Investment Trust Dividends

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Dividend ETF’s

MONEYPULSES

PERSONAL FINANCE
Dividend ETFs Explained: A Smart Way to Earn While You Invest

Dividend ETFs offer steady income through regular payouts while maintaining diversification
They are ideal for passive investors seeking long-term growth and consistent returns.
Dividend ETFs reduce risk by spreading investment across multiple companies that share profits.

Generating passive income while building long-term financial security is one of the most appealing goals for investors. For those looking to strike a balance between portfolio growth and cash flow, dividend exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer an efficient, low-maintenance solution

Unlike traditional stocks, which may or may not provide dividends consistently, dividend ETFs focus specifically on income-producing assets. They give you exposure to a wide variety of companies that share profits with investors, without the complexity of analyzing individual stocks.

Whether you’re planning for retirement, diversifying your income sources, or looking for a less volatile investment path, dividend ETFs combine income generation, diversification, and simplicity all through a single investment.

What Are Dividend ETFs?
Dividend ETFs are investment funds traded on public stock exchanges, designed to hold a basket of companies that regularly pay out dividends. These are typically large, established businesses with healthy cash flow, a history of profitability, and a commitment to shareholder returns.


Rather than picking and managing a handful of dividend-paying stocks, an ETF allows investors to gain exposure to dozens (or even hundreds) of such companies through one purchase. These funds are usually built around criteria like dividend yield, payout consistency, and dividend growth history.

How They Work
Investors buy shares of the ETF, just like they would with individual stocks.

The fund invests in companies known for paying dividends.

As those companies distribute dividends, the ETF collects them and passes the income to shareholders, often quarterly.

This model creates a reliable stream of income while offering the liquidity of stocks and the diversification of mutual funds.

Benefits of Dividend ETFs
Dividend ETFs provide a wide range of benefits, particularly for investors focused on long-term wealth building with an income component. Here’s a closer look at what makes them so appealing:

🟩 1. Consistent Cash Flow
One of the biggest attractions of dividend ETFs is the predictable income stream. Whether you’re living off your investments or simply reinvesting the payouts, knowing that money is coming in on a regular basis often quarterly adds financial stability.

🟦 2. Built-In Diversification
Buying one dividend ETF can give you exposure to hundreds of companies across different sectors. This reduces your dependence on the performance of any single company, helping cushion losses if one stock underperforms.

🟨 3. Lower Volatility and Higher Resilience
Dividend-paying companies tend to be more mature and financially sound. This makes them less sensitive to market swings and more likely to hold their value during downturns. Investors often view these companies as “defensive” holdings.

🟧 4. Compounding Returns Through Reinvestment
If you choose to reinvest the dividends automatically, you can benefit from compound growth earning returns on your returns. Over time, this can significantly enhance your total wealth, especially if you’re investing over decades.

🟫 5. Minimal Fees and Easy to Manage
Most dividend ETFs charge low expense ratios, especially compared to actively managed mutual funds. Plus, they require no stock-picking or regular monitoring, making them ideal for “set it and forget it” investors.

Real-World Examples and Strategies
🔹 Top Dividend ETFs
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG)
Focuses on U.S. companies that have increased dividends for at least 10 consecutive years. Ideal for conservative investors seeking quality and consistency.

iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY)
Targets high-yield dividend stocks across various sectors. Good for investors prioritizing immediate cash flow.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)
Blends strong performance, stable dividends, and low fees. Known for its robust methodology and long-term reliability.

Global X SuperDividend ETF (SDIV)
Invests in high-yield companies worldwide. Offers global diversification with a focus on monthly income.

SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY)
Includes companies from the S&P 1500 that have raised dividends consistently for 20+ years. Strong for long-term dividend growth.

Potential Strategies:
Build a Core Portfolio Foundation
Select 1–2 high-quality dividend ETFs and make them the centerpiece of your investment plan. This creates a strong, income-focused base for your portfolio.

Blend Yield with Growth
Combine high-yield ETFs with dividend-growth ETFs to balance current income with future appreciation.

