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The November Easy Income Portfolio: Boring Wins Again

MarketDash Editorial Team
13 days ago
While Wall Street obsessed over Fed signals and rate cut speculation, this income-focused portfolio kept doing what it does best: throwing off cash every month. Here's how BDCs, midstream energy, mortgage securities, and discounted closed-end funds delivered another solid month of dependable returns.

Welcome to November's Easy Income Portfolio Review, where the point is putting actual cash in your account every month, not guessing what the Fed will do next week. While the financial press obsessed over every tick in the ten-year yield and parsed every syllable about rate cuts, this portfolio kept doing exactly what it was designed to do: generate dependable income through discipline, credit awareness, and the occasional contrarian bet.

Private credit and business development companies reminded everyone again that boring beats exciting most of the time. Prices moved sideways while Wall Street tried to decode whether "higher for longer" was a threat or a promise. Meanwhile, BDCs kept throwing off 10-12% yields with solid coverage ratios and stable net asset values. The direct-lending world remains firmly a lender's market with tightening deal structures and spreads wide enough to actually get compensated for risk. This is the cash-flow engine humming quietly under the hood.

Oil and gas income remains the portfolio's bedrock, and midstream energy continues playing its part beautifully. Yes, the market worried about oil demand and falling prices, but here's the thing about midstream: cash flows are tied to volume, not price. Pipelines move every cubic foot of natural gas and every barrel of crude that the economy burns. With data centers, LNG exports, and AI power demand all rising, that flow isn't slowing down anytime soon. Distributions are secure, balance sheets are cleaner than they've been in a decade, and we're still collecting 7-9% yields while royalty trusts occasionally provide extra upside when crude bounces.

Residential mortgage-backed securities had a quietly strong month as mortgage rates finally eased a bit. Lower volatility helped carry returns improve, and agency pools look somewhat more attractive again. There's genuine value in seasoned, lower-coupon paper where prepayment and credit risk are well understood. The non-agency side remains a selective game, but spread levels make the math work if you know what you're buying. We stick with the steady paper and let others chase volatility.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities tell a tale of two markets. New-issue deals are clearing easily as investors absorb higher yields, but older office-heavy vintages continue bleeding value. That's actually fine with us. Every bear story on CNBC about empty office towers in San Francisco helps us demand better yields on new SASB deals and safer conduit pools. The carry is excellent, and selectivity is paying off.

Corporate credit markets calmed down after the tariff tantrum earlier in the year. Spreads tightened, and both investment-grade and high yield have returned to near-cycle lows. That's not where deep value lives, but it's still where consistent income comes from. The laddered investment-grade positions do exactly what they should: provide cash flow without drama. The higher-yield BBs add some juice without diving into the dangerous CCC territory.

Discounted closed-end funds remain one of the market's most under-appreciated corners, and they delivered again this month. Activism continues unlocking value as firms like Saba force tenders and buybacks that push discounts closer to net asset value. It's slow, patient work, but it's a low-volatility path to double-digit total returns when you buy right. The playbook is straightforward and keeps working.

Community bank debt and subordinated debt remain personal favorites for income. The national press talks endlessly about "regional bank risk," but FDIC data tells a different story: stable margins, low non-performing loans, and a shrinking list of problem banks. The fear premium is still baked into many issues, meaning we're getting paid extra for holding paper from fundamentally sound institutions. The combination of insider ownership, disciplined credit underwriting, and cheap funding is still there if you know where to look.

The quiet revolution in bank risk-transfer securities continued rolling forward in both the U.S. and Europe. The market for synthetic risk-sharing is exploding as regulators give their blessing and banks realize they can free up capital without diluting shareholders. For income investors, it's another way to earn double-digit yields on relatively low default risk, assuming you stick with seasoned, transparent structures. It's the kind of opportunity that quietly compounds while everyone else is busy talking about meme stocks.

