Monday, March 30, 2026

AES, APA, BHK, BMEZ, CSR, FNLC, GIS, HNNAZ, LKQ, PFXF, PGX, REXR, RITM, RMT, T, UMH

Dollar Values of Trades Discussed in this Post

Inflow Common Stock/Stock Fund Purchases: $1,583.97

Outflow Common Stocks/Stock Fund: $1,010.09

Realized Gains Common Stocks/Stock Fund: $154.63

Net Inflow Common Stocks/Stock Funds:  $573.88

Treasury Bills Purchased at Auction: $10,000 in principal amount. This is a reduction from the recent 40 T bill weekly purchases. I am devoting more proceeds from maturing T Bills to purchases of short term corporate bonds, a majority of which mature next year. I live in Tennessee which does not have a state income tax. The after state tax yield of corporate bond interest payments is consequently irrelevant to me. If I lived in a state that taxed corporate bond interest, I would need to take that into account when buying any corporate bonds compared to buying treasury bills and notes.

Corporate Bonds: $20,000 in principal amount (cost $19,731.66, 12 of the 20 bonds mature in 2027) I do not net corporate bond redemptions with new purchases in this section.  I have corporate bonds maturing every week which I generally do not discuss here unless it is an early redemption. I cut off discussions with bonds purchased last Tuesday. Over the next 3 days, I purchased 18 more bonds that will be discussed in my next post. All but 2 of those bonds mature in 2027. 

Inflow "Preferred" Stock ETFs: $197.53

Inflow Exchange Traded Bond: $248.5 

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Economy

Trump: U.S. to destroy Iran’s oil wells, Kharg Island if deal not reached Trump claims that there are "serious" discussions to end the war which has led to a stock market rally so far today If those negotiations do not result in the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump will destroy all Iranian oil wells, power plants, possibly all desalinization plants, and Kharg Island. This sounds extremely desperate to me.  

Trump: "The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran. Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet ‘touched.’”Trump "Truth" Social

The continued rise in energy stocks today signal that many investors are not buying into Trump's claim that the Strait of Hormuz will be opened soon (Examples  CVX $213.61 +$2.48;  XOM $174.57 + $3.58 both as of 11:10 CST on 3/30/28).  

Assuming there are in fact negotiations, which is at least questionable given Trump's total untrustworthiness, the negotiations may not be with anyone capable of controlling the IRGC. 

Analysis: Trump tries to conjure a new reality as Iran war hits one-month fork in roadRep. Jim Himes accuses Trump of "flat-out lying" about negotiating with Iran - CBS News Himes is the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. It is conceivable that Trump is telling the truth about ongoing negotiations. Since I view him to be the most untrustworthy well known person alive today, I assume any statement made by him is false or at best misleading until I have reliable confirmatory evidence that he is being truthful. I do not have that evidence now and would not classify any representation made by Kushner and Witcoff, who are conflicted, as being that reliable evidence. 

I see no indication that the IRGC is standing down from attacks. There is no reason why Iran would trust Trump. 

How the big oil and gas CEOs think the Iran war supply disruption will play out

US Fixed 30-Year Mortgage Rate Jumps to Six-Month High as Iran War Drags On As the ten year treasury yield moves higher, both the 15 and 30 year mortgage rates will trend up as well. The ten year treasury yield was at 3.97% on 2/27/28, one day before the War with Iran started and hit 4.39% on 3/20/26.  The close last Friday (3/27/26) was at 4.4%. 

2026 Daily Treasury Rates | U.S. Department of the Treasury

On 2/27/25, the 5 year breakeven inflation rates was at 2.4% and closed last Friday at 2.56% Investors are expecting the annual average inflation rate of those period to be higher than the expectation the day prior to the war starting. 5 Year Breakeven Inflation Rate-St. Louis Fed The 5 year breakeven inflation rate is the annual average CPI needed for the buyer of the 5 year TIP to breakeven with the buyer of the 5 year non-inflation protected treasury. It is viewed as a prediction of the annual average inflation rate over the next 5 years. 

As of 3/27/26, the CME FedWatch tool had only a 3% probability of any Fed federal funds (FF) rate cut on or before the December 2026 meeting. The probability of at least a .25% FF rate hike was at 24.6%. One month ago, prior to the start of the Iran War, the probability of at least a 50 basis point cut on or before the December meeting was at 78.9%:

FedWatch - CME Group

US import prices post biggest increase in four years amid broad rise in goods | Reuters 

"U.S. import prices increased 1.3 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, following a 0.6-percent advance in January. Higher prices for nonfuel imports and fuel imports drove the increase in February" U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes summary - 2026 M02 Results

Bahrain aluminum giant says Iranian attack targeted its facility (3/29/26). The Iran Was has caused worldwide aluminum prices to rise. U.S. aluminum prices will rise due to the republican tariff taxes on aluminum imports paid by U.S. importers. June 2025: 50% US Tariffs Steel and Aluminum Impact | BCG Those sector tariffs were imposed by Trump under section 232 of the 1974 Tariff Act which was not covered by the recent Supreme Court decision that struck down the republican tariff taxes under IEEPA. Expanded Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum-Library of Congress

Trump attacks on offshore wind could hurt infrastructure spendingTrump Is Paying Companies to Shut Down Wind Farms - YouTube Trump is causing the U.S. treasury to pay companies to shut down wind power. 

Iran oil crisis is the worst energy shock ever recorded. World leaders aren't ready, says IEA chief | Fortune

Trump paused the "obliteration" of Iran's civilian power plants unless Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz to Monday, 4/6/26 at 8 P.M. Eastern Time from last Saturday. The extension IMO was a response to a dive in the stock market last Thursday and a rise in interest rates. The change was made a few minutes after the market closed last Thursday.

Trump claimed that the negotiations were going very well, the purported reason for postponing the attacks, but then stated that Iran needs to get "serious" soon or Trump will send the country back to the stone age. It is not possible to reconcile those statements.  

Trump Trots Out Wildly Contradictory Iran War Claims — And Says He Doesn't Care If There's A Peace Deal 

Some ships carrying crude oil or LNG destined for countries viewed as friedly by Iran have been allowed safe passage after paying a "toll". China paying Iran's "toll booth" in Strait of Hormuz - NewsweekIran plans tolls on ships passing through Strait of HormuzIran's 'Tehran toll' booth forces some tankers to pay millions to leave Strait of Hormuz

While safe passage for a few tankers carrying LNG and crude oil destined for "friendly" countries were allowed after paying a toll, Trump's claim that negotiations were going very well provoked an unexpected response from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC warned 2 Chinese flagged container ships, who were carrying cargo from Asia to non-Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf, about traveling through the Strait. Chinese Ships Fail To Exit Strait of Hormuz - Newsweek  That resulted in last Friday's stock market decline.  

Mattis delivers harsh Iran assessment: "We're in a tough spot"

The US would need a million troops to control Iran – not the few thousand currently on their way | The Independent 

Using a much smaller force to occupy the mountainous terrain around the Strait and/or Kharg Island could easily lead to a military disaster even with massive and uncontested air support.

Why seizing Iran’s Kharg Island could be a trap of America’s own making It is easy to predict multiple bad outcomes that may result including U.S. forces being pounded with missiles and drones, possibly some artillery shells, with the runway destroyed on Kharg Island destroyed resulting in resupply or evacuation becoming problematic and risky. 