Use DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment Plans)
Instead of withdrawing the dividends, enroll in an automatic reinvestment plan to grow your holdings over time and accelerate compounding.

Global Diversification
Don’t limit yourself to domestic ETFs. Adding international dividend funds can hedge against country-specific risks and provide additional opportunities.

Rebalance Periodically
Review your holdings annually to ensure the fund’s dividend focus and underlying companies still align with your goals and risk tolerance.

Risks and Considerations
Although dividend ETFs are generally considered conservative, they are not without risks. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

⚠️ 1. Dividend Cuts or Suspensions
Even reliable companies can reduce or eliminate dividends in tough times (e.g., recessions, industry disruptions). This can lower your expected income.

⚠️ 2. Limited Growth in High-Yield Funds
Some ETFs prioritize high-yield companies, which may have less room for capital appreciation. These businesses often face slow growth or operate in mature industries.

⚠️ 3. Sector Concentration
Many dividend ETFs are heavily weighted toward financials, utilities, or consumer staples industries traditionally associated with dividend payments. This can expose you to sector-specific downturns.

⚠️ 4. Inflation Risk
If dividend growth doesn’t keep pace with inflation, the real value of your income can erode over time. That’s why it’s important to consider dividend-growth strategies, not just high yield.

Conclusion
Dividend ETFs offer a powerful combination of income, diversification, and long-term potential. They’re an excellent fit for investors seeking steady cash flow without the hassle of managing a basket of individual stocks. Whether you’re in retirement, building wealth, or just beginning your investing journey, they can serve as a reliable building block for any portfolio.

By blending consistency with flexibility, these funds help you stay the course even when markets become turbulent.
Source: https://moneypulses.com/dividend-etfs-explained-a-smart-way-to-earn-while-you-invest

The Snowball currently has one ETF in its portfolio, SDIP which pays a monthly dividend which is re-invested back into the Snowball.

The Snowball currently favours a belt and braces plan by investing in Investment Trusts that pay an above market yield trading at a discount to NAV.

If in future, which will most probably be a long time ahead, the discounts narrow, the Snowball may consider buying more ETF’s if they trade above a yield of 7%.

7% is the target as that doubles your income, by compounding, every ten years.

One way of lowering your risk, is to pair trade a high yielder with a Dividend Hero Trust such as CTY, MRCH, etc., a money market account, or a government gilt if trading below it’s issue price and held to maturity.

Across the pond

If you’re seeking closed-end funds (CEFs) with secure yields above 6% in 2025, several options across various sectors offer attractive income opportunities. Here are five notable CEFs to consider:


1. AllianceBernstein Global High Income Fund (NYSE: AWF)

  • Yield: Approximately 6.9%
  • Focus: Primarily invests in corporate debt securities, including lower-rated corporate bonds, with a diversified portfolio of over 1,200 holdings.
  • Highlights: Offers exposure to global high-yield bonds, aiming for consistent income generation. AInvest+2The Motley Fool+2Nasdaq+2

2. BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund (NYSE: DSU)

  • Yield: Around 11.04%
  • Focus: Invests mainly in corporate loans, many of which are secured by collateral, providing a layer of safety.
  • Highlights: Targets high current income with a diversified loan portfolio. AInvest+1The Motley Fool+1The Motley Fool+1AInvest+1

3. Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund (NYSE: UTF)

  • Yield: Approximately 7.63%
  • Focus: Invests in stocks and debt of infrastructure companies, including utilities and energy firms.
  • Highlights: Provides exposure to essential infrastructure assets with potential for income and growth. AInvest+1The Motley Fool+1

4. DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund (NYSE: DSL)

  • Yield: Around 10.48%
  • Focus: Managed by Jeffrey Gundlach, the fund invests in a mix of high-yield bonds, bank loans, and other debt instruments.
  • Highlights: Aims for high current income and capital appreciation through diversified fixed-income investments. The Motley Fool+1AInvest+1

5. PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund (NYSE: PDO)

  • Yield: Approximately 11.2%
  • Focus: Invests in a diversified portfolio including non-agency mortgages, U.S. government bonds, and high-yield credit assets.
  • Highlights: Seeks to provide high current income with a flexible approach to fixed-income investing. Kiplinger+2The Motley Fool+2U.S. News Money+2
  • CHAT GPT

5 Investment Trusts to DYOR

If you’re seeking investment trusts offering secure yields above 6% in 2025, several options across equity income, infrastructure, and real estate sectors stand out. These trusts combine high dividend payouts with diversified portfolios and, in many cases, a strong track record of consistent income. Here are five notable examples:


1. Henderson Far East Income (LSE: HFEL)


2. abrdn Equity Income Trust (LSE: AEI)


3. Foresight Environmental Infrastructure (LSE: FGEN)

  • Yield: Approximately 10.9%
  • Sector: Infrastructure
  • Overview: FGEN invests in a diversified portfolio of environmental infrastructure assets, including renewable energy projects across Europe. Its focus on sustainable investments provides both income and growth potential. This is Money+2The Motley Fool+2Barron’s+2

4. SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust (LSE: SEIT)


5. Henderson High Income Trust (LSE: HHI)


These investment trusts offer attractive yields and have strategies aimed at sustaining income over the long term. However, it’s essential to consider factors such as portfolio diversification, management quality, and market conditions when evaluating these options.

CHAT GPT

The Snowball

The Snowball currently has £373 of cash waiting to be re-invested and £3,143 currently xd, destination is the unknown. Next cash from SUPR tomorrow.

Across the pond

Moody’s Downgrade is Downright Bullish for These Dividends Up to 8.6%

Brett Owens, Chief Investment Strategist
Updated: May 21, 2025

As I’m sure you have heard, Moody’s downgraded US debt last weekend.

The stock market panic that ensued lasted for, oh, about an hour of trading.

Why did this already get shrugged off? It’s a classic empty-calorie headline. The practical impact of the downgrade to top holders of Treasuries—banks and pension funds—is nil.

Treasuries are still classified as top-grade collateral, which means banks can continue to leverage these securities. T-bills are just as good as cash for bank reserves, as they were before the downgrade. No need to scramble for new collateral.

And Treasuries still have investment-grade status, which means pension funds don’t have to make any moves. Current asset allocations are just fine. It is “business as usual” at major financial institutions after the dramatic downgrade news.

Of course, the federal deficit is humungous and unlikely to ever be paid back. In real terms, that is. Nominally, the repayment will happen. An important distinction! Creditors will ultimately receive depreciated dollars due to inflation.

In other words, the $36 trillion owed to Treasury bond holders likely gets repaid in nominal (the actual number that includes inflation) versus real (inflation adjusted) terms. So creditors will receive the number of dollars borrowed plus interest, but those will be depreciated dollars—bucks themselves that due to inflation will be worth less than today.

Which means the key to successful retirement investing will be diversifying away from US dollars and into “hard asset” plays. We’ll discuss two today that will appreciate as the dollar declines. One yields 8.6%!

Why is the debt and path of the dollar an issue now when we’ve been on this debtor path as a country through many administrations for decades? Because we are teetering on the debt tipping point. The Social Security trust fund is projected to go negative by 2030, which will force the government to draw from general revenues.

Think DOGE is going to save the day? No. Most of the federal spending is untouchable. Messing with Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid is political suicide. Same with “other mandatory spending”—these are benefits that have been promised. Voters won’t have it any other way. And older people who receive Social Security and Medicare? They vote at the highest rate of any age group.

The net interest on our debt continues to climb. Defense spending seems “secure” given the current state of the world. Which leaves the modest nondefense discretionary slice, just 8.2% of the federal spending pie for DOGE to slice from:

With such a small austerity target, it’s no wonder that government spending is up 7.4% year-over-year for the first six months of this fiscal year (which began October 1, 2024):

Tax receipts, however, are not up 7.4%. These “revenues” are only up 3%. The US has a highly-indebted balance sheet with expenses growing faster than sales—not good.

