“Double Discount” Alert: How to Buy Microsoft Cheap (With a 7% Dividend)

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I recently had dinner with a friend who’s a small business owner, and he swears by ChatGPT. The tool is saving him time, effort and (to be blunt) future employee hiring.

A lot of people think AI is imploding—hence the selloff in tech stocks we saw following last week’s softer-than-expected jobs report.

But the truth is, AI is simply moving past the initial excitement we see with every new technology. As AI embeds itself in the apps and devices we use every day, it’ll boost productivity, just like it’s doing for my friend.

As that happens, we’ll want to make sure you have some AI exposure in our portfolios, especially as ChatGPT replaces more expensive humans, a trend that’s already in motion, as we can see from last week’s jobs report.… Read more

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As a contrarian dividend investor, I’ve always looked to buy when media-driven worries run directly counter to the data.

And these days, the media is more negative than it’s ever been, despite the data showing the economy is performing well. Today we’re going to exploit that divide and look at an overly discounted, 6.9% dividend that’s nicely positioned to profit from it.

Media and Experts Distort Their Real Views All the Time 

What I’m really talking about here is the so-called “vibecession,” we discussed a few months ago—the feeling that we’re in a recession even though the data says the economy is performing well.… Read more

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Closed-end funds (CEFs) are my No. 1 income plays for a reason that goes beyond their huge dividends: We can tap these off-the-radar (for now!) funds for big price gains, too.

We do this in my CEF Insider service using a time-tested CEF tactic: Buy CEFs trading at discounts to net asset value (NAV, or the value of their portfolios), then sell them at par or, better yet, a premium.

This isn’t rocket science: We’re following the oldest investor play there is: Buy low and sell high! To do it, we’re letting the discount to NAV, a critical CEF metric, be our guide.… Read more

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Closed-end funds (CEFs) are my No. 1 income plays for a reason that goes beyond their huge dividends: We can tap these off-the-radar (for now!) funds for big price gains, too.

We do this in my CEF Insider service using a time-tested CEF tactic: Buy CEFs trading at discounts to net asset value (NAV, or the value of their portfolios), then sell them at par or, better yet, a premium.

This isn’t rocket science: We’re following the oldest investor play there is: Buy low and sell high! To do it, we’re letting the discount to NAV, a critical CEF metric, be our guide.… Read more

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Stock market rallies climb walls of worry. Well, we have no shortage of such worries today!

A few days ago, Bloomberg lamented there was “no relief in sight for bonds”. This was ironic because relief—the catalyst for the next big bond rally—is hidden in plain sight. Despite the despair, 10-year Treasury rates are still a ways off from their recent 5% highs last October:

Reality Check: Rates Still Lower Than Last Year

If they put in a “lower high”—as I’m expecting they will, thanks to a slowing economy and labor market—it will be wildly bullish for bonds (which trade inverse rates.)… Read more

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It’s starting again—the media has its hooks into a new story to scare investors, in yet another effort to gain attention.

The upshot is that we’ve now got a very nice opportunity to pick up a special kind of closed-end fund (CEF) that yields 7%+ and does something unusual to limit downside.

This setup reminds me just a bit of 2022, when buying fear gave contrarians bargains, and historically high dividend yields, too.

The Media-Driven “Crisis” That Doesn’t Exist

Let’s start to trace out our opportunity here by first talking about the media, which I probably don’t have to tell you is more interested in getting an emotional reaction (mainly fear and worry) out of its audience more than anything else these days.… Read more

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I don’t always buy into stock bubbles. But when I do, I prefer dividend plays.

We can’t spell “mania” without AI, of course. Artificial intelligence has been the flavor of 2023. But what if—what if—the excitement around AI accelerates into 2024?

It could happen. Last week I spent half of a recent post-holiday-light-viewing dinner discussing AI with a friend. My buddy is increasingly looking to AI tools like ChatGPT and Bard to help run his services business. After all, why not—they are improving by the week and cheaper than humans. There is some steak behind the AI sizzle.

(What did we spend the other half of dinner doing?… Read more

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I staggered out of my Uber into a sea of orange. My next challenge—a monolithic 100,119-seat stadium—loomed in the distance.

Ever regret something instantly? That was me. Dumb decision. Zero chance your dividend guy could make it in and out of that sports palace.

Fortunately, as if sent from above, my new hype man walked by.

“That’s dedication!” An orange-clad Texas Longhorn fan and fellow father pointed at my CAM walker boot. Which, of course, housed my relatively newly-reconnected Achilles. Which was quickly appreciated outside Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

“Hardcore, man,” my new BFF reiterated. “I respect that.”

I tapped my chest and pointed back at him.… Read more

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This entire market meltdown has been based off of a flawed premise. We income investors must take advantage of it, before sanity returns to the markets.

The 10-year Treasury yield soared above 5%. On its journey to the stars the higher 10-year has clipped equities severely along the way. A high benchmark rate upsets every applecart in finance.

But here’s the thing. This is not a sustainable move.

Inflation isn’t really in a spiral higher. In fact, it’s the opposite. Core PCE (personal consumer expenditures)—the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation—is dropping like a rock:

Fed’s Preferred Inflation Measure is Dropping Fast

Note, this excludes food and energy prices.… Read more

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Do not miss these huge dividend yields we’re seeing today. In a year or two, you’re going to kick yourself for not locking these income streams in.

Take it from me. This bond guy nearly missed the great home refi opportunity of 2020-21. Fortunately, I managed to wake up and lock in a 2%+ mortgage before rates skyrocketed. Today, 30-year mortgage rates sit at 8%. Eight percent!

I mention that only because we have a similar setup in dividends today. In a moment, we’re going to discuss an elite dividend paying 8.5%. Let’s not miss it!

From Mortgage Refis to “Dividend Refis”

Here’s the upshot: the same trend that delivered that sweet refi opportunity three years ago is driving our dividend opportunity today—just in reverse.… Read more

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