Over in Asia-Pacific, sovereign debt remains the ballast. Australian and New Zealand bonds are paying 4%-plus yields with stable credit profiles and some currency exposure, while Japan continues being the world's most interesting bond market science experiment. It's slow and steady, which is exactly what you want from ballast when the rest of the ship rocks.

Finally, U.S. preferreds trading below par are still the hidden gems of easy income. Big-bank and utility preferreds yielding 6-7% with fixed-to-float structures offer both protection and upside if rates decline. The sector remains misunderstood, which honestly works for us. We'll keep buying when others hesitate.

The bottom line for November: The macro chatter will keep spinning, but the portfolio's income streams keep flowing. The approach—own real assets, own credit with discipline, buy discounts with catalysts, and keep cash flow coming—works best when the rest of the world is distracted. In other words, right now.

November Portfolio Rundown

Here's the detailed look at individual positions. While headlines bounce between inflation prints and political noise, the portfolio keeps producing reliable income across a diverse set of assets that don't move in lockstep. Below is the month's rundown, in plain English.

Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA)
Preferreds have been steady, which is exactly what this corner of the portfolio should deliver. PFFA's yield sits north of 9%, and the fund continues grinding higher alongside improving credit market sentiment. Nothing dramatic here, just dependable income in an asset class that still trades at discounts to par value and offers both yield and potential price recovery if long rates ease further.

Special Opportunities Fund (SPE)
SPE declared another monthly dividend of just under eleven cents per share, payable at the end of November. The fund continues trading near the upper end of its 52-week range, reflecting strong execution by Phil Goldstein's team and ongoing investor confidence in the activist value approach. It remains a steady performer that occasionally benefits from corporate action catalysts and opportunistic portfolio management.

Simplify MBS ETF (MTBA)
MTBA's net asset value and market price remain locked in step, which is exactly what you want from a well-managed ETF holding mortgage-backed securities. There have been no structural changes or performance surprises. It continues serving as a low-volatility anchor for agency MBS exposure, capturing spread income while rates drift modestly lower.

iShares Mortgage REIT ETF (REM)
The mortgage REIT complex finally caught a small tailwind this month. REM's price edged higher as mortgage rates fell and spread volatility eased. The technicals turned positive, suggesting the sector might be due for a bounce after months of pessimism. We're happy to collect the income while the crowd catches on that book values aren't imploding.

Saba Closed-End Funds ETF (CEFS)
CEFS nudged its cash weighting higher this month, taking a slightly more defensive posture—a smart move given the recent rally in risk assets. No major corporate actions, but management continues rotating tactically into discounted funds where activist pressure or tenders could unlock value. It remains one of the favorite ways to earn yield while keeping optionality on the table.

SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (SRLN)
SRLN kept its rhythm with another solid monthly payout of roughly 28 cents per share. The floating-rate loan portfolio is performing well, benefiting from stable short-term rates and low defaults across corporate credit. It's not exciting, but it's steady, and that's the point.

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. (TYG)
This was the big story of the month. TYG completed its long-awaited merger with TEAF, simplifying the structure and expanding its asset base. More importantly, management raised the monthly distribution to $0.475 per share, confirming the strength of cash flows from midstream energy holdings. This merger strengthens both the income profile and scale of the fund—a clear win for long-term investors.

Angel Oak Financial Strategies Income Term Trust (FINS)
FINS declared its November dividend of $0.115 per share and announced a management fee waiver through next November, reducing expenses and improving net yield. The portfolio continues benefiting from stable community bank and structured credit exposure, both areas where Angel Oak's team has deep expertise. It remains one of the better-run niche credit funds in the market.

Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund (FAX)
No meaningful updates this month. The fund continues performing as designed with steady, diversified exposure to higher-yield sovereign and quasi-sovereign bonds across Asia and Australia.

Dorchester Minerals, L.P. (DMLP)
No major announcements or operational changes this month. The trust continues benefiting from stable production volumes and disciplined capital allocation. Cash flow remains healthy even with commodity prices moving sideways.