Another possibility is that oil storage tanks on the island could be hit, intentionally or unintentionally, and blow up causing a massive chain reaction and the loss of all or almost all U.S. forces occupying the island. Even if Iran refrains from attacking the troops, fearing the destruction of its energy infrastructure facilities, it has publicly stated that it will attack similar facilities and water desalination plants in the area. And, the Strait of Hormuz would still be blocked. 

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Trump and His Political Party

One of the Orwellian comments made by Karoline Leavitt last week: "Look, if you've heard from the president of the United States, obviously it's true". She has an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, a common incurable illness among Trumpsters who still believe that Trump is honest, even a Messiah Chosen by God to rule the U.S. and the World. Trump says "I run the country and the world" in interview with The Atlantic - YouTube

UK security adviser Johnathan Powell ‘attended’ US-Iran talks and judged deal was within reach - The Guardian This was shortly before Trump decided to attack Iran. A footnote to the article notes that the British government claimed that "no team of British officials participated in the negotiations". That is a non-denial denial of course. Powell was not involved in the negotiations but was an observer. Kushner and Witcoff, the U.S. negotiating team, do not have the expertise to judge what Iran was offering 

If Trump orders the U.S. military to send Iran back to the stone age, destroying its civilian power plants, oil wells, energy infrastructure and  desalination plants, the death toll of the civilian population will easily run into the tens of thousands, and Iran would become a failed state with nothing to lose. That order, when carried out by the U.S. military, would be both a war crime and a crime against humanity IMO - an illegal order by the Commander-in-Chief. Those attacks will likely result IMO in the U.S. being classified as a pariah nation in the free world. The result will be Trump's indictment, along with the high ranking military officers who gave the orders, by the International Criminal Court. International Criminal Court The U.S. does not recognize the jurisdiction of that Court and Trump has even leveled sanctions against its members by an EO. U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court - Harvard Law School (3/25/26). 

For countries that do, there would be a treaty obligation to turn over to that Court anyone indicted by it. High ranking officers could be subject to court martial when a Democrat elected President removes high ranking officers  appointed by Trump, who will not be in a position to save them from punishment. 

Trump says he doesn't want to call Iran conflict a "war" because of need for approval from Congress - CBS News In our 100% pure Orwellian government, a war is not a war unless Trumps publicly says it is a war at least 100 times and all instances are caught on tape and distributed worldwide. Instead, the conflict with Iran is a "little  excursion", sort of like taking the kids to the beach. Trump again refers to Iran war as "a little excursion," says "won't be much longer" - YouTube

Another federal district court found that the Secretary of War violated the First Amendment again, something that is now routine for the Secretary of War. Anthropic wins preliminary injunction in Trump DOD fight

Justice Department found no evidence of a crime in Federal Reserve renovation project, prosecutor admits - CBS News This will not prevent Trump's DOJ from pursuing Powell. 

Billionaire Donald Trump Says He Couldn't Care Less About High Costs During War

Trump: "I don't care" whether the Iran war ends.  Trump: ‘I don't care’ about making Iran deal - YouTube I believe him. He does not care how much harm he causes. That is consistent with his psychopathy. IMO, he has not felt a millisecond of empathy or remorse for the young children killed in U.S. missile attacks on the Minab girl's school

Hegseth Sparks Racism Concerns With Military Promotions Hegseth's Chief of Staff, Rick Buria, reportedly told a military official that Trump did not "want to stand next to a Black female officer at military events".  Buria denied the claim. The Secretary of the Army claimed that Trump was not a racist.  

Trump signature to appear on US currency, ending 165-year tradition | Reuters   

The new Trump U.S. $1 coin will have an eagle on the back.-The Guardian

Trump claims Iran gave him a ‘prize’ related to oil and the Strait of Hormuz - that was ‘very significant’ | The IndependentTrump says Iran's new leaders 'gave us a present' related to oil and Strait of Hormuz | PBS News (3/24/26) According to Trump the present was that Iran allowed 10 ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says Iran let 10 oil ships through Strait of Hormuz as 'present' Trump thinks that the ships were Pakistani flagged, viewed by Iran as a friendly country. 

Iran has stated in the past that arrangements had been made to allow LNG and crude oil tankers destined from friendly countries, at least those willing to pay a toll. Iran will allow ‘non-hostile vessels’ to pass through Strait of Hormuz (3/24/26); Iran Allows ‘Non-Hostile’ Ships To Transit Strait Of Hormuz As Global Oil Trade Faces Massive Disruption. This was not a present to the U.S. The Strait remains closed to most nations including all U.S. allies or perceived as allies by Iran which includes UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. But Trump wanted to sell it to the American people as progress in the negotiations. 

Trump claimed that Iran was "begging" for a deal. 

Trump: "They’re gonna make a deal." 

Trump also claims that there has been a "regime change" since several leaders were killed in airstrikes, and there are new leaders. Most analysts view the new leaders as more hard line than the ones killed by the U.S. and Israel. Donald Trump insists Iran regime change already happened | The Jerusalem Post There has been no regime change, but only personnel changes in the existing regime.  

National Security Council staffers fired after Trump met with far-right activist Laura Loomer: Sources - ABC News Nate Swanson, one of career staffers at the National Security Council staffers that Trump fired at Loomer's behest, was the head of the Iran Desk who wrote this article published in Foreign Affairs predicting what would happen shortly before Trump started the War. Why Iran Will Escalate: U.S. Military Strikes and the Risk of a Quagmire (2/24/26)(subscription publication, worth the price IMO)(In February 2026, Swanson notes that Khamenei threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if Iran was attacked, and Iran's UN ambassador stated  that all nearby "bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force … would constitute legitimate targets" What did President Trump know about Iran before going to war : NPRHow America’s War on Iran Backfired | Foreign Affairs

The House Republicans gave Trump the inaugural "America First Award", a "golden" statute of course.  Republicans give Trump inaugural 'America First award' - YouTubeTrump receives yet another prize while addressing Republican fundraiser with rambling speech blasting Democrats The House Republicans are treating Trump like a child. Foreign leaders have been doing the same starting in Trump's first term. Juncker used ‘brightly coloured, simple flashcards’ to explain trade to Trump during meeting 


Sharpie Rebuts Trump’s Account of Phone Call With Company‘Embarrassing’: Former Secretary of the Army reacts to Trump’s 5-minute Sharpie ramble - YouTubeTrump creates his own reality. The question that I have had for several years is whether he is just lying or is unable to distinguish reality from his reality creations.  (My Video, published over 2 year ago: Can Trump Distinguish True from False or is He Just Delusionary - YouTube)  

Trump rages at Supreme Court for tariff ruling Trump made the following comment about Justices Gorsuch and Barrett, two of the 6 Monarchists on the Supreme Court: “And they sicken me. They sicken me because they’re bad for our country."  I define Monarchists as Justices who are creating powers and immunities for the President that King George would have envied in 1776 Consequently they are undermining the reason why there was an American Revolution and a Constitution that limited the powers of the President and created 3 co-equal branches of government. Gorsuch and Barrett are "bad for our country", not because of the tariff ruling which prevented Trump in this one example from exercising powers reserved to Congress, but because they are Monarchists and deeply reactionary on all other important issues.     

