Texas-based registered investment adviser MarketTrend Advisors has launched a strategy for investors who are interested in an alternative to a generic bond fund or a diversified bond portfolio.
MTA Income and uses MarketTrend Advisors’ proprietary trend-following models and is designed for investors seeking current income and capital preservation with low volatility.
“This new investment strategy uses a tactical asset allocation approach and provides downside protection by increasing the cash allocation when weakness in any individual asset class is detected – a feature that many investors are again clamoring for in light of the last few trading days,” says Garrett Beauvais (pictured), MarketTrend Advisors’ MTA Income portfolio manager.
The strategy invests in a variety of income-producing asset classes which may include investment-grade US corporate bonds, high yield US corporate bonds, US treasuries, mortgage-backed bonds, sovereign debt bonds including emerging market bonds, real estate investment trusts and oil and gas limited partnerships.
The portfolio primarily holds exchange-traded funds and closed end funds and may also invest in US-listed large cap stocks that provide consistently high dividend yields.
The strategy averages about one trade per month and usually holds seven to ten positions.
It is designed to complement existing equity investments and carries a one per cent annual management fee with a minimum account size of USD50,000.
“We expect that over the course of a typical year MTA Income will pay out 40 to 50 dividend payments equivalent to a yield of five to six per cent based on current valuations and interest rates,” adds Beauvais. “We found that our clients were seeking high yields but they did not want to be locked into income investments that matured in five, ten, or 20 years nor did they want to be heavily invested in junk bonds given the enormous run up that occurred over the last year. Now, with the introduction of MTA Income, we are able to provide them with the high yields, capital protection, low volatility and liquidity they are looking for.”