If austerity via DOGE is not happening, then what is the alternative? Money printing. Jay Powell’s term is up one year from now. Trump will appoint a friendly face such as Kevin Warsh, Kevin Hassett or Judy Shelton who will work with the administration to (ahem) paper over some of these debt issues.

And by the way, Powell may be insistent on “higher for longer” rates, but he is not acting hawkish across the board. In fact, the market saw right through his “all bark, no bite” rhetoric at the last Fed meeting because his recent actions have spoken louder than his words.

If you’re wondering who is buying Treasuries at 4-some-percent in today’s environment, the answer should be no surprise—the Fed. Yup. Powell & Co. recently “stepped up” their buying an extra $20 billion per month!

With the Fed the new “whale” at the table, foreigners are (believe it or not) once again scrambling to buy Uncle Sam’s bonds. They briefly paused in tariff-laden April but have returned in a big way in May. We saw robust demand at the May 6 auction, with foreign investors buying 71.2% of the $42 billion in 10-year Treasury notes (up from an average of 67.6%).

It takes a village to keep the Treasury yield down! And all hands are on deck. The Fed increasingly supports the Treasury market. Don’t listen to the naysayers who claim the Moody’s downgrade is going to crush the bond market—the administration, Treasury, and Fed are working together to keep the lid on bonds.

The US runs the world’s printing press, and Uncle Sam is using it to buy more of his own debt. This is why gold has glittered year to date, and why the yellow relic’s move higher is likely to continue.

Gold miners themselves have retreated modestly from mid-April levels. VanEck Gold Miners ETF (GDX) sits 8% off its recent all-time highs and is likely to bottom.

The fundamental backdrop for yellow metal miners couldn’t be better. Gold prices are high and oil prices are low—which means maximum profit margins.

That’s why we like GDX even though it yields a mere 1%. Its real potential lies in its price appreciation. While GDX is up 37% year-to-date—even after its recent pullback—investors will realize the only “way out” for the federal government is monetary inflation and they will drive up the price of gold even more.

Let’s close with a discounted way to invest in gold. GAMCO Global Gold, Natural Resources & Income Trust (GGN) is a closed-end fund trading at a 3% discount to net asset value (NAV) as I write. GGN’s “97 cents on the dollar” price tag is attractive.

About half of the fund’s portfolio sits in mining stocks—both gold and non-gold plays like iron miner Rio Tinto (RIO). The miners-at-large have some great earnings reports ahead of them thanks to low energy prices because oil, a key input cost for mining operations, is down 27% year-over-year.

This underfollowed, misunderstood fund should continue to grind higher as the government papers over its pile of debt. GGN will pay us 3 cents per month, every month, as our slow-motion monetary train crash unfolds. And that’s good for 8.6% per year.

Passive Income

3 super small-caps with 6%+ yields to consider for passive income

High yields can come in small packages! Roland Head looks at three niche companies with the potential to provide attractive passive income.

Posted by

Roland Head Published 21 May

Friends at the bay near the village of Diabaig on the side of Loch Torridon in Wester Ross, Scotland. They are taking a break from their bike ride to relax and chat. They are laughing together.
Image source: Getty Images

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.Read More

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services.

Investors looking for reliable passive income often focus on big FTSE 100 companies. Some of these giants can certainly be a good source of dividends. But the UK market’s also home to a number of smaller companies with a strong reputation for income.

Here, I’ll highlight three small-caps offering dividend yields of 6% or more – including two stocks from my own portfolio.

A recovery story?

Epwin (LSE: EPWN) produces housebuilding products such as doors, windows, cladding and decking. The last couple of years have been tough, due to slower conditions across the UK’s housing market. Fortunately, Epwin has remained profitable and in good financial health through this period, recently reporting increased annual profits.

The risk is that conditions could remain weak or even worsen if the UK suffers a recession. However, I think the picture could be improving. Recent government data showed a 17% increase in shipments from UK brick factories during the first quarter of this year.

Builders may order bricks for a new home before they order doors and windows. But if more bricks are being sold, I reckon there’s a good chance that more doors and windows will be needed over the next 12 months.

