John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund

BlackRock Resources & Commodities Strategy Trust

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust

Barings Participation Investors

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)

Aberdeen Standard Global Infr Inc Fd

Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund Inc

John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund

Nuveen AMT-Free Municipal Value Fund

NXG NextGen Infrastructure Income Fund

Western Asset Investment Grade Income Fund

PIMCO Dynamic Income Fund

PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II

Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund

This month, I added to 5 different closed-end funds, but it came from the result of selling off 2 for swaps as well. Swap opportunities come up as we can exploit the discount/premium mechanics in closed-end funds. Overall, I have continued to stick with a low or no-leverage theme in this environment as I look to de-risk my CEF portfolio.

5 Closed-End Fund Buys In The Month Of August 2023 (Plus 2 I Sold)

ArrowMark Financial

Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Income Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund

Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund Inc

Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund

Barings Corporate Investors

Closed-end funds offer high income, diversification, and market-matching total returns for income-focused investors. Five CEFs with solid track records, high distributions, and attractive discounts are highlighted in this monthly series. The selected CEFs offer an average distribution rate of over 9%, have strong historical performance, and trade at an average discount of -6.5% to NAV.

5 Best CEFs To Buy This Month (August 2023)

Ares Capital

BlackRock Science & Technology

Crescent Capital BDC Inc

Calamos Dynamic Convertible & Income Fund

Calamos Global Total Return Fund

Eaton Vance Enhanced Equity Income Fund II

Eaton Vance Tax Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund

Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF

PIMCO Corporate & Income Strategy Fund

PIMCO Corporate & Income Opportunity Fund

Global X NASDAQ 100 Covered Call ETF

Cohen & Steers Quality Income Realty Fund

Royce Value Trust

Global X Russell 2000 Covered Call ETF

Special Opportunities Fund Inc

Credit Suisse X-Links Crude Oil Shares Covered Call ETN

Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund Inc

Reaves Utility Income Fund

XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust

Perfection is defined as being complete and correct in every way, and can be pursued in various fields, including art and investing. For years now, I have been employing all my strength in investing in CEFs and ETFs, plus some “flirtations” with ETNs and BDCs. My portfolio is certainly not perfect, but acceptably fulfills the task for which it was designed: namely, to provide me with a steady stream of dividends over time.

My 9% Income Portfolio - Nobody Is Perfect

John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund is currently looking like an attractive fund to consider due to its valuation. PDT recently underwent a distribution cut, which was the catalyst to open up the latest discount for the fund. No one likes distribution cuts, but it can often create some of the best times to get a great deal for a closed-end fund.

PDT: More Tempting After Discount Opens Up

NOTICE TO SHAREHOLDERS – SOURCES OF DISTRIBUTION UNDER SECTION 19(a) BOSTON , July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC, announced today sources of its monthly distribution of $0.0825 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of July 13, 2023, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

JOHN HANCOCK PREMIUM DIVIDEND FUND

FS Credit Opportunities Corp

PCM Fund

PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund

Pimco High Income Fund

PIMCO Strategic Income Fund Inc

6 out of 22 CEF sectors positive on price and 3 out of 22 sectors positive on NAV last week. PDT reduces distribution by 15%, FSCO boosts distribution by 15%. Some CEFs getting bubbly.

Weekly Closed-End Fund Roundup: PDT Cuts, FSCO Boosts, Some CEFs Getting Bubbly (July 9, 2023)

Investors today are desperate for any source of income to help them maintain their lifestyles in the face of surging inflation. John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund invests in a portfolio of dividend-paying stocks and fixed-income securities to earn a high level of income. The common stocks in this closed-end fund are mostly utilities, which provide a degree of protection against inflation along with some resistance to recessions and economic problems.

PDT: Income And Gains Potential Means A Lot To Like

BOSTON , June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC (the "Adviser") and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC (the "Subadviser"), announced today that its Board of Trustees voted to amend its current managed distribution plan (the "Plan"), decreasing the amount of its monthly distribution by 15 percent. Under the Plan, the Fund will make monthly distributions of an amount equal to $0.0825 per share, a decrease from the previous monthly distribution of $0.0975 per share.

JOHN HANCOCK PREMIUM DIVIDEND FUND ANNOUNCES AMENDMENT TO MANAGED DISTRIBUTION PLAN AND DECLARES DECREASED MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION

The high rate of inflation today has made investors and many investors desperate for income. John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund invests in a blended portfolio of common stock and fixed-income assets in order to provide its shareholders with an incredibly high level of income.

PDT: This CEF Looks Great In The Current Climate, But It Is Overpriced

My Income Portfolio And Return Of Capital.

