Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, CFA
Head of Fixed Income and Preferred Securities
27 years of experience
Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, CFA, Senior 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.
STRATEGIES
FUNDS
Insights by Elaine Zaharis-Nikas, CFA
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.
Preferred securities: Resetting for a new cycle
Recent bank turbulence and the end of the Fed’s rate-hiking cycle create what we believe may be an exceptional buying opportunity for preferreds.