Epwin currently trades on eight times forecast earnings, with a 6% dividend yield. I reckon that’s worth considering.

A niche business yielding 8%

Currency management expert Record (LSE: REC) isn’t a household name. Some of its largest customers are Swiss pension funds. In total, the company’s customers trust it to provide currency hedging and related services for more than $100bn of underlying investments.

We can get an idea of the value attached to its services by looking at its accounts. Last year, Record reported a 27% operating margin, generating a return on equity of more than 30%. These excellent figures are fairly typical for this business.

When a company can consistently generate this kind of profitability, my experience is that it usually offers a service its customers value highly.

Perhaps the main risk is that historic growth has often been slow and inconsistent. Recent performance has improved, but there’s no guarantee this will continue. However, Record’s 8% dividend yield looks safe to me. It’s also high enough for me to be relaxed about the risk of slow growth.

A 9.9% yield!

Sabre Insurance (LSE: SBRE) is a niche operator in the UK motor insurance market, focusing on higher-risk drivers and lines such as motorcycle and taxi insurance.

The advantage of this model is that Sabre’s less exposed to competition from price comparison and large brands. The firm’s customers require more skilled underwriting, but profit margins are higher to reflect the extra risk.

As a potential investor, my main concern is that the company’s core market is relatively small. One area currently being targeted for growth is to offer cheaper insurance to less risky drivers, while also accepting slightly lower profit margins. This could work well – but there’s a lot more competition in this area, so careful judgement will be needed.

Broker forecasts for 2025 show Sabre with a dividend yield of 9.9%, covered by earnings. This business looks interesting to me and is on my list for further research. I think it could be worth considering for passive income.

British Land

I think this FTSE 250 stock is primed for promotion to the FTSE 100 next month

Jon Smith is thinking ahead to the next reshuffle for the FTSE 250 in June and points to one contender that has been doing well.

Posted by

Jon Smith

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You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services.

Each quarter, there’s a reshuffle between the major FTSE indexes. The stocks due for promotion from the FTSE 250 to the FTSE 100 will take the jump next month, with an indicative list of potential candidates due out any day. Given the formula is based around the market cap, I can already see one likely contender that could get a lot of attention.

Eyes on the prize

I’m talking about British Land (LSE:BLND). The UK-based real estate investment trust (REIT) specialises in owning, managing, and developing commercial properties.

Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice.

Over the past year, the stock is only up a modest 2%, with a dividend yield of 5.56%. Yet with a market cap of £4.1bn, it looks set to head to the FTSE 100 next month. Part of this comes from the fact that during the stock market fall in April, British Land didn’t experience a massive fall. I’m not surprised by this, given the nature of the sector — the REIT isn’t exposed to the impact of Trump’s tariffs.

The 11% rise in the past three months has helped to push the stock into contention. Positive soundbites coming out about new deals caused the rise. For example, in late March it got approval to redevelop Euston Tower into a whopping 560,000 square feet of workspaces and hospitality venues.

Looking ahead

Even before we get to the reshuffle, investors will have to negotiate something else. I’m talking about the full-year results that are due out on Thursday (May 22). The half-year results were positive, with a 1% increase in underlying profit. In the period in question, it leased 1.7m square feet of space, 8% ahead of estimated rental values. This demonstrated robust demand for its properties, which investors will be hoping carried forward for the rest of the year.

Assuming the results aren’t a disaster, the promotion to the FTSE 100 could bring a further boost to the share price. This is because index trackers and portfolio managers that have to own FTSE 100 companies will automatically buy the stock. Of course, FTSE 250 trackers will sell it. But the amount of money that’s focused on the FTSE 100 is much larger than on the FTSE 250. So the net impact should be positive for the share price.

Sensitive to demand shifts

The main risk I see for British Land is the section of the portfolio focused on office spaces. I just don’t see high demand going forward, with work-from-home here to stay. Therefore, I think it needs to push into other areas, even potentially residential options, to stay profitable in the long term.

