Showing posts with label ETB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ETB. Show all posts
High Yields Hiding in Wall Street
Posted On Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at at 2:19 PM by Finance Fanatic It has definitely been a roller coaster the past two years in the stock market. On both the Bull and the Bear side, there has been a lot of money made. As of now, it has become much more difficult to find "high yielding" investment instruments than it was a couple of years ago. Banks are lucky to give you .5%, and even more riskier investments (or illiquid) may offer you in the 3-4% range. But it seems as if the days of 9-10% dividends are gone...or are they?
There continues to remain several opportunities to pursue high yields in equity markets, despite being in a recession. I thought I would share a few tips.
First, is to look outside of the usual common stock play. Stocks are great and there are opportunities, however, it is where every Tom, Dick, and Harry invests when they open a bank account. It is harder to find opportunities, in a market like ours currently, in the stock realm. For me, I enjoy adding preferred shares to the mix of my portfolio. For many companies offering yields, you may find a 3% yield on their common shares. A lot of the times, you can purchase their preferred shares and enjoy a 6-7% yield. This is common with major companies like Verizon, GE, and Proctor & Gamble.
Second, dig deep. Sometimes, large company stocks get a bit "over trendy" which equates to an inflated stock price. There are many hidden jewels out there that for whatever reason, do not have a high trading volume, but offer some very enticing yields. Do be aware, that there are some stocks out there claiming ridiculous yields that should cause for a red flag. Make sure to do a bit research on the company before purchasing, as to not get scammed.
Income Deposit Securities and Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) can be great investment vehicles. These act as traded partnerships, in which equity (units) are offered to investors in a particular industry. These are very common in the Real Estate and Financial sectors. These instruments commonly have much greater yields than common stock trades.
I have also found that there are many Canadian REITs that are offering very high yields. There are several strong companies that are offering near 10% yields on their stock. Sure, in Canada, you do not have the "security" you do in the US, but there hasn't been any problems there in quite along time. For those of you have big appetites for big returns, I would definitely check out a few Canadian REITs.
Many bonds have taken a beating of this market due to a strong pullback in consumer confidence. Well, heading into the holiday season, we usually see our spike in consumer confidence, which usually tends to bring back the bond markets for a short period. A great way to get some big yields is by purchasing discounted bonds. Exchange Traded Bonds can be a great buy for those that have been oversold due to uncertainty. Look for those strong bonds that are trading well below their par for a chance to see some very high returns.
As it is with the game of risk/return, remember that seeking higher returns usually means taking on higher risks. This is no exception. As I do feel that my above noted practices do provide pretty secure investment opportunities and have for me in the past, there is still always the possibility of not reaching high returns or losing money. Make sure to do your own due diligence before purchasing any investment vehicle.