
TSE:ZWU