DHS funding talks in limbo after Trump calls on GOP to link bill to SAVE America Act - CBS News  Trump demanded that his minions link support for the SAVE Act passage to DHS funding, which would insure continued chaos at the airports. Trump claimed that Jesus wanted this linkage. The "Chosen One, anointed by God, not the other Supreme Being, to rule the World": "I'm requesting that the Republican senators do that immediately. You don't have to take a fast vote, don't worry about Easter, going home. In fact, make this one for Jesus." Trump the Anointed | Westar Institute“Trump Has Been Anointed by Jesus” to Wage War on Iran: U.S. Commanders Accused of Promoting Holy War 

Paying Our Great Transportation Security Administration Officers and Employees – The White House (Trump EO dated 3/27/26). It is my understanding that the republican Big Beautiful Bill had $10B in the DHS appropriation that could be used by the President for any purpose. Trump always had it in his power to pay the TSA employees. 

US Ally Phillipines Declares National Emergency Due To Oil Crisis From Iran War - Newsweek

Trump Taunts Joe Kent for Remarrying After Wife Was Killed Only a psychopath would make that remark. 

Hegseth prays at Pentagon service for ‘overwhelming violence’ against enemies-The Guardian There are Christians and then there are Trumpster self-proclaimed "christians"

James Talarico reacts after Pete Hegseth's pastor prays for his death - Newsweek

Trump's DOJ agreed to pay $1.2M to Michael Flynn, a former Trump advisor and current strong ally, to settle his malicious criminal prosecution suit. Justice Department reaches financial settlement with former Trump adviser Michael FlynnJustice department to pay settlement to Trump ally Michael Flynn A federal judge had dismissed the suit prior to Trump starting his second term. Flynn had pled guilty to lying to the FBI. Michael Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI Trump pardoned Flynn who later claimed that his criminal prosecution was in response to his association with Trump. Just another outrage.  

Taxpayers’ Tab for Donald Trump’s Golf Habit Crosses $100 million Trump was repeatedly critical of Obama playing golf an average of 1 time every 8.77 days during his two terms, with 107 of the rounds played at the nearby Andrews air force base. 

Trump forgets his Obama criticisms - POLITICO (2/11/2017); Trump in 2016: 'I don't have time' for golf - YouTubeDonald Trump Golf TrackerDonald Trump and golf - Wikipedia (Trump cheats) There is also a video of Trump driving a golf cart across a green. President Donald Trump Drives Golf Cart On The Green | TODAY - YouTube 

Trump doesn't care about anyone other than himself and possibly some family members. He really just does not care. Whenever he tries to sound emphatic, it is so obviously fake IMO. 

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1. Small Ball Common Stock/Stock Fund Buys

With continued declines in stocks, particularly the dividend paying ones, I moved this week into a net add mode for stocks, but just barely given my assessments of the risk/reward balance in the context of my investment objectives that place an emphasis on preservation of capital and income generation. 

A. Added to RITM in Vanguard Account - Bought 10 at $9.08+:

Quote: RITHM Capital at Zacks

Cost: $90.85

RITM Detailed Earnings Estimates - Zacks.com

RITM SEC Filings

RITM SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report (Risk factor summary starts at page 20 and ends at page 72)

Reuters Profile Page

Website: Rithm | Home

New average cost per share this account: $9.35 (20 shares)

Dividend: Quarterly at $.25 per share

RITM Stock Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at New AC10.695%

The yield highlights the risk. 

Last Ex Dividend: 12/31/25

Last DiscussedItem # 4.A. Started RITM in Vanguard Account - Bought 10 at $9.61 (3/16/26 Post) I discussed the last earnings report in that post and have nothing further to add here. SEC Filed Press Release

B. Added to BMEZ - Bought 5 at $13.9, 10 at $13.8 - Schwab Account:

Quote: BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust (BMEZ) at Yahoo Finance

Cost: $207.5

Last DiscussedItem # 4.D.  Started BMEZ - Bought 10 at $14.48; 5 at $14.27 (3/16/26 Post) 

BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust (BMEZ) at Morningstar (currently rated 2 stars)

Portfolio | Morningstar Lists top 23 holdings 

BMEZ SEC Filings 

New average cost per share this account: $14.12 (30 shares)

Snapshot Intraday on 3/23/26 after last add

DividendMonthly at Currently at $.11 per share ($1.32 annually)

Some ROC support which has been reduced or eliminated in some months after being slashed from over $.16: 

BMEZ Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

The only way to support the dividend is through capital gains. 

Yield at $14.12: 9.3%

Last Ex Dividend: 3/13/26 (owned all as of)

Data Date of 3/23/26 Trade

Closing Net Asset Value per share: $15.89

Closing Market Price: $13.85

Discount: -12.84%

Average 3 Year Discount: -11.39%

Sourced: BMEZ - CEF Connect (Click "Pricing Information" Tab)

C. Started REXR - Bought 5 at $33.79; 5 at $33.2; 5 at $32.75; 5 at $32.35  (Schwab Account):

Quote: Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. (REXR) at Yahoo Finance

Cost: $660.45

52 week price range: $29.68-$44.38 

These are my first purchase of the common stock. 

Rexford Industrial owns "industrial properties throughout infill Southern California, the world's fourth largest industrial market and consistently the highest-demand with lowest-supply major market in the nation over the long term. . . . Rexford Industrial’s high-quality, irreplaceable portfolio comprised 419 properties with approximately 51.2 million rentable square feet occupied by a stable and diverse tenant base."

Occupancy as of 12/31/25: 96.5%

REXR SEC Filings

The 52 week high was hit on 10/20/25. The price decline made this REIT's dividend yield slightly more attractive with a starter position. Further purchases must be at the lowest price in the chain.   

Average cost per share: $33.02 (20 shares)

Dividend: Quarterly at $.435 per share ($1.74 annually), last raised from $.43 effective for the 2026 first quarter payment. 

REXR Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at  : 5.27%

Next Ex Dividend: 3/31/26

Last Earnings Report (Q/E 12/31/25): 

SEC Filed Press Release and SEC Filed Supplemental 

Revenues: $243.23M

GAAP E.P.S. = ($.30), down from $.27

The 2025 4th quarter GAAP included a $19.931M gain from property dispositions compared to none in 2024 4th quarter. The GAAP E.P.S. was lower due to a $89.097M impairment, a non-cash charge. 

FFO per share: $.31, down from $.58. 

Core FFO per share: $.59, up from $.58

Reconciliation: 

2025 Core FFO per share: $2.4, up from $2.34 in 2024. 

The non-cash depreciation expense was reported at $315.919M in 2025, up from $275.247M in 2024. This non-cash expense is added back to GAAP net (loss) income in the FFO calculation.

2026 Guidance: Core FFO per share of $2.35-$2.4

The lack of Core FFO per share growth in 2026 compared to 2025 is a negative IMO. Core FFO per share was reported at $2.19 in 2023, up from $1.98 in 2022. SEC Filing 

I suspect Trump's trade war is largely responsible for the stagnation given the concentration of industrial properties located in California. 