Despite this concern, I think it’s well set for the year ahead. If it does get the tap on the shoulder to head to the main index, this should only benefit the company. Therefore, I think it’s an idea for investors to think about right now.

Across the pond


This dull-and-reliable investment offers stability amid stomach-churning volatility
This company’s stable share price and attractive cash returns make it favourite for top fund managers

Algy Hall

Questor is The Telegraph’s stock-picking column, helping you decode the markets and offering insights on where to invest.

We all crave fun and excitement. In the stock market, that means dull-and-reliable investments often get overlooked. But during periods of stomach-churning volatility, as we have experienced during 2025 so far, the virtues of the dull stuff suddenly become much clearer.

Dull-and-reliable investments tend to make themselves known through two key attributes. One is relatively stable share prices. The other is attractive cash returns; what could be duller after all than a business with nothing more exciting to do with its cash than to dutifully hand it back to its owners.

US employee benefits specialist Unum displays both these characteristics. This may help explain why top investors have been increasing their bets on its shares.

Nine of the world’s best fund managers, all among the top-performing 3pc of over 10,000 equity pros monitored by financial publisher Citywire, hold Unum’s shares. And increased smart money interest has this month seen the company propelled to be among the 74 constituents that make up Citywire’s Global Elite Companies Index, which represents the very best ideas from around 6,000 stocks held across the portfolios of the world’s best money managers.

Unum is an insurance company that specialises in selling a range of work-related financial protection and wellbeing services through employers and also directly to individuals. Its portfolio includes disability, life, accident, critical illness, cancer, dental and vision cover.

Offering such a broad range of policies makes it attractive as a one-stop-shop to clients, especially as employers increasingly look to compete for staff based on the overall benefits they offer as opposed to just salary.

Unum is more profitable than most of its peers. Its leadership in disability insurance is a particular advantage that underpins its competitive position. The complexities of disability insurance limits competition and differentiates Unum to customers. This is reflected a return on equity of over 20pc reported by Unum in 2024. Meanwhile, book value per share has grown at an annualised rate of 9pc over the last ten years.

The company generates large amounts of cash from its business, too, which it returns through share buybacks as well as dividends. Buybacks have more than halved Unum’s share count since 2007.

Buybacks are only a real benefit to shareholders if the shares bought offer the prospect of a good return. Fortunately, in the case of Unum this looks like the case based on its shares’ forecast free cash flow yield of over 10pc and a price equivalent to less than nine times forecast earnings for the year ahead.

Unum has said it will aim to buy back between $500m (£376m) to $1bn of shares this year and is forecast to pay out over $300m in dividends. Taking buybacks at the proposed mid-point, that’s equivalent to a hearty total shareholder yield (buybacks and dividends as proportion of market capitalisation) of 7.3pc.

British buyers of the shares, which are available through all the UK’s main brokerage platforms, need to fill out the correct paperwork to minimise withholding tax on dividends and should also check for any additional overseas dealing charges.

The company looks particularly well set up for cash returns given there is $2.2bn of liquidity at the holding company level, which is expected to rise to $2.5bn by the year end. That’s well above a target level of about $500m.

The strong financial position has been helped by a reinsurance deal covering a $3.4bn chunk of Unum’s closed book of long-term care insurance policies, equating to 20pc of the total.

Closed books are made up of policies that have previously been sold and are still being serviced but are no longer being marketed. The deal reduces risk as well as freeing about $100m of capital.

Business risks have also been reduced over the last several years by moving the investment portfolio into safer assets.

However, taking on risk is what the insurance game is all about, which means the possibility for upsets always exists. One such recent worry for investors has been an uptick in disability claims in Unum’s first quarter. Management believes this is nothing out of the ordinary, though, and consistent with long-term trends.

More generally, sales growth and premiums are both strong and the company believes digital investments will continue to help it attract new customers while nudging up the persistency of policies that have already been taken out.

There’s plenty to take comfort from. During times of uncertainty, that’s a valuable thing, especially when it is accompanied by large cash returns.

Questor says buy

Ticker: NYSE: UNM

Share price: $82.15

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