With many investors feeling the sting of taxes, municipal bonds aren’t the only option for tax-advantaged income. Preferred securities currently offer among the highest after-tax yields in fixed income, regardless of tax bracket.
1. High coupons from blue chip issuers.
Preferred securities are issued mostly by high-quality companies in the banking, insurance, real estate and utility sectors, many of them household names such as Bank of America, Prudential, AT&T and JPMorgan Chase.(1) However, because preferreds sit lower in the capital structure than senior and subordinated debt, they tend to pay higher income rates than similarly rated bonds.
EXHIBIT 1
Preferreds offer high, tax-advantaged income
At December 31, 2022. Source: Cohen & Steers, ICE BofA.
Data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. An investor cannot invest directly in an index, and index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, expenses or taxes. Index comparisons have limitations as volatility and other characteristics may differ from a particular investment. The information presented above does not reflect the performance of any fund or other account managed or serviced by Cohen & Steers, and there is no guarantee that investors will experience the type of performance reflected above. (a) Yields represented on a yield-to-maturity basis for intermediate-duration securities and a yield-to-worst basis for low-duration securities. After-tax income calculations based on current yields, do not include state and local taxes or Fund expenses, and assume taxation at the highest marginal Federal income tax rates. Preferred securities assumed to be taxed as 65% QDI-eligible and 35% interest income. Tax advantage of $8K based on $73K of income taxed as interest at the highest marginal rate of 40.8% ($43.2K after taxes), versus 65% of income assumed to be taxed as QDI, with an effective tax rate of 29.8% ($51K after taxes). See end notes for index associations, definitions and additional disclosures.
(1) Although a company’s senior debt rating may be rated investment grade by S&P, Moody’s and Fitch, an underlying security issued by such company may have a below investment grade rating.
2. Tax-advantaged income.
Typically, distributions from most preferreds are treated as qualified dividend income (QDI), taxed at a top rate of 20%, versus 37% for interest income (plus a 3.8% Medicare surcharge). If we conservatively assume that 65% of preferreds are QDI eligible, the effective top tax rate would be 29.8%—an 11% tax savings.
3. Higher current income potential than munis, before and after taxes.
Using current index yields, a $1 million investment in preferred securities would potentially generate $73K per year in pre-tax income (see Exhibit 1). Assuming 65% QDI, that would translate to $51K per year after taxes for investors in the top tax bracket—providing $8K more in after-tax income than if it were fully treated as interest.(1) This compares favorably to municipal bonds, which potentially offer only $40K per year in tax-free income. Preferreds’ yield advantage may be narrower versus municipal bonds that are exempt from state and local income taxes for investors who purchase the bonds issued by their state or municipality of residence.
Investors emphasizing capital preservation over appreciation may want to consult with their investment professional about low-duration preferred securities, which also offer attractive after-tax yields.
4. A track record of comparable (and often lower) risk.
While municipal bonds are often perceived as being lower-risk securities than preferreds, preferreds have historically compared favorably on key risk factors. Both have a history of low default rates, according to Moody’s data going back decades.(2) We believe preferreds have the potential to maintain low default rates, viewing them as well positioned to withstand periods of slowing or negative economic growth. Regulators annually subject financial companies—the leading issuer of preferreds—to rigorous economic “stress tests” aimed at ensuring adequate capital reserves. The preferred market is also well represented by high- cash-flow, less cyclical companies that investors trust to make regular payments.
High quality issuers and securities dominate both markets
(1) Yields represented on a yield-to-maturity basis for intermediate-duration securities and a yield-to-worst basis for low-duration securities. After-tax income calculations based on current yields, do not include state and local taxes or Fund expenses, and assume taxation at the highest marginal Federal income tax rates. Preferred securities assumed to be taxed as 65% QDI-eligible and 35% interest income. Tax advantage of $8K based on $73K of income taxed as interest at the highest marginal rate of 40.8% ($43.2K after taxes), versus 65% of income assumed to be taxed as QDI, with an effective tax rate of 29.8% ($51K after taxes). See end notes for index associations, definitions and additional disclosures.
(2) Preferreds: 2.0% average annual dividend impairment based on Moody’s study of annual dividend impairments, including default events and dividend omissions, for non-trust preferred securities from 1980–2012. Munis: 0.09% for the entire study period of municipal default rates over a five-year horizon for all public finance issuers from 1970–2017.