REXR Owned Preferred Stock: I own REXRPRC which was  discussed in my last post: Item # 6.D. Added to REXRPRC in Fidelity Account - Bought 5 at $20.5 (3/23/26 Post). This equity preferred stock has a 5.625% coupon paid on a $25 par value.  

D. Started CSR - Bought 5 at $57

Quote: Centerspace (CSR)  at Yahoo Finance - Small Apartment REIT

Cost: $285 

As of 12/31/25, CSR "owned 61 apartment communities, containing 12,262 homes and having a total real estate investment amount, net of accumulated depreciation, of $1.9 billion."  A list of apartment communities can be found at pages 23-24. 

CSR SEC Filings 

CSR 2025 SEC Filed Annual Report

Dividend: Quarterly at $.77 per share ($3.08 annually), last raised from $.75 effective for the 2025 second quarter payment

CSR Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $57: 5.4035%

Last Ex Dividend: 3/30/26

Last Earnings Report (Q/E 12/31/25): 

SEC Filing 

Weighted average occupancy: 95.3%

Revenues: $66.621M, up from $66.409M

GAAP E.P.S. ($1.1), up from ($.31)

FFO per share: $1.14, up from $1.09

Core FFO per share: $1.25, up from $1.21

2025 Core FFO per share: $4.93, up from $4.88 in 2024. 

Reconciliation: 

There was a non-cash impairment charge of $14.5M included in the GAAP calculation that was added back in the FFO adjustments to GAAP.   

There is no AFFO calculation in the preceding table. The NAREIT definition of AFFO would deduct routine capital expense (maintenance expenditures) from FFO or Core FFO, which are a major cash expense for apartments, to arrive at AFFO, sometimes called Funds Available for Distribution or Cash Available for Distribution. The recurring capital expense for the 2025 was reported at $3.599M. The total for 2025 was reported at $15.211M. To arrive at AFFO per share for 2025, I deducted $15.211M from the Core FFO available to common shareholders of $97.203M. The total AFFO was $81.922M. I then dividend that number by the diluted shares outstanding as of 12/31/25 (19.815M), which gave me a $4.138 AFFO per share number, comfortably above the annual dividend per share of $3.08. 

Data Sourced from page S-16: 


Maintenance expenses incurred by Apartment REITs will generally have significant variance on an annual basis. 

E. Added to UMH - Bought 5 at $14 (Schwab Account)

Quote: UMH Properties, Inc. (UMH) at Yahoo Finance

Cost: $70

UMH is a REIT that "currently owns and operates 145 manufactured home communities containing approximately 27,100 developed homesites, of which contain 11,000 contain rental homes, and over 1,000 self-storage units."

UMH SEC Filings 

UMH SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report 

New average cost per share this account: $15.36 (82+ shares)

Dividend: Quarterly at $.225 per share ($.90 annually)

UMH Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $15.36: 5.86%

Last Ex Dividend: 2/17/26

Last DiscussedItem # 3.G. Pared UMH in Fidelity Account - Sold 5 at $16.25  (3/3/26 Post) I discussed the last earnings report in that post and have nothing further to add here. SEC Filed Press Release and SEC Filed Supplemental The average cost per share in my Fidelity account is at $14.26 with the dividend yield at 6.31%.  

UMH Owned Preferred Stock:  UMH Properties Preferred Series D Stock at Google FinanceLast discussed here: Item # 5.A. Added to UMHPRD in Schwab Account - Bought 5 at $21.9 (1/1/26 Post)Item # 4.A. Added to UMHPRD in Fidelity Account - Bought 5 at $21.95 (12/5/25 Post) This preferred stock has a 6.375% coupon paid on a $25 par value. Dividends are cumulative. 

F. Added to AES- Bought 10 at $14.1

Quote: AES Corp (AES) at  Google Finance

Cost: $141 

AES SEC Filings 

AES SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report 

AES has agreed to be acquired for $15 per share in cash. Consortium Led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT Agrees to Acquire AES | AES "Dividends payable to AES stockholders are expected to continue in the ordinary course until the closing, subject to approval by AES’ Board of Directors." 

Average cost per share$14.15 (50 shares)

Dividend: Quarterly at $.1759 ($.7036 annually)

AES Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $14.15: 4.97%

Next Ex Dividend: 5/1/26

As previously discussed, adding to my AES position is a small bet that AES will be acquired for $15 per share, but that is not a certainty. Stocks, Item # 5.A. Added to AES - Bought 10 at $14.27 (3/9/26 Post) 

If that the acquisition occurs at $15 and AES continues to pay the quarterly dividend, the total return is acceptable to me. 

The per share share profit at $15 would be $.85 per share. Assuming 3 more quarterly dividend payments ($.5277 per share rounded to $.53), the total return would then be $1.38 per share or about 9.75%. 

The acquisition will need to be approved by several regulatory authorities. Whenever that is the case, there can be no assurance that one or more will for whatever refuse to approve the acquisition or place conditions on an approval that would be unacceptable. 

G. Added to Falling Knife GIS - Bought 1 at $37.22; 1 at $36.09

Quote:  General Mills Inc (GIS) at Google Finance

Cost: $73.31

Last DiscussedItem # 4.C. Added to Falling Knife GIS - Bought 1 at $42.71; 1 at $41; 1 at $39.77; 1 at $38.7 (3/16/26) Links to prior sell discussions can be found in that post.  

General Mills: Brands overview

GIS SEC Filings

GIS Detailed Earnings Estimates - Zacks.com

New average cost per share$51.93 (72+ shares)

Dividend:Quarterly at $.61 per share ($2.44 annually)

GIS Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

I am reinvesting the dividend. 

Yield at New AC: 4.7%

Next Ex Dividend: 4/10/26

Last Earnings Report (F/Q ending 2/22/26): SEC Filing This is for the third fiscal quarter of the 2026 fiscal year.  

This was another unsatisfactory earnings report. While continuing to average down may prove to more masochistic than visionary, I am going to continue doing so based on a belief that it will work out somewhere in the 2 - 6 time period.  Further purchases will be 2 share lots with each purchases required to be at the lowest price in the chain.  

"Net sales of $4.4 billion were down 8 percent, including a 6-point headwind from the net impact of divestitures and acquisitions; organic net sales¹ were down 3 percent." The divestiture involved the yogurt businesses. 

"Diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.56 were down 50 percent; adjusted diluted EPS of $0.64 was down 37 percent in constant currency".

Company CEO comment: "As we move to the fourth quarter, we expect to deliver a step up in organic sales trends and return to earnings growth, driven by favorable timing comparisons, the 53rd week, and our continued market share momentum. And as we look ahead to fiscal 2027, with our price investment work behind us, we are confident in our ability to deliver improved organic sales results".

The current price reflects a near 100% probability IMO that earnings and revenue growth are likely to remain subdued or non-existent for an extended period. That is true for other packaged food stocks as well including CPB and CAG. I have never seen so much pessimism built into the prices of these stocks. 