ArrowMark Financial Corp. (BANX)
BANX remains on solid footing. While shares drifted lower on light volume, fundamentals remain strong. The company announced a special dividend of $0.40 per share, payable in December, reflecting excess earnings from its bank sub-debt and risk-transfer portfolio. It's another reminder that small, well-run specialty finance companies can still generate real income without chasing leverage.

Nuveen Real Asset Income & Growth Fund (JRI)
JRI declared its regular $0.1335 monthly distribution. The fund's diversified real asset portfolio spanning REITs, utilities, and infrastructure debt has quietly benefited from easing rate pressures. The price moved modestly higher, keeping the discount to net asset value in check. A slow and steady contributor.

VanEck BDC Income ETF (BIZD)
The BDC space continues delivering reliable income, even as valuations cool a bit. BIZD's yield sits around 11%, and while performance lagged some more aggressive peers, the fund remains an easy, diversified way to capture private credit returns. As credit spreads normalize, this remains a core holding in the income sleeve.

WisdomTree Private Credit Fund (HYIN)
HYIN has been treading water as the private credit sector faces a bit more regulatory scrutiny and cautious sentiment from retail investors. Technical signals turned slightly negative early in the month, but fundamentals remain sound. It's worth holding for the yield while keeping an eye on liquidity and new issuance trends.

InfraCap Bond Income ETF (BNDS)
BNDS continues delivering steady results. The fund's 30-day SEC yield of roughly 7.6% remains compelling, and there were no surprises from management. It's a simple, well-executed way to capture high-income opportunities in investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds.

In summary, November was a classic "income month"—no fireworks, just cash hitting the account and a few quiet wins. The highlight was clearly the TYG merger and distribution increase, but the broader portfolio keeps doing what it's meant to do: provide stable, tax-efficient income from a carefully diversified mix of credit, real assets, and discounted funds.

The rest of the market can chase headlines. We'll keep collecting checks.

Back to News

The November Easy Income Portfolio: Boring Wins Again

MarketDash Editorial Team
13 days ago
While Wall Street obsessed over Fed signals and rate cut speculation, this income-focused portfolio kept doing what it does best: throwing off cash every month. Here's how BDCs, midstream energy, mortgage securities, and discounted closed-end funds delivered another solid month of dependable returns.

Welcome to November's Easy Income Portfolio Review, where the point is putting actual cash in your account every month, not guessing what the Fed will do next week. While the financial press obsessed over every tick in the ten-year yield and parsed every syllable about rate cuts, this portfolio kept doing exactly what it was designed to do: generate dependable income through discipline, credit awareness, and the occasional contrarian bet.

Private credit and business development companies reminded everyone again that boring beats exciting most of the time. Prices moved sideways while Wall Street tried to decode whether "higher for longer" was a threat or a promise. Meanwhile, BDCs kept throwing off 10-12% yields with solid coverage ratios and stable net asset values. The direct-lending world remains firmly a lender's market with tightening deal structures and spreads wide enough to actually get compensated for risk. This is the cash-flow engine humming quietly under the hood.

Oil and gas income remains the portfolio's bedrock, and midstream energy continues playing its part beautifully. Yes, the market worried about oil demand and falling prices, but here's the thing about midstream: cash flows are tied to volume, not price. Pipelines move every cubic foot of natural gas and every barrel of crude that the economy burns. With data centers, LNG exports, and AI power demand all rising, that flow isn't slowing down anytime soon. Distributions are secure, balance sheets are cleaner than they've been in a decade, and we're still collecting 7-9% yields while royalty trusts occasionally provide extra upside when crude bounces.

Residential mortgage-backed securities had a quietly strong month as mortgage rates finally eased a bit. Lower volatility helped carry returns improve, and agency pools look somewhat more attractive again. There's genuine value in seasoned, lower-coupon paper where prepayment and credit risk are well understood. The non-agency side remains a selective game, but spread levels make the math work if you know what you're buying. We stick with the steady paper and let others chase volatility.

