JFR announced a transferable rights offering, allowing existing shareholders to purchase new shares at a discount. This move will increase the fund's assets under management (AUM) and liquidity but may cause short-term price weakness. The fund remains heavily weighted towards leveraged loans (84% of holdings) with a low duration of 0.44 years and high leverage (38%).
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund (NYSE: JFR) today announced that its Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has approved the terms of the issuance of transferable rights (“Rights”) to the holders of the Fund's common shares (par value $.01 per share) (“Common Shares”) as of January 21, 2025 (the “Record Date”). Holders of Rights will be entitled to subscribe for additional Common Shares (the “Offer”) at a discount to the market price of the Common Shares. After considering.
The Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund offers an attractive 11.50% yield, but is unlikely to maintain this due to expected Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. The fund's reliance on floating-rate senior loans means its income will decrease as interest rates decline, making its current distribution unsustainable. The fund failed to cover its distribution fully out of NII in the most recent year.
Floating rate funds like JFR offer decent distribution yields and should continue to do so despite expected rate cuts, as rates aren't expected to go back to zero. JFR remains relatively attractive compared to peers in the closed-end fund senior loan space, though bargain valuations are tougher to come by in this space. With a high amount of leverage, there is relatively more risk to be cognizant of here, but that can come with greater reward as well.
The Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund offers a significantly higher yield than most fixed-rate bond funds, currently at 11.68%. The fund primarily invests in floating-rate securities that deliver a higher level of income when short-term rates rise, while maintaining a relatively stable price. The fund's high yield may not be enough to keep up with inflation after paying taxes on distributions, so holding it in a tax-advantaged account is recommended.
Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund invests in leveraged loans. We rated JFR as "Buy" previously. JFR has delivered a total return of over 19% since its merger with other Nuveen leveraged loan CEFs. The fund is overweight in single-B credits and has a low allocation to riskier CCC-s.
Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund is a closed-end fund that primarily invests in floating-rate, senior loans. The fund has a consistent dividend history, with fluctuations based on interest rate trends. JFR has a diversified portfolio, with a concentration in the Hotels, Restaurants, and Leisure industry, which poses a risk in tough economic times.
JFR merged with three of its sister funds earlier this year, which were all focused on floating rates or holding a short-duration fixed-income portfolio. This combination made JFR the largest floating-rate focused fund in the closed-end fund space, larger hasn't meant necessarily better though. The fund's discount appears attractive and the distribution rate is fully covered; however, its performance has been a bit lackluster relative to some peers.
The Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund offers a high level of income with a current yield of 12.72% and increasing distributions. The fund has outperformed traditional fixed-rate bond indices YTD and has a positive total return despite a price decline. The fund's focus on floating-rate securities make it attractive during periods of rising interest rates, which could very easily be the case for a while due to US fiscal policy.
20 out of 22 CEF sectors positive on price. Nuveen senior loan funds merger is complete. The combined JFR boosted its distribution by 14%.