5 Year Chart- Major Bear Market Trend Starting in May 2023 : I have never seen anything remotely close the pessimism reflected in the GIS stock price:

Highest Sale PricesItem # 3.C. Pared GIS in Fidelity Taxable Account - Sold 5 at $86.64 (12/13/22 Post)Item # 6.A. Pared GIS - Sold 5 at $81.64 (11/8/22 Post)Item # 1.C. Eliminated GIS in Vanguard Taxable Account - Sold 2+ at $80.41 (3/6/23 Post) 

Last SellItem # 2.B Sold Highest Cost GIS Shares - 10 at $65.26 and 5 at $63.9 (3/18/25 Post)

GIS Realized Gains to Date: $3,081.68

H. Added to LKQ - Bought 2 at $27.93 - Fidelity Account

Quote: LKQ Corp (LKQ) at Google Finance

Cost: $55.86

"LKQ Corporation is a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. LKQ has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan. LKQ offers its customers a broad range of OEM recycled and aftermarket parts, replacement systems, components, equipment, and services to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles."

LKQ Corporation Initiates Sale Process for Specialty Segment (12/4/25). This initiative was later expanded to explore the sale of the entire company. LKQ Initiates Strategic Review to Maximize Shareholder Value (1/26/26) The current stock price indicates a consensus opinion that nothing will happen that will improve the share price from its current level.  

Website: LKQ Corporation - Investor Relations

LKQ SEC Filings

SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report

Reuters Profile Page

Reuters Key Metrics -Valuation Page

LKQ Detailed Earnings Estimates - Zacks.com

Last Buy DiscussionsItem # 1.G. Added to LKQ in Fidelity Account - Bought 3 at $28.65 (12/11/25 Post)Item # 1.H. Bought 2 LKQ at $28.75 (10/18/25 Post)

New Average cost per share: $28.94 (12+ shares) 

DividendQuarterly at $.30 per share ($1.2 annually), last raised from $.275 per share effective for the 2023 4th quarter payment. Given the recent lackluster earnings report, I do not anticipate a dividend hike until the company is able to return to earnings growth. 

LKQ Stock Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $28.94: 4.1465%

Next Ex Dividend: 3/12/26

Last Earnings Report (Q/E 12/31/25): I discussed this report in a recent post. Item # 1.I. Eliminated Duplicate Position in LKQ (Schwab Account)- Sold 13+ at $33.41 (2/23/26 Post)(profit snapshot = $32.82) 

Prior Sell DiscussionItem # 4.F. Eliminated LKQ - Sold 5 at $42.64 (8/29/24 Post)

2.  Investment Grade Corporate Bonds: 20

I have cut off discussing corporate bond purchases with those made on Tuesday 3/25/26. The remaining ones purchased last week will be discussed in my next post.   

A. Bought 2 Digital Realty LP 3.7% SU Maturing on 8/15/27 at a Total Cost of 98.889

Issuer: Operating entity for Digital Realty Trust Inc (DLR) - A Data Center REIT who guarantees the notes.

Total Cost: $1,977.78

DLR SEC Filings

Prospectus

SEC Filed Earnings Report for the Q/E 12/31/25 

DLR SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report 

Finra Page: Bond Page | FINRA.org

Credit Ratings: Baa2/BBB+

YTM at Total Cost: 4.521%

Current Yield at TC: 3.74%

I now own 4 bonds. The last purchase was at a total cost of 97.354. Item # 5.E.(2/5/25 Post) The YTM at that TC was then at 4.81%.  

B. Bought 2 Duke Energy Ohio 3.65% First Mortgage Bonds Maturing on 2/1/29 at a Total Cost of 98.131 - Interactive Brokers Account

Issuer: Duke Energy Ohio, an operating subsidiary of the utility holding company Duke Energy Corp (DUK) at Google Finance

Total Cost: $1,962.62

DUK SEC Filings 

DUK SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report Duke Energy Ohio results start at page 105 (2025 revenues = $2.797B with net income at $338M)

Prospectus 

Accrued Interest Paid to Seller: $10.54  

Finra Page: Bond Page | FINRA.org

Credit Ratings: A2/A

YTM at Total Cost: 4.352%

Current Yield at TC: 3.7195%

Last Bond Issuance (6/25)Prospectus for $350M of a 5.3% First Mortgage Bond Maturing in 2035

C. Bought 2 Black Hills 3.05% SU Maturing on 10/15/29 at a Total Cost of 94.883 - Interactive Brokers Account

Issuer: Black Hills Corp (BKH), a utility holding company. 

Total Cost: $1,897.66

Accrued Interest Paid to Seller: $26.77 

BKH Detailed Earnings Estimates - Zacks.com

BKH SEC Filings 

SEC Filed Earnings Press Release for the Q/E 12/31/25 

Finra Page: Bond Page | FINRA.org

Credit Ratings: Baa2/BBB+

YTM at Total Cost: 4.624%

Current Yield at Total Cost: 3.2145%

I now own 4 bonds. 

Other Owned Black Hills SU bonds: 4 of the 3.15% SU Maturing on 1/15/27. I am in effect replacing those bonds in advance of their maturity by buying 4 of the 10/15/29 maturity.  

I had 10 Black Hills 3.95% bonds mature on 1/15/26. One of those was owned in a RI account. 





D. Bought 2 Capital One 4.1% SU Maturing on 2/9/27 at a Total Cost of 99.896:



Total Cost = $1,997.92

This bond was originally issued by Discover Financial that was later acquired by Capital One.  



Credit Ratings: Baa1/BBB

YTM at Total Cost: 4.218%

Current Yield at TC: 4.1043%

I now own 4 bonds. The other 2 were bought in February 2025 at a total cost of 98.618.  

E. Bought 2 RPM International 3.75% SU Maturing on 3/15/27 at a Total Cost of 99.39



Total Cost: $1987.8 





Credit Ratings: Baa2/BBB

YTM at Total Cost: 4.395%

Current Yield at TC: 3.773%

I now own 4 bonds. 

F. Bought 2 Nextera Energy Capital 3.55% SU Maturing on 5/1/27 at a Total Cost of 99.215


Issuer: Wholly owned by NextEra Energy (NEE), a utility holding company, who guarantees the notes.  




Total Cost: $1,984.3


Credit Ratings: Baa1/BBB+

YTM at Total Cost: 4.283%

Current Yield at TC: 3.578%

I now own 2 bonds. I may buy 2 more this week or in April, provided the YTM is at 4.5% or higher. 
 
Previously Owned Nextera Capital SU Bonds: Matured or Sold in 2024-2025
 

2025: 12






2024: 3 of 12 owned in a RI Account






G. Bought 2 Mondelez 4.125% SU Maturing on 5/7/28 at a Total Cost of 99.59



Total Cost: $1,991.8 






Credit Ratings: Baa1/BBB

YTM at Total Cost: 4.328%

Current Yield at TC: 4.142%

I owned 6 Mondelez bonds that matured in March 2024. This purchase was the first since those bonds matured. 

H.  Bought 2 LyondellBasell  3.5% SU Maturing on 3/2/27 at a Total Cost of 99.028 - Interactive Brokers Account

 
Issuer: LYB International Finance, wholly owned by LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB) 



Total Cost: $1,980.56



Credit Ratings: Baa3/BBB-

YTM at Total Cost: 4.567%

Current Yield: 3.534%

I now own 4 bonds. 