5. Better together.
Over the past 10 years, a 50/50 mix of municipal bonds and preferred securities would have delivered a higher return than municipals alone. The mix also appears attractive from an after-tax yield perspective, generating 60 basis points of extra yield over standalone municipal bonds (Exhibit 2).
EXHIBIT 2
Adding preferreds to a muni portfolio may improve risk-adjusted returns
10-year statistics
At December 31, 2022. Source: Cohen & Steers
Data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. An investor cannot invest directly in an index, and index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, expenses or taxes. Index comparisons have limitations as volatility and other characteristics may differ from a particular investment. The information above does not reflect the performance of any fund or other account managed or serviced by Cohen & Steers, and there is no guarantee that investors will experience the type of performance reflected above. After-tax yield based on current yield, using 2022 tax rates; see page 1 for tax assumptions. Risk is measured by standard deviation, which shows how much variation or dispersion exists from the average. Sharpe ratio is a measure of risk-adjusted return, calculated by subtracting the risk-free rate from a return and dividing that result by the standard deviation. The higher the Sharpe ratio, the higher the risk-adjusted return. See end notes for index associations, definitions and additional disclosures.
If you already own municipal bonds, you may want to talk with your financial professional about shifting some of your allocation to preferred securities. This can broaden your portfolio’s diversification—spreading risk across a wider range of issuers— while potentially enhancing take- home income.
Cohen & Steers’ actively managed preferred securities open-end mutual funds
Cohen & Steers U.S. registered open-end funds are distributed by Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, and are available only to U.S. residents.
Adding preferred securities to a portfolio of municipal bonds may help investors achieve better risk-adjusted performance while maintaining a focus on high-quality issuers.
FURTHER READING
Preferred securities call alert – $13 billion reinvestment opportunity
April 2024 | 2 minsInvestors are facing new challenges as many of their single-issued preferred securities may be subject to call—including some that are trading above par and could lose value. Now may be the time to look beyond single issues to the added value of an actively managed portfolio.
3 Reasons to own preferred securities today
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Index definitions and important disclosures
An investor cannot invest directly in an index, and index performance does not reflect the deduction of any fees, expenses or taxes. Index comparisons have limitations as volatility and other characteristics may differ from a particular investment.
Preferred securities: ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index (Credit quality: BBB) tracks the performance of fixed-rate U.S. dollar-denominated preferred securities issued in the U.S. domestic market. Exhibit 2: 50% ICE BofA Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index and 50% ICE BofA Capital Securities Index through December 31, 2016, 60% ICE BofA US IG Institutional Capital Securities Index, 30% ICE BofA Core Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index and 10% Bloomberg Barclays Developed Market USD Contingent Capital Index through 12/31/2018, and 60% ICE BofA US IG Institutional Capital Securities Index, 20% ICE BofA Core Fixed Rate Preferred Securities Index and 20% Bloomberg Barclays Developed Market USD Contingent Capital Index for periods thereafter. ICE BofA Capital Securities Index is a subset of the ICE BofA US Corporate Index including all fixed-to-floating rate, perpetual callable and capital securities. ICE BofA US IG Institutional Capital Securities Index tracks the performance of US dollar denominated investment grade hybrid capital corporate and preferred securities publicly issued in the US domestic market. Bloomberg Barclays Developed Market USD Contingent Capital Index includes hybrid capital securities in developed markets with explicit equity conversion or write down loss absorption mechanisms that are based on an issuer’s regulatory capital ratio or other explicit solvency-based triggers. Municipal bonds: ICE BofA Municipal Master Index (Credit quality: AA-) tracks the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade tax-exempt debt publicly issued by U.S. states and territories, and their political subdivisions, in the U.S. domestic market. Corporate bonds: ICE BofA Corporate Master Index (Credit quality: A-) tracks the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate debt publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market. Low-duration preferred securities: ICE BofA 8% Constrained Developed Markets Low Duration Capital Securities Custom Index (Credit quality: BBB-) tracks the performance of select U.S. dollar-denominated fixed and floating-rate preferred, corporate and contingent capital securities, with remaining term to final maturity of one year or more, but less than five years. Low-duration municipal bonds: (1-5 Year) ICE BofA Municipal Master Index (Credit quality: AA-) tracks the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade tax-exempt debt (with maturities of 1-5 years) publicly issued by U.S. states and territories, and their political subdivisions, in the U.S. domestic market. Low-duration corporate bonds: (1-5 Year) ICE BofA Corporate Master Index (Credit quality: A-) tracks the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated investment-grade corporate debt (with maturities of 1-5 years) publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market.