My Income Portfolio And Return Of Capital

The world seeks complexity, but simplicity often trumps complexity. For my investment goals, I have made the choice to focus mainly on CEFs and ETFs, carefully weighing their merits and drawbacks.

My Income Portfolio - Keep It Simple, Sweetheart

Invesco Senior Loan ETF

First Trust MLP & Energy Income Fund

First Trust Energy Income and Growth Fund

First Trust Energy Infrastructure Fund

First Trust New Opportunities Mlp & Energy Fund

Highland Income Fund

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure

Data aggregator websites such as Morningstar or CEFData are merely places to get initial ideas. With CEFs that can get rather niche and are actively managed, it becomes even more imperative as things change constantly.

Closed-End Funds: Misclassifications Can Lead To Misunderstanding

Owl Rock Capital Corp

As in Led Zeppelin's famous song, for me, investments in high-dividend securities represent a kind of stairway to heaven. Indeed, their steady flow of money relieves psychological pressure during times of market uncertainty and helps me experience them with greater peace of mind.

My Income Portfolio: A Stairway To Heaven

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund

John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II

John Hancock Preferred Income Fund

John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund

ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF ANNUAL MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS BOSTON , Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The following eight closed-end funds managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC announced the results of their annual shareholder meetings: John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE: BTO), John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (NYSE: HPI), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II (NYSE: HPF), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE: HPS), John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT), John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD) and John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund (NYSE: HTY) (collectively, the "Funds"). At their annual meetings held today, shareholders of the Funds elected Noni L Ellison to serve for a 1-year term ending at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders; Dean C.

JOHN HANCOCK FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Central Securities

abrdn Life Sciences Investors 

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 are generally characterized by higher volatility and deeper drawdowns than the broad market. For these reasons, they are not suited for everyone.

5 Best CEFs To Buy This Month (February 2023)

The high inflation rate is straining the finances of many American households, especially younger ones. John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund invests in a blended portfolio of securities that should be reasonably recession-resistant.

PDT: Keep An Eye On This Recession-Resistant CEF

Financial markets are set to close a difficult year amid the war in Ukraine, pandemic aftershocks, and inflation-eroding purchasing power. As always, the first rule for every investor is to try to survive and avoid making mistakes that could prove fatal.

My Income Portfolio's Year-End Check-Up

Inflation has forced all of us to increase our incomes just to maintain our lifestyles. PDT invests in a portfolio of dividend-paying stocks to provide investors with a high level of income.

PDT: Good CEF But Still Has A Premium Price

Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF

Ten months of this troubling 2022 have passed, and my overall portfolio is beginning to take its final shape. Some positions have long since been completed, while for others, I am taking small acquisition steps each time the market turns downward.

My Income Portfolio - Memo From An 'Olive Farmer'

PDT's top investments have generated positive returns over the past year. PDT primarily invests in stocks and bonds of various types of utilities and financial firms, which generally have steady returns.

PDT: Strong Yield, But High Expense Ratio

PDT is a CEF that invests in a diversified portfolio of dividend paying common stocks and preferred securities.

PDT: Utilities CEF, A Viable Alternative To DNP

John Hancock Investors Trust

John Hancock Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

John Hancock Preferred Income ETF

John Hancock Income Securities Trust

BOSTON, Feb. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Investment Management LLC (the "Adviser") today announced changes to the portfolio management teams for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund (NYSE: HPI), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II (NYSE: HPF), John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE: HPS), John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT), John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Divided Fund (NYSE: HTD), John Hancock Income Securities Trust (NYSE: JHS), John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE: JHI), John Hancock Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (NYSE Arca: JHMB), and John Hancock Preferred Income ETF (NYSE Arca: JHPI). Each Fund is advised by the Adviser and subadvised by Manulife Investment Management (US) LLC (the "Subadviser").

JOHN HANCOCK ANNOUNCES PORTFOLIO MANAGER CHANGES FOR JOHN HANCOCK CLOSED-END FUNDS AND ETFs

Flaherty & Crumrine Total Return Fund Inc

First Trust Intermediate Duration Preferred & Income Fund

Income investors should consider replacing the over-owned S&P 500 index fund with these underappreciated yields up to 7.5%.

How To Make Blue Chips Pay You 6% To 7%

As a kid, my Dad used to drive Oldsmobiles as his car of choice. Once, we were surprised to look under the hood and see a Chevrolet engine! That's when I realized manufacturers often interchanged identical parts, even though they marketed (and priced) the products quite differently. That can happen within the closed-end fund market too, with HTD and PDT being a good example.

News for John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund ETF (PDT)