations. BDJ invests in a portfolio of high-yielding dividend stocks and then writes call options against individual stocks to synthetically boost their yields. The fund enjoys much less volatility than the market on average, which could be appealing to those investors concerned with principal protection.

BDJ: High Distribution Yield And Less Volatility Than Most Funds

BDJ has been a long-term position in my closed-end fund portfolio. The fund is attractive and delivers dependable monthly distributions.

BDJ: An Attractive Covered Call Fund, But Valuation Gives Pause

BDJ invests in dividend-paying common stocks and employs a covered call strategy to earn income for its investors. The fund managed to beat the S&P 500 Index over the past twelve months and still paid out a higher yield.

BDJ: This Covered Call And Dividend Income Fund Is Solid, Just Watch The Price

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Alpine Global Dynamic Dividend Fund

Aberdeen Standard Global Infr Inc Fd

Calamos Convertible And High Income Fund

Delaware Investments Dividend and Income Fund

Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend & Income Fund

Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Total Income Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Buy-Write Opportunities Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond & Opportunity Stategies Fund

First Trust / Aberdeen Emerging Opportunity Fund

Gabelli Convertible and Income Securities Fund

Gabelli Multimedia Trust

Eagle Capital Growth Fund Inc

Ivy High Income Opportunities Fund

Macquarie Global Infrastructure Total Return Fund Inc

BlackRock MuniHoldings Fund

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund

Nuveen Municipal Income Fund Inc

Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust

Pimco California Municipal Income Fund II

Pimco California Municipal Income Fund

Pimco Municipal Income Fund

Pimco Municipal Income Fund II

Pimco Municipal Income Fund III

3 out of 23 CEF sectors positive on price and 6 out of 23 sectors positive on NAV last week. PIMCO muni CEFs cut.

Weekly Closed-End Fund Roundup: PIMCO Muni CEF Distribution Cuts (January 1, 2023)

BDJ has been holding up meaningfully better than the broader market due to a covered call and value-tilted strategy. Unfortunately, other investors have seemed to notice and pushed the fund's discount to trade near parity with the NAV for months.

BDJ: Attractive Strategy For Current Environment

Closed-ended funds are losing popularity amid the rise of thematic and style-based ETFs. However, BlackRock's Enhanced Equity Dividend Fund looks like a winner. We believe the fund's allocation is favorable in today's market, with large-cap, value, low-volatility, and high-dividend assets being favored among risk-off investors.

BDJ: Giving It The Benefit Of The Doubt

John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund

PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund

Cohen & Steers Tax-Adv Pref Secs and Inc Fund

Cohen & Steers Reit And Preferred Income Fund Inc

Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund Inc

Reaves Utility Income Fund

The volatility had continued since earlier this year when we last looked at my top ten CEFs. With closed-end fund discounts widening, there seem to be more opportunities in the space overall.

My Top 10 Closed-End Fund Holdings: October 2022

BDJ invests in dividend-paying stocks that have dividend growth potential. Portfolio income is supplemented by writing calls.

BDJ: Trading Away Upside

BDJ has a value tilt with a covered call-writing strategy; both of these approaches have seen the fund hold up better than the broader market. This is what we would expect during times of volatility, and it is great to see that it is playing out.

BDJ: Holding Up Well, But Valuation Elevated

AllianceBernstein Global High Income Fund Inc

Nuveen S&P 500 Buy-Write Income Fund

DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund

Eaton Vance Limited Duration Income Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund

Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund Inc

First Trust Intermediate Duration Preferred & Income Fund

Highland Income Fund

Nuveen Preferred & Income Opportunities Fund

Nuveen Preferred & Income Securities Fund

Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund

Virtus Dividend Interest & Premium Strategy Fund

PIMCO Dynamic Income Fund

After the Fed hiked interest rates for the fourth time this year, closed-end fund investors may wonder how their income will be affected. Past cycles have shown that valuations fall ahead of time in anticipation of rising rates.

Income Opportunities: CEFs And Rising Rates

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) announced today an investment policy update for BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust (the “Trust”) (NYSE: BDJ). The Trust's Board of Trustees has authorized the Trust to invest up to 10% of its total assets in private investments. The Trust's primary investment objective is to provide current income and current gains, with a secondary investment objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Trust seeks to achieve its invest

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust Announces Investment Policy Update

BDJ's yield is quite high as compared to average income funds, and a minimum positive price growth will generate double-digit returns. Due to its deep diversification, BDJ is in a position to absorb the sectorial risks that have begun due to economic uncertainty.

BDJ: Close-Ended Diversified Equity Fund Likely To Sustain Its High Yield

Many investors don't know about this attractive alternative.

Here's the Greatest Passive Income Machine You'll Find Right Now

We all know the markets are undergoing a shift—and it's time for us to stop and take a look at what it all means for our dividend portfolios.

How To Invest For 7%+ Dividends As The Market Shifts

BDJ recently bumped up its distribution by around 12.4% after investors received a generous year-end in 2021.

BDJ: Boost To Distribution For This Monthly Payer

BDJ is a buy-write equity CEF focusing on value stocks and specifically financials. With an ongoing rotation from Tech to Value, BDJ is a great CEF vehicle to take advantage of this theme.

BDJ: Switching From Tech To Value In The CEF World - 10%+ Returns

CEFs may be more susceptible to tax loss selling given they trade on a stock exchange and market prices (investor return) can deviate from underlying NAVs (fund return). Additionally, CEFs typically provide income to shareholders through monthly distributions.

Finding Opportunities In The Closed-End Fund Market

BDJ has provided investors with an attractive return this year due to discount reduction. The fund pays an appealing ~6% distribution yield, while not the highest available, it is certainly sustainable.

BDJ: Attractive ~6% Distribution Yield Paid Monthly

BDJ was making significant moves higher; that rally has paused recently. The fund pays out investors a monthly distribution at a distribution yield of ~6%.

News for BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust ETF (BDJ)