Other Owned LYB International Finance SU bonds: 


I will discuss eliminating my LYB common stock position last Friday in my next post. (3/27/26 Close: LYB $80.45 _+$2.73   +3.51%)
 
I. Bought 2 Ebay 3.6% SU Maturing on 6/5/27 at a Total Cost of 99.209



Total Cost: $1,984.18 





Credit Ratings: Baa1/BBB+ 

YTM at Total Cost: 4.282%

Current Yield at TC: 3.629%

J. Bought 2 Public Service of Oklahoma 5.2% SU Maturing on 1/15/35 at a Total Cost of 99.352


Issuer: Wholly owned operating subsidiary of the utility holding company American Electric Power Company Inc  (AEP) at Google Finance

Total Cost: $1987.04 


Page 164


Credit Ratings: Baa1/BBB+

YTM at Total Cost: 5.292%

Current Yield at TC:  5.234%


3. Treasury Bills Purchased at Auction

A. Bought 10 Treasury Bills at the 3/30/26 Auction

182 Day Bill

Matures on 10/1/26

Interest: $182.25

Investment Rate: 3.723%

The IR is consistent will no change in the FF range on or before the September 2026 Fed Meeting, with a tiny chance of a 25 basis point increase at that meeting. 

4. Small Ball Common Stock Sales

With the decline in stocks since the Iran War started, I am reducing my stock selling and may soon refrain from any selling anything due to the stock price declines and my already extremely low stock allocation. 

This is my allocation in my Fidelity Account, one of four taxable accounts. 

The "Bonds" include treasury bills. Securities classified as "Bonds" have a weighted average duration of 2.407 years as of 3/27/26. Fidelity includes some securities in the "Domestic Stock" category that are not common stocks but I did not attempt to segregate them out which I did do in my Schwab account as discussed below. 

My Vanguard taxable account is weighted in the Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund Admiral Shares (VMRXX): 


VMRXX has a .10% expense ratio. 

The Interactive Brokers account is weighted in investment grade corporate bonds and Canadian reset equity preferred stocks to a lesser extent, with a small weighting in Canadian REITs and 1 Canadian common stock (POW:CA). I do not currently own any U.S. common stocks or stock funds in that account. 

My Schwab account is weighted in Treasury Bills and Tennessee Municipal bonds. I do not own any corporate bonds in that account. The individual common stock allocation is the highest for my taxable brokerage accounts, but still low at 15.68%. To calculate that allocation, Schwab included exchange traded bonds (first mortgage and SU bonds) and equity preferred stocks (total for both = $14,790) in the "equities" total. I subtracted that amount to arrive at the individual common stock total.    

Overall my individual common stock ownership is slightly less than 10% of total assets held in my 4 taxable accounts. If I added stock funds or the stock portion of allocation funds (E.G. PRPFX), the allocation would be in the 10%-12% range but I did not attempt to calculate the percentage since the allocation is so small, the calculation would be time consuming since many of them are balanced funds, and a calculation would not take the total over 12%.    

In other words, I am likely to move into net stock buying that will increase as the market declines, but will remain subdued until there is at least a 30% decline in the S&P Index from the 52 week high at 7,002.28 hit intraday on 1/28/26. I do not need to take stock risks and consequently need to be incentivized to materially increase my stock allocation.  

A. Eliminated T - Sold 20 at $28.55+

Quote: AT&T INC. (T) at MSN Money

Proceeds: $571.1  

T SEC Filings

T Detailed Earnings Estimates - Zacks.com

Last Buy DiscussionsItem # 1.F. Added to T in Schwab Account - Bought 5 at $23.66; 5 at $23.2 (1/15/26 Post)Item # 1.G. Restarted T in Schwab Account - Bought 5 at $25.05 (12/25/25 Post)

Profit Snapshot: $101.52

Dividend: Quarterly at $.2775 per share ($1.11 annually), last slashed from $.52 effective for the 2022 second quarter payment.

T  Stock Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

I do not anticipate a dividend increase in 2026-2028 given the high debt levels, the likely rise in interest rates, competition restraining price increases, and massive capital expenditures. 

The management and Board incinerated billions with the acquisitions of Warner Media and DirecTV. 

Last Discussed: I discussed the last report in this post: Item #1.F. Eliminated Duplicate Position in T - Sold 5 at $28.8 (2/23/26 Post)(profit snapshot = $30.59); SEC Filed Press Release and SEC Filed Supplemental 

Largest Annual Gain: $750.6 (212+ Shares)

Item # 7 Sold 102+ AT&T at $28.96 (11/3/2010)Item # 5 Sold 100 AT & T at 28.69 (9/27/10 Post)

Other Sell DiscussionsItem # 1.D. Eliminated T in Fidelity Account  and Item # 1.E. Eliminated T in Schwab Account - Sold 10 + at $28.71 (4/4/25 Post)(profit snapshot = $269.7); Item # 1.C. Multiple Sales of T (3/18/25)(profit snapshot = $201.37); Item # 3.A. Sold 7 T at $24.17 (1/29/25 Post)(profit snapshot = $32.14); Item # 1.G. Continued to Pare AT&T (T) - Sold Highest Cost 5 Shares in my Fidelity Account at $23.08 (12/5/24 Post)Item # 2.H. Sold 5 T at $22.98; 5 at $23.01 in Schwab Account (11/27/24 Post)(profit snapshot = $41.11); Item # 2.C. Pared AT&T in 2 Taxable Accounts - Sold 5 at $22.37; 5 at $22.22 (10/31/24 Post)(profit snapshot = $38.89); Item # 2.E. Sold 23 T Various Prices in Schwab Account  and Item # 2.F. Sold 30+T at $21.35 -Fidelity Account  (9/12/24 Post)(net profit snapshots = $46.75); Item # 3.F. Eliminated T in Vanguard and Schwab Accounts - Sold 31+ at $29.91 and 9 at $29.91 (6/12/21 Post)(net profit snapshots = $49.32); Item # 1.A. Sold Highest Cost 11 T Shares at $38.21; (3/7/20 Post)(profit snapshot = $73.88); Item # 1.B. Sold 13+ T at $38.49 (10/30/2019 Post)(profit snapshot = $74.71); Item # 1.E. Sold 10 T at $37.77 (1/28/18 Post)(profit snapshot = $42.65) 

B. Pared FNLC - Sold 10 at $28.2- Schwab Account

Quote: First Bancorp Inc  (FNLC) at Google Finance - Small Regional Bank Holding Company

Proceeds: $282

I sold my highest cost 10 share lot. 

I also own 15 shares in my Fidelity account with an average cost per share of $25.03. 

2025 SEC Filed Annual Report "The principal office of the Company and the Bank is located in Damariscotta, Maine. The Bank operates 18 full-service banking offices in six counties in the Mid-Coast, Eastern and Down East regions of Maine", at page 19.

Investment Category: Regional Bank Basket Strategy

FNLC SEC Filings

Last Discussed:  Item #1.I. Added to FNLC in Fidelitiy Account - Bought 5 at $25.2; 5 at $24.5 (11/1/25 Post)Item # 1.I. Added 5 FNLC in Schwab Account at $25.35 and Item # 1.J. Started Duplicate Position in FNLC in Fidelity Account - Bought 5 at $25.4 (10/25/25 Post)Item # 1.A. Added to FNLC in Schwab Account - Bought 5 at $22.6; 5 at  $22.9 (4/18/25 Post)Item # 1.A. Added to FNLC - Bought 5 at $23.21 (4/13/25 Post)

Profit Snapshot: $21.25

New average cost per share this account: $23.91 (30 shares)

Snapshot Intraday on 3/23/26 after pare

Reduced from $24.46

Dividend: Quarterly at $.37 per share ($1.48), last raised from $.36 effective for the 2025 third quarter payment. 

