Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, CFA
Head of Fixed Income and Preferred Securities
27 years of experience
Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, CFA, Executive Vice President, is Head of Fixed Income and Preferred Securities and a senior portfolio manager for the firm’s preferred securities portfolios. Prior to joining Cohen & Steers in 2003, Ms. Zaharis-Nikas worked at JPMorgan Chase for five years as a credit analyst and J.P. Morgan for three years as an internal auditor. Ms. Zaharis-Nikas holds a BS from New York University. She is based in New York.
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Insights by Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, CFA
Income investing redefined: The case for preferred securities
High yield does not have to mean high risk—preferred securities offer investors a compelling middle ground, providing attractive income, total returns and portfolio diversification from high-quality issuers.
Understanding quality, ratings and long-term compensation of preferred securities
Preferreds provide attractive income and total returns from high-quality securities; despite added risks, default rates can be lower than credit ratings suggest.
Yields, regulations reinforce a positive preferred securities outlook
We see scope for good relative performance, given appealing valuations and structures that can benefit from high interest rates. Solid issuer fundamentals today and tighter bank regulations to come may provide a credit tailwind.
