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21 January 2025
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Listed Investment Companies (LICs) with international exposures delivered the best results in the last 12 months, showing the Australian focus of most local investors would benefit from greater diversification.
LICs have generally retained their dividends despite some softness in income received from underlying investments, and three prominent, longstanding LICs are worth a look at current prices.
A review of the Listed Investment Company landscape, including where value lies in LICs trading at a discount, but also the healthy premiums where caution is needed in case the popularity of the manager wanes.
It’s common practice for LICs to issue ‘free’ options with their initial public offerings to offset the effect of listing costs on NTA. So, why are LIC options rarely exercised?
With the majority of Listed Investment Companies reporting lower earnings in the six months to 31 Dec 2016, it's the LICs with adequate profit reserves that can offer dividend sustainability for investors.
There are many LICs with current dividend yields above the average of 4.4%, often fully franked, and there are ways to know whether the dividend is likely to be sustainable. Not all LICs are managed the same way.
This examines the performance of key asset classes and sub-sectors in 2024 and over longer timeframes, and the lessons that can be drawn for constructing an investment portfolio for the next decade.
The outlook for equities in 2025 has been dominated by one question: will the US market's supremacy continue? Whichever side of the debate you sit on, you should challenge yourself by considering the alternative.
Negative gearing allows investors to deduct rental property expenses, including interest, from taxable income, but its tax concession status is debatable. The real issue lies in the favorable tax treatment of capital gains.
Trump's election has turbocharged US equities, but can that outperformance continue? Expensive valuations, rising bond yields, and a potential narrowing of EPS growth versus the rest of the world, are risks.
Untangling assets after a broken relationship can be daunting. But approaching the situation fully informed, in good health and with open communication can make the process more manageable and less costly.
Unlike their peers in the US and UK, policy makers in Australia haven't faced a bond market rebellion in recent times. This could change if current levels of issuance at the state and territory level continue.
Retirement village contracts often require significant upfront payments, with residents losing control over their money. While they may offer a '100% share in capital gain', it's important to look at the numbers before committing.