Closed-End funds, or CEFs, are a lesser-known type of investment fund that may benefit income investors who are looking to build a portfolio that provides both diversification and passive income. Similar to other funds such as index funds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), CEFs pool together funds to purchase a basket of different types of assets, including stocks, bonds, and more. By investing in them individuals gain exposure to a variety of investments through a single portfolio asset.
Many retirees’ investment strategies include CEFs because of their high yields, which average 7.3%, according to BlackRock.
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What Makes CEFs Unique?
The main difference between CEFs and other funds is that they are ‘closed,’ meaning that investors can’t buy into them at any time they want. Instead, CEFs hold an initial public offering (IPO), similar to a stock IPO, when investors can buy into them and then close sales once the offering ends.
It’s useful to evaluate CEFs based on their Net Asset Value (NAV), which is the sum of the assets in the fund’s portfolio. Brokerage firms post CEF Net asset values on a daily basis. The NAV differs from the CEF’s market price. CEF shares may sell for a discount to their market value, making it beneficial to buy them through the market rather than in their initial offering.
CEFs vs ETFs: How They Compare
CEF and ETF Similarities
• Trade on exchanges during daily trading hours like stocks
• Fund portfolios can be leveraged
• Can offer capital gains and distributions to investors
• Have fee schedules and expense ratios
• Hold portfolios of investments that have a total value
• Investors can trade shares like stocks using margins, shorting, and limit orders
• Can focus on specific sectors or broad indexes
CEF and ETF Differences
• ETFs usually track the performance of an index, whereas CEFs are actively managed
• Investors are more likely to pay capital gains with CEFs than with ETFs
• ETFs can’t issue debt or preferred shares, while CEFs can use these tools to create leverage
• ETFs have features that ensure their share price doesn’t differ very much from their net asset value. In contrast, it’s common for a CEF’s net asset value and share price to be different.
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CEFs vs Mutual Funds: What’s the Difference?
CEF and Mutual Fund Similarities
• Can pay out income and capital gains distributions to investors
• Run by professional management teams
• Have fee schedules and expense ratios
• Have a net asset value and contain multiple investments
CEF and Mutual Fund Differences
• Mutual funds issue and redeem shares daily, whereas CEFs trade on exchanges
• CEFs can issue debt and preferred shares in order to leverage their net assets, which can increase the amount of their distributions as well as the fund’s volatility
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Types of CEFs
Like other types of funds, every CEF has a different investment strategy and asset size. Funds may hold millions of dollars in assets or billions. Each has its advantages and downsides.
The main issue with small CEFs is they generally don’t trade at high volumes. That means that if an investor holds a large position they can actually affect the price when they buy or sell.
CEF Distributions
CEFs pay out distributions on a regular basis. These are similar to dividend payments but have some key differences.
Since CEFs include both stocks and bonds, distributions can include bond interest payments, equity dividends, return of capital, and realized capital gains. The tax on the investment income from those earnings may differ between funds since they each have a different asset makeup.
CEF distributions can change over time, so a fund that has a very high payout may make cuts to it. So while an investor may choose a CEF with a high yield, it’s important to keep in mind that it could change over time.
One way to find a fund with an ideal yield is using the distribution-to-NAV ratio. CEFs are actively managed, and the managers need to earn money in order to pay out distributions. So by looking at the net asset value of the CEF compared to it’s distributions, investors can see whether a CEF will be able to maintain its current yield rate. If the NAV isn’t high enough to maintain a high distribution, the manager may cut the distributions.
One main benefit of CEFs is since they are actively managed, the managers can redistribute investments to maximize returns. However, like any asset, CEFs don’t always perform well. Some CEFs focus on a particular industry, and if that industry isn’t doing well the CEF may not perform well either. The success of a CEF also depends on the management team.
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How to Buy and Sell CEFs
It’s simple to buy and sell CEFs on major stock exchanges, and both beginning investors and those with more experience can participate in the CEF market. Investors can trade them during regular trading hours just like ETFs and stocks, although there are far fewer CEFs available on the market and they have much smaller trading volumes.
CEF Fees
One major downside of investing in CEFs is the high fees. The average annual CEF fee is 2.2%. However, the fees are taken out of the fund so investors may not notice them immediately. Proponents of CEFs claim that they have high fees because they have high quality managers who help the fund earn more money.
Fees can also include the cost of leverage, which is a tool CEFs use to make the fund more profitable. CEFs have more borrowing ability than individuals, so they can greatly benefit from using leverage, making the high fees worth it for investors. Of course, using leverage for investment also brings on additional risk.
It’s important for investors to consider whether paying high fees is worth it based on the performance of any particular CEF.
The Takeaway
CEFs are a type of investment fund that typically offers diversification and passive income. CEFs have several similarities to exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, but they are closed investments that typically have higher fees and smaller trading volumes.
If you’re interested in building a portfolio using other types of investments, a good place to start is by opening an account on the SoFi Invest® brokerage platform. You can use it to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and even cryptocurrencies with just a few clicks on your phone. The platform offers both active and automated investing strategies.
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Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): Investors should carefully consider the information contained in the prospectus, which contains the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other relevant information. You may obtain a prospectus from the Fund company’s website or by email customer service at [email protected] Please read the prospectus carefully prior to investing. Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.
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