Please consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of any Cohen & Steers fund carefully before investing. A summary prospectus and prospectus containing this and other information may be obtained by visiting cohenandsteers.com or by calling 800 330 7348. Please read the summary prospectus and prospectus carefully before investing.
Data quoted represents past performance, which is no guarantee of future results. The views and opinions in the preceding commentary are as of the date of publication and are subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that investors will experience the type of performance reflected in this commentary. There is no guarantee that any historical trend illustrated in this commentary will be repeated in the future, and there is no way to predict precisely when such a trend will begin. There is no guarantee that a market forecast made in this commentary will be realized. The mention of specific securities is not a recommendation or solicitation for any person to buy, sell or hold any particular security and should not be relied upon as investment advice. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time, should not be relied upon as investment advice, is not intended to predict or depict performance of any investment and does not constitute a recommendation or an offer for a particular security. We consider the information in this material to be accurate, but we do not represent that it is complete or should be relied upon as the sole source of appropriateness for investment. Please consult with your investment, tax or legal professional regarding your individual circumstance before investing.
Risks of investing in preferred securities. Investing in any market exposes investors to risks. In general, the risks of investing in preferred securities are similar to those of investing in bonds, including credit risk and interest-rate risk. As nearly all preferred securities have issuer call options, call risk and reinvestment risk are also important considerations. In addition, investors face equity-like risks, such as deferral or omission of distributions, subordination to bonds and other more senior debt, and higher corporate governance risks with limited voting rights. Risks associated with preferred securities differ from risks inherent with other investments. In particular, in the event of bankruptcy, a company’s preferred securities are senior to common stock but subordinated to all other types of corporate debt. Throughout this commentary we will make comparisons of preferred securities to corporate bonds, municipal bonds and Treasury securities. It is important to note that corporate bonds sit higher in the capital structure than preferred securities and therefore, in the event of bankruptcy, will be senior to the preferred securities. Municipal bonds are issued and backed by state and local governments and their agencies, and the interest from municipal securities is often free from both state and local income taxes. Treasury securities are issued by the U.S. government and are generally considered the safest of all bonds since they are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government as to timely payment of principal and interest; additionally, U.S. Treasury interest is generally free from state and local income taxes.
Preferred funds may invest in below-investment-grade securities and unrated securities judged to be below investment grade by the Advisor. Below investment-grade securities or equivalent unrated securities generally involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of income and principal, and may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher-grade securities.
Contingent capital securities (sometimes referred to as “CoCos”) are debt or preferred securities with loss absorption characteristics built into the terms of the security, for example a mandatory conversion into common stock of the issuer under certain circumstances, such as the issuer’s capital ratio falling below a certain level. Since the common stock of the issuer may not pay a dividend, investors in these instruments could experience a reduced income rate, potentially to zero, and conversion would deepen the subordination of the investor, hence worsening the investor’s standing in a bankruptcy. Some CoCos provide for a reduction in the value or principal amount of the security under such circumstances. In addition, most CoCos are considered to be high yield or “junk” securities and are therefore subject to the risks of investing in below-investment-grade securities.
Duration risk. Duration is a mathematical calculation of the average life of a fixed-income or preferred security that serves as a measure of the security’s price risk to changes in interest rates (or yields). Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate (or yield) changes than securities with shorter durations. Duration differs from maturity in that it considers potential changes to interest rates, and a security’s coupon payments, yield, price and par value and call features, in addition to the amount of time until the security matures. Various techniques may be used to shorten or lengthen the Fund’s duration. The duration of a security will be expected to change over time with changes in market factors and time to maturity.
No representation or warranty is made as to the efficacy of any particular strategy or the actual returns that may be achieved.
This commentary must be accompanied by the most recent Cohen & Steers fund factsheet(s) and summary prospectus if used in conjunction with the sale of mutual fund shares.
Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. (Cohen & Steers) is a registered investment advisory firm that provides investment management services to corporate retirement, public and union retirement plans, endowments, foundations and mutual funds.
Cohen & Steers U.S. registered open-end funds are distributed by Cohen & Steers Securities, LLC, and are available only to U.S. residents.