Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund

Operates as a closed-end, diversified management company and invests primarily in convertible securities. It invests in stocks of companies across market capitalizations.

GAMCO Investors Inc

RYE, N.Y., Nov. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American:ECF) (the “Fund”) declared a $0.14 per share cash distribution payable on December 30, 2024, to common shareholders of record on November 22, 2024.

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. Declares Distribution of $0.14 per Share

ECF is a closed-end fund with a portfolio primarily focused on convertible securities, but also includes a sleeve of equity holdings. The fund has seen its discount narrow since our last update, and it has been narrowing over the last year. However, it still remains a fairly attractive discounted fund and with the potential for activist pressure, it makes it an interesting choice.

ECF: Discount Narrows But Still Attractive With Activist Potential

RYE, N.Y., Aug. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American: ECF) (the “Fund”) declared a $0.13 per share cash distribution September 23, 2024 to common shareholders of record on September 16, 2024.

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. Declares Distribution of $0.13 Per Share

ECF has seen its discount narrow since our prior update, but it remains a rather attractive play in the convertible closed-end fund space. The fund has also garnered interest from Saba Capital Management, which has been seen growing its position more recently. The quarterly distribution and 5% minimum annual distribution policy are areas that could use 'some improvement' to potentially narrow the discount.

ECF: Discount Remains Appealing And Activist Pressure Growing

The Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund has made a strong recovery since our prior update. At the same time, the fund remains trading at an attractive discount. ECF's portfolio provides diversified exposure to mostly convertibles but also includes some equity exposure.

ECF: Convertible Exposure At An Attractive Discount

The Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd offers a high level of income without sacrificing potential upside from common stocks. The ECF closed-end fund's recent performance has been disappointing, with a 41.67% share price decline over the past three years. The fund has been consistently underperforming both common stocks and convertible bonds over both short-term and longer terms.

ECF: Very Attractive Yield And Valuation, But Performance Disappoints

Bancroft Fund Ltd

Bancroft Fund and Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund offer diversified exposure to convertible debt investments. Convertible bonds offer yield as fixed-income investments but also potential upside through conversion into common stock. Higher interest rates are leading to higher yields and more issuances of convertibles by higher-rated companies.

BCV And ECF: Convertible Bond Exposure, Offering Yield With Upside Potential

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund's net investment income has significantly increased, which could provide better coverage of its distribution. ECF continues to trade at an attractive discount, making it a strong investment choice in the convertible space with some equity exposure as well. The fund has also not had to contend with higher interest rates in terms of seeing their borrowing costs rise as they have fixed-rate preferred for their leverage.

ECF: Attractive Discount And Improving Income-Generation

Gabelli Convertible and Income Securities Fund

In 2022, we highlighted how ECF was "a clear choice" over GCV. This has been playing out, and it could have more to go.

ECF And GCV: Divergence Playing Out, Revisiting This Idea

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Three out of 22 CEF sectors positive on price and 5 out of 22 sectors positive on NAV last week. Delaware/Abrdn mergers are closed.

Weekly Closed-End Fund Roundup: March 12, 2023

ECF is a convertibles-focused CEF. It pays a 5.9% forward distribution yield that appears well covered by historical fund returns.

Ellsworth Fund: Conservatively Managed Convertibles Fund

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abrdn Life Sciences Investors 

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Waste Management

We have now closed on the first month of the new year, but my strategy of buying every month hasn't changed. The new year has started off with a bang, with the broader indexes jumping higher.

Kicking Off The New Year With 7 Closed-End Fund Buys In The Month Of January 2023

ECF's latest annual report shows a decline in net investment income, considering the fall in the market that doesn't help the situation. However, these declines are happening in convertibles as a whole and aren't exclusive to ECF.

ECF: Attractively Valued Convertible Exposure

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John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund

I have added to five positions in my portfolio, but I haven't included any new names. There was a mix of funds that were at attractive discounts, but also some that were pushing premiums.

5 Closed-End Fund Buys In The Month Of August 2022

GCV and ECF are both under the Gabelli umbrella and managed by the same people. GCV's distribution is higher, but ECF's distribution is also a fairly attractive 5% minimum managed policy.

GCV And ECF: A Clear Choice

RYE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American: ECF) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce the issuance of Series B Cumulative Preferred Shares (“Series B Preferred”) with an aggregate liquidation value of approximately $25 million. The Series B Preferred is puttable on June 26, 2023 and June 26, 2024, and is callable after June 26, 2024. Distributions are at an annual rate of 4.40% of the $10.00 per share liquidation preference of the Se

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. Announces the Placement of $25 Million of Series B Cumulative Preferred Shares

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Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Buy-Write Opportunities Fund

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Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund Inc

It has been a rocky start to a new year, but with ~11 months to go, just about anything could happen.

8 Closed-End Funds Bought During January's Rocky Start

With the latest market volatility, ECF has now plunged down to trade at a double-digit discount.

ECF: Deep Discount Makes This A Tempting Buy

BlackRock Innovation & Growth Trust

October saw the broader indexes return to higher levels after September's dip. I wasn't aggressively buying for the month but found a few pockets worth putting capital to work in.

3 Closed-End Funds Bought In October

RYE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American: ECF) (the “Fund”) declared a $1.11 per share cash distribution payable on December 28, 2021 to common shareholders of record on November 24, 2021. With this fourth quarter distribution, the total distributions from the Fund for the calendar year 2021 would equate to $1.50 per share, a 13% increase from $1.33 last year. The Fund's fiscal year ends September 30, 2021. Please remember that pa

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. Declares Distribution of $1.11 Per Share

ECF is quite similar to BCV, which we recently covered, both being under the Gabelli banner and focused on convertibles.

ECF: A Discounted Fund With A ~5% Minimum Distribution Yield

ECF has only 612 Seeking Alpha followers, and relatively speaking, I would classify this as little known. Before my previous coverage earlier this year, the fund had gone over a year and a half without being covered.

ECF: Better Valuation Opening Up On This Little Known Fund

RYE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American: ECF) (the “Fund”) declared a $0.13 per share cash distribution payable on March 24, 2021 to common shareholders of record on March 17, 2021. The distribution follows on the strength of the Fund's returns in 2020. The Fund intends to pay the greater of either an annual distribution of 5% of the Fund's trailing 12-month average month-end market price or an amount that meets the minimum distr

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. NAV Performance up 35% and Market Return up 31% in 2020 Declares Distribution of $0.13 Per Share

ECF can provide more unique and varied exposure to convertible holdings. Convertible funds had done incredibly well throughout 2020, with continued volatility they could continue doing well through 2021 too.

ECF: A Unique Convertible Fund

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The convertibles sector had a tremendous 2020 on the back of a number of tailwinds such as outperformance in its sector tilts, high volatility, and falling rates. We take a look at the different options for investors in the sector across both open-end and closed-end funds.

News for Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund ETF (ECF)