FNLC Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $23.91: 6.19%

Last Ex Dividend: 1/6/26

Last Earnings Report (Q/E 12/31/25): SEC Filed Press Release 

Comparisons are to the 2024 4th quarter.  

Diluted E.P.S.: $.91, up from $.65

Net Interest Margin (NIM): 2.83%, up from 2.43%. This improvement in NIM will translate into higher net earnings/E.P.S.   

Non GAAP Efficiency Ratio: 49.33%, down from 53.39% (down is better)

NPL (non-performing loans to total loans) Ratio: .54%, up from .18%

Coverage Ratio (allowance for credit losses to NPL): 196.95%, down from 585.41%

NPA Ratio: .41%, up from .14%

The trend higher in the NPL and NPA ratios are concerning but still okay IMO.  

ROTCE = 16.12%, up from 12.81%

Tangible Book Value per share: $22.49, up from $19.87

"Net charge-offs continued to be low, ending 2025 at 0.07% of total loans, compared to 0.02% in 2024. Past due loans were 0.90% of total loans as of December 31, 2025, compared to 0.40% of total loans at December 31, 2024, and 0.69% at September 30, 2025."

Some Sell DiscussionsItem # 3.I. Eliminated FNLC - Sold 10 at $29.56 (11/21/24 Post)(profit snapshot = $95.06); Item # 3.E. Eliminated Duplicate FNLC Position - Sold 10 at $24.75 (2/2/24 Post)Comment 9/27/16 Sold 100 FNLC for a Combined Profit of $670.94 (two accounts); Item # 2 Sold 52 FNLC at $15.55 (6/15/12 Post)(profit snapshot =$123.88) 

Largest Realized Gains: The largest realized gains go back to two 50 share lots sold in 2015 and a 100 share lot sold in 2016. Those gains account for $886.5 of the total realized to date: 



Starting in 2020, it has been difficult to realize gains in regional bank stocks. The primary reason is net interest margin compression caused by  Federal Reserve monetary policies. Secondary reasons include the pandemic and the 3 mid sized regional bank failures after deposit runs in 2023.   

FNLC Realized Gains to Date: $1,382.04 

Includes realized gains in a RI account that were not discussed here: 


I am not consistent in including gains realized in RI Accounts in the totals. 

C. Pared APA - Sold 3 at $40.9 - Fidelity Account



Proceeds: $122.7

I sold my highest cost 3 shares. 

APA "maintains a diversified asset portfolio, including conventional and unconventional, onshore and offshore, oil and natural gas exploration and production interests, while offering global exploration opportunities. In the U.S., operations are primarily focused in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Internationally, the Company has conventional onshore assets in Egypt’s Western Desert, offshore assets on the U.K.’s Continental Shelf, and is currently progressing with an oil field development offshore Suriname targeting first production in 2028."
Profit Snapshot: $31.8 (3/24/26 sale only)


New Average cost per share: $26.09 (45+ shares)

Snapshot Intraday on 3/24/26 after pare

DividendQuarterly at $.25 per share, last raised from $.125 per share effective for the 2022 4th quarter.  

APA Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $26.09 = 3.83%

I do not view the dividend yield as attractive measured against the risk, particularly in the context of no dividend growth since 2022. The risk is lower now due to the spike in energy prices. 

I would measure risk in part by the historical price movements and the frequent price collapses.  

Next Ex Dividend: 4/22/26

Last Earnings Report (Q/E 12/31/25): I discussed this report here: Item # 2.C. Pared APA - Sold Highest Cost 5 Share Lot at $32.86 (3/16/26 Post)(profit snapshot = $19.8); SEC Filed Press Release 

Other Sell DiscussionItem # 2.A. Eliminated Duplicate Position in APA - Sold 22 at $25.35 (10/4/25 Post)(profit snapshot $114.89) I emphasized the sales price and blog post date to highlight how much this stock has gained in response to the Iran War.  

The stock has benefited from the Strait of Hormuz closure and the Iran War. Production is located elsewhere as noted above. 

D. Pared RMT - Sold 3 at $11.43



Proceeds: $34.29 

I sold my highest cost 3 shares.

Sponsor's website: Royce Micro-Cap Trust (RMT)



Royce Micro-Cap Trust (RMT) Portfolio | Morningstar (not rate). This page has a list of the top 23 holdings. 



Profit Snapshot: $10.06


New average cost per share$7.76 (40+ shares) 

Snapshot Intraday on 3/24/26 after pare

Reduced from $7.78

Dividend: Quarterly at a variable rate. 


RMT has a managed distribution plan that pays quarterly distributions "at an annual rate of 7% of the average of the prior four quarter-end net asset values."Distributions and Dividends | Royce

Last 4 Dividends: $.79 per share
 
Yield at $7.76 Using $.79 Annual: 10.18%

Last Ex Dividend: 3/12/26

Data as of 3/24/26 Trade Date

Closing Net Asset Value per share: $13.05
Closing Market Price: $11.49
Discount: -11.95%
Average 3 Year Discount: -12%

Sourced: RMT - CEF Connect 


5. "Preferred" Stock ETFs

I am likely to continue averaging down until I hit 100 shares, with each subsequent purchase required to be at the lowest price in the chain. 

While these funds own primarily equity preferred stocks, they also own some exchange traded senior bonds that pay interest which is why I put the word "preferred" in parenthesis since that word connotes equity preferred stocks that pay dividends and are senior only to common stock in the capital structure.

My Videos: Preferred Stock ETFs - YouTubeLeveraged Closed End Preferred Stock Funds vs. Unleveraged Preferred Stock ETFs - YouTube  

A. Added to PGX - Bought 10 at $11

Quote: Invesco Preferred ETF (PGX) at MSN Money

Cost: $110

Preferred stocks will decline when intermediate term treasury yields are rising which has recently been the case. 

Last DiscussedItem # 8.A. Restarted PGX - Bought 20 at $11.33 (2/11/26 Post ) 

Sponsor's website: Invesco Preferred ETF

Last EliminationItem # 7.E. Eliminated PGX - Sold 40 at $11.75 (1/9/25 Post)(profit snapshot = net of $6.356)

New Average cost per share: $11.22 (30 shares) 

Dividends: Monthly at a variable rate. 

PGX Dividend History | Seeking Alpha

Last Ex Dividend: 3/23/26 

PGX – Invesco Preferred ETF – ETF Stock Quote | Morningstar - Currently rated at 2 stars. 

Other Sell Discussions- Taxable Accounts OnlyItem # 5 Sold: 200 PGX at $14.38 (11/12/2010)(profit snapshot = $155.36); Item # 1.A Sold 50 PGX at $14.35 (3/3/19 Post)(profit snapshot = $45.46); Item # 3.A. Eliminated PGX - Sold 100 at $14.51 (8/1/2020)(profit snapshot = $61.46)

I highlighted both the blog post dates and sale prices to emphasize that this kind of security is not appropriate IMO as a long term hold when evaluated on a total return basis. 

