Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund Commentary
Commentary | 4Q22
Quantitative equity strategy with call writing seeks enhanced total retuand downside capture
Strategy overview
Emerging markets equity strategy seeks to maximize total retuand generate higher income than the reference index, using model-driven stock selection call options writing.
Performance
For the quarter, the Fund provided a total retuof 11.62% on a net asset value basis, and a total retuof 12.31% on a market price basis. The Fund's reference index, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, returned 9.70%.
Equity portfolio
For the quarter ending
On the sector level, stock selection within the financials and consumer staples sectors contributed to performance. The key contributors included not owning
Option portfolio
The Fund's covered call strategy seeks to generate premiums and retain some potential for upside appreciation. This strategy detracted from returns during the period, as
the positive performance of the equity markets resulted in losses on the short call options. The Fund implemented this strategy by typically writing call options on the EEM exchange-traded fund (ETF). The strike prices of the options written were typically at or near the money, with expiration dates around one month at inception.
Outlook and current strategy
The Fund employs an actively managed emerging market (EM) equity strategy, designed to generate higher dividend income and total returns than the reference Index. The investment process creates a universe primarily constituted of stocks paying a dividend deemed to be sustainable and utilizes fundamentally driven sector-specific alpha models to identify the most attractive stocks within each sector. The portfolio is optimized to achieve its dividend and alpha objectives.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
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Commentary | 4Q22 |
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Stocks and bonds finished a hard 2022 on a high note. The major stock Indexes overcame negative returns in December to end the fourth quarter with strong gains in what was otherwise an abysmal year. International stocks outperformed US equities;
Investors can be forgiven for wanting to put 2022 in the rearview mirror. High inflation, rate hikes, market volatility, the war in
for optimism: The end of the global interest-rate hiking cycle may be in sight, letting markets focus more on economic fundamental factors. We believe prospects are improving for emerging markets, with
Holdings detail
Companies mentioned in this report - percentage of portfolio investments, as of 12/31/22:
is no longer in the portfolio. Portfolio holdings are subject to change daily.
Disclaimer
The MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index captures large- and mid-cap representation across 24 emerging-market (EM) countries. With 1,387 constituents, the Index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risks of fluctuating prices and the uncertainties of rates of retuand yield inherent in investing. All security transactions involve substantial risk of loss. The performance quoted represents past performance. Investment retuand principal value of an investment will fluctuate, and shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted.
Total investment retuat market share price measures the change in the market value of your investment assuming reinvestment of dividends, capital gain distributions and retuof capital distributions/allocations, if any, in accordance with the provisions of the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. Total investment retuat market share price is not annualized for periods less than one year. Closed-end funds like the Fund do not continuously offer shares for sale and are not required to buy shares back from investors upon request. Shares of closed-end funds trade on national stock exchanges. Therefore, market share prices are not directly affected by Fund expenses or fees, which ordinarily have the effect of lowering total return.
Total investment retuat net asset value has been calculated assuming a purchase at net asset value at the beginning of the period and a sale at net asset value at the end of the period; and assumes reinvestment of dividends, capital gain distributions and retuof capital distributions/allocations, if any, in accordance with the provisions of the dividend reinvestment plan. Net Asset Value is total assets less total liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net Asset Value is net of all fund expenses, including operating costs and management fees. Total investment retuat net asset value is not annualized for periods less than one year.
Principal risks: All investing involves risks of fluctuating prices and the uncertainties of rates of retuand yield inherent in investing. Price volatility, liquidity, and other risks that accompany an investment in equity securities of domestic and foreign companies, and small and mid-sized capitalized companies. International investing does pose special risks including currency fluctuation, economic and political risks not found in investments that are solely domestic. Risks of foreign investing are generally intensified for investments in emerging markets.
Options risk: The Fund may purchase put and call options and may write (sell) put options and call options and is subject to Options Risk. The risk in writing a call option is that the Fund gives up the opportunity for profit if the market price of the security increases and the option is exercised. The risk in buying an option is that the Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. Risks may also arise from an illiquid secondary market or from the inability of counter-parties to meet the terms of the contract. When an option is exercised or closed out, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities or to deliver portfolio securities to satisfy its obligations when it would not otherwise choose to do so, or the Fund may choose to sell portfolio securities to realize gains to offset the losses realized upon option exercise. Such sales or delivery would involve transaction costs borne by the Fund and may also result in realization of taxable capital gains, including short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income tax rates, and may adversely impact the Fund's after-tax returns.
This Fund has additional risks that you should consider, such as market discount risk, investment and market risk, foreign investment and emerging markets risk, foreign (non-US) currency risk,
The strategy employs a quantitative investment process. The process is based on a collection of proprietary computer programs, or models, that calculate expected returankings based on variables such as earnings growth prospects, valuation, and relative strength.
Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems, which may negatively affect performance. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the quantitative models used in managing the strategy will perform as anticipated or enable the strategy to achieve its objective.
This commentary has been prepared by
The opinions, views and information expressed in this commentary regarding holdings are subject to change without notice. The information provided regarding holdings is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Fund holdings are fluid and are subject to daily change based on market conditions and other factors.
©2023
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