Commercial mortgage-backed securities tell a tale of two markets. New-issue deals are clearing easily as investors absorb higher yields, but older office-heavy vintages continue bleeding value. That's actually fine with us. Every bear story on CNBC about empty office towers in San Francisco helps us demand better yields on new SASB deals and safer conduit pools. The carry is excellent, and selectivity is paying off.

Corporate credit markets calmed down after the tariff tantrum earlier in the year. Spreads tightened, and both investment-grade and high yield have returned to near-cycle lows. That's not where deep value lives, but it's still where consistent income comes from. The laddered investment-grade positions do exactly what they should: provide cash flow without drama. The higher-yield BBs add some juice without diving into the dangerous CCC territory.

Discounted closed-end funds remain one of the market's most under-appreciated corners, and they delivered again this month. Activism continues unlocking value as firms like Saba force tenders and buybacks that push discounts closer to net asset value. It's slow, patient work, but it's a low-volatility path to double-digit total returns when you buy right. The playbook is straightforward and keeps working.

Community bank debt and subordinated debt remain personal favorites for income. The national press talks endlessly about "regional bank risk," but FDIC data tells a different story: stable margins, low non-performing loans, and a shrinking list of problem banks. The fear premium is still baked into many issues, meaning we're getting paid extra for holding paper from fundamentally sound institutions. The combination of insider ownership, disciplined credit underwriting, and cheap funding is still there if you know where to look.

The quiet revolution in bank risk-transfer securities continued rolling forward in both the U.S. and Europe. The market for synthetic risk-sharing is exploding as regulators give their blessing and banks realize they can free up capital without diluting shareholders. For income investors, it's another way to earn double-digit yields on relatively low default risk, assuming you stick with seasoned, transparent structures. It's the kind of opportunity that quietly compounds while everyone else is busy talking about meme stocks.

Over in Asia-Pacific, sovereign debt remains the ballast. Australian and New Zealand bonds are paying 4%-plus yields with stable credit profiles and some currency exposure, while Japan continues being the world's most interesting bond market science experiment. It's slow and steady, which is exactly what you want from ballast when the rest of the ship rocks.

Finally, U.S. preferreds trading below par are still the hidden gems of easy income. Big-bank and utility preferreds yielding 6-7% with fixed-to-float structures offer both protection and upside if rates decline. The sector remains misunderstood, which honestly works for us. We'll keep buying when others hesitate.

The bottom line for November: The macro chatter will keep spinning, but the portfolio's income streams keep flowing. The approach—own real assets, own credit with discipline, buy discounts with catalysts, and keep cash flow coming—works best when the rest of the world is distracted. In other words, right now.

November Portfolio Rundown

Here's the detailed look at individual positions. While headlines bounce between inflation prints and political noise, the portfolio keeps producing reliable income across a diverse set of assets that don't move in lockstep. Below is the month's rundown, in plain English.

Virtus InfraCap U.S. Preferred Stock ETF (PFFA)
Preferreds have been steady, which is exactly what this corner of the portfolio should deliver. PFFA's yield sits north of 9%, and the fund continues grinding higher alongside improving credit market sentiment. Nothing dramatic here, just dependable income in an asset class that still trades at discounts to par value and offers both yield and potential price recovery if long rates ease further.

Special Opportunities Fund (SPE)
SPE declared another monthly dividend of just under eleven cents per share, payable at the end of November. The fund continues trading near the upper end of its 52-week range, reflecting strong execution by Phil Goldstein's team and ongoing investor confidence in the activist value approach. It remains a steady performer that occasionally benefits from corporate action catalysts and opportunistic portfolio management.

Simplify MBS ETF (MTBA)
MTBA's net asset value and market price remain locked in step, which is exactly what you want from a well-managed ETF holding mortgage-backed securities. There have been no structural changes or performance surprises. It continues serving as a low-volatility anchor for agency MBS exposure, capturing spread income while rates drift modestly lower.

iShares Mortgage REIT ETF (REM)
The mortgage REIT complex finally caught a small tailwind this month. REM's price edged higher as mortgage rates fell and spread volatility eased. The technicals turned positive, suggesting the sector might be due for a bounce after months of pessimism. We're happy to collect the income while the crowd catches on that book values aren't imploding.

Saba Closed-End Funds ETF (CEFS)
CEFS nudged its cash weighting higher this month, taking a slightly more defensive posture—a smart move given the recent rally in risk assets. No major corporate actions, but management continues rotating tactically into discounted funds where activist pressure or tenders could unlock value. It remains one of the favorite ways to earn yield while keeping optionality on the table.

SPDR Blackstone Senior Loan ETF (SRLN)
SRLN kept its rhythm with another solid monthly payout of roughly 28 cents per share. The floating-rate loan portfolio is performing well, benefiting from stable short-term rates and low defaults across corporate credit. It's not exciting, but it's steady, and that's the point.

Tortoise Energy Infrastructure Corp. (TYG)
This was the big story of the month. TYG completed its long-awaited merger with TEAF, simplifying the structure and expanding its asset base. More importantly, management raised the monthly distribution to $0.475 per share, confirming the strength of cash flows from midstream energy holdings. This merger strengthens both the income profile and scale of the fund—a clear win for long-term investors.

Angel Oak Financial Strategies Income Term Trust (FINS)
FINS declared its November dividend of $0.115 per share and announced a management fee waiver through next November, reducing expenses and improving net yield. The portfolio continues benefiting from stable community bank and structured credit exposure, both areas where Angel Oak's team has deep expertise. It remains one of the better-run niche credit funds in the market.

Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund (FAX)
No meaningful updates this month. The fund continues performing as designed with steady, diversified exposure to higher-yield sovereign and quasi-sovereign bonds across Asia and Australia.

Dorchester Minerals, L.P. (DMLP)
No major announcements or operational changes this month. The trust continues benefiting from stable production volumes and disciplined capital allocation. Cash flow remains healthy even with commodity prices moving sideways.

ArrowMark Financial Corp. (BANX)
BANX remains on solid footing. While shares drifted lower on light volume, fundamentals remain strong. The company announced a special dividend of $0.40 per share, payable in December, reflecting excess earnings from its bank sub-debt and risk-transfer portfolio. It's another reminder that small, well-run specialty finance companies can still generate real income without chasing leverage.

Nuveen Real Asset Income & Growth Fund (JRI)
JRI declared its regular $0.1335 monthly distribution. The fund's diversified real asset portfolio spanning REITs, utilities, and infrastructure debt has quietly benefited from easing rate pressures. The price moved modestly higher, keeping the discount to net asset value in check. A slow and steady contributor.

VanEck BDC Income ETF (BIZD)
The BDC space continues delivering reliable income, even as valuations cool a bit. BIZD's yield sits around 11%, and while performance lagged some more aggressive peers, the fund remains an easy, diversified way to capture private credit returns. As credit spreads normalize, this remains a core holding in the income sleeve.

WisdomTree Private Credit Fund (HYIN)
HYIN has been treading water as the private credit sector faces a bit more regulatory scrutiny and cautious sentiment from retail investors. Technical signals turned slightly negative early in the month, but fundamentals remain sound. It's worth holding for the yield while keeping an eye on liquidity and new issuance trends.

InfraCap Bond Income ETF (BNDS)
BNDS continues delivering steady results. The fund's 30-day SEC yield of roughly 7.6% remains compelling, and there were no surprises from management. It's a simple, well-executed way to capture high-income opportunities in investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds.

In summary, November was a classic "income month"—no fireworks, just cash hitting the account and a few quiet wins. The highlight was clearly the TYG merger and distribution increase, but the broader portfolio keeps doing what it's meant to do: provide stable, tax-efficient income from a carefully diversified mix of credit, real assets, and discounted funds.

The rest of the market can chase headlines. We'll keep collecting checks.