B. Added to PFXF - Bought 5 at $17.5+

Cost: $87.53

Last DiscussedItem # 8.B. Started PFFR - Bought 10 at $18.19 (2/11/26 Post) 

Sponsor's website: InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF | Virtus Investment Partners

Expense ratio: .45%

This ETF will own both Mortgage and Equity REIT preferred stocks. I dislike the Mortgage REIT preferred stocks more than other preferred stock sectors based on my opinions about the risk/reward balance. 

New Average cost per share: $18 (20 shares)

Dividends: Monthly at $.123 per share ($1.476 annually), last raise from $.12 effective for the January 2026 payment. 

PFFR Dividend History & Date | Seeking Alpha

Yield at $188.2%

I view a few of the preferred stocks owned by this fund as providing unacceptable to me credit risk for the current dividend yields. Those include the ones issued by hotels, DigitalBridge Group, Hudson Pacific, and Diversified Healthcare.   

PFFR – InfraCap REIT Preferred ETF Page at Morningstar - Currently rated 2 stars. 

6. Exchange Traded Baby Bond

A. Added to HNNAZ - Bought 10 at 24.85


Cost: $248.5 

Issuer: Hennessy Advisors Inc. (HNNA)

HNNA SEC Filings

Last Discussed: Item # 5.A. Bought 10 HNNAZ at $24.7 (10/25/25 Post) 

New Average cost per share: $24.77 (20 shares)

Prospectus "The Notes will be our direct unsecured obligations and rank pari passu, or equal, with any outstanding unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness and senior to any of our future indebtedness that expressly provides it is subordinated to the Notes." This language identifies the notes as senior unsecured bonds. They will be junior in priority to any senior secured debt. 

Par value: $25

Status in Capital Structure: Senior unsecured debt

Matures on 12/31/26 (4 more quarterly interest payments remaining unless redeemed early at issuer's option) 

Optional redemption: On or after 12/31/23 at par + accrued and unpaid interest. 

Coupon: 4.875%

Current Yield at $24.77 total cost4.92%

Calculation: .04875% coupon x. $25 par value = $1.21875 annual interest per share ÷ $24.77 average cost per share = 4.9203%

There are 3 more quarterly interest payments of $.3047 ($.9141 per share) + the $.23 per share profit when the bond is paid bringing the total return to $1.11411 per share. 

Last Ex Interest Date: 3/3/25 (owned 10 as of) 

HNNAZ at Seeking Alpha

This security pays interest, not dividends. It is a senior unsecured bond. 

Trades Flat (whoever owns the bond on the ex interest date receives the entire payment with no accrued interest paid to the seller)

The issuer currently has more than enough cash to pay off this bond when it matures. I do not foresee any problem in refinancing the debt over another 5 year term if the company wants to keep its cash.  

7. Leveraged Bond CEFs

My video: Investment grade corporate or treasury bond funds vs owning individual bonds and treasuries - YouTube

A. Added to BHK - Bought 10 at $9.045 - Schwab Account

Quote: BlackRock Core Bond Trust (BHK) at MSN Money

Cost: $90.45 

Sponsor's website: Core Bond Trust | BHK

Number of Holdings as of 2/27/26: 1,614

Weighted average effective duration: 9.79 years as of 2/27/26

Interest rate risk of bond funds: Duration: Understanding the Relationship Between Bond Prices and Interest Rates - Fidelity

BlackRock Core Bond Trust (SEC Filed 2025 Annual Report, with a list of BHK holdings starting at page 15); Brush Up on Bonds: Interest Rate Changes and Duration | FINRA.org

Last Discussed: I will not be repeating some of the recent prior discussions here.  Item # 6.A. Added to BHK - Bought 10 at $9.29+ (3/16/26 Post)Item # 6.A. Added to BHK in Schwab Account -  Bought 10 at $9.51+ (2/11/26 Post) I would attribute the recent decline to the rise in intermediate term interest rates caused by inflation concerns created by the Iran War. A decline is made worse when borrowed money is used to buy bonds that are declining in value. 

New average cost per share: $9.36 (50 shares)

Dividend: Monthly at $.0746 ( annually)

Yield at $9.36

Last Ex Dividend: 3/13/26

Data Date of 3/24/26 Trade

Net Asset value per share: $9.62

Closing Market Price: $9.06

Discount: -5.82%

Average 3 year Discount: .54%

Sourced: BHK   - CEF Connect

Some Sell DiscussionsItem # 5.A. Eliminated BHK Again - Sold 20 at $10.07 (10/11/25);  Item # 1. Eliminated BHK - Sold Remaining 54+ Shares at $11.64  (10/24/24 Post)(profit snapshot  = $89.67; premium to NAV per share then at +8.75%); Item # 2.D. Pared BHK - Sold 20 at $11.85 (9/19/24 Post)(profit snapshot = $21.24);   Item # 2.N. Pared BHK - Sold 5+ at $11.36 (8/8/24 Post)(profit snapshot = $4.76);  Item # 3.A. Sold 100 BHK at $12.74 (1/20/19 Post)(profit snapshot = $63); Item # 1 Sold Remaining BHK at $13.07 Update For CEF Basket Strategy As Of 3/21/16 - South Gent | Seeking Alpha (profit snapshot = $28.17); Item # 4 Sold 200 of 300 BHK at Update For CEF Basket Strategy As Of 2/26/16 - South Gent | Seeking Alpha (profit snapshot = $47.43); Pared Interest Rate Risk Exposure In Roth IRA: 200 BHK At $13.86 - South Gent | Seeking Alpha (profit snapshot = $99.55); Item # 1 Sold 200 BHK at $13.86-Taxable Account-Completes BHK Transition to Roth IRA (1/14/15 Post)(profit snapshot = $75.23); Sold All of the Bond CEF BHK at $14.058 (2/21/12 Post)(profit snapshot = $68.3) Some smaller profitable trades were not discussed. 

Realized Gains in BHK to Date: $514.27

The long term decline in BHK's price does not inspire confidence in the managers of this fund, particularly since investment grade corporate bonds were in a bull market for most of the period prior to 2022. I do far better just buying individual bonds and trading them some. Leveraged bond funds were unavoidably hurt starting in 2022 through most of 2024 by the rapid rise in borrowing costs as the Fed raised the federal funds rate coupled with the declines in vintage bond prices as yields rose. 

10 Year Average Annual Total Return from 3/27/2016 through 3/27/26: +3.35%. Total return would be with dividends reinvested. DRIP Returns Calculator | Dividend Channel

DisclaimerI am not a financial advisor, but simply an individual investor who has been managing my own money since I was a teenager. In this post, I am acting solely as a financial journalist focusing on my own investments. The information contained in this post is not intended to be a complete description or summary of all available data relevant to making an investment decision. Instead, I am merely expressing some of the reasons underlying the purchase or sale of securities. Nothing in this post is intended to constitute investment or legal advice or a recommendation to buy or to sell. All investors need to perform their own due diligence before making any financial decision which requires at a minimum reading original source material available at the SEC and elsewhere. A failure to perform due diligence only increases what I call "error creep". Stocks, Bonds & Politics: ERROR CREEP and the INVESTING PROCESS Each investor needs to assess a potential investment taking into account their personal risk tolerances, goals, and situational risks. I can only make that kind of assessment for myself and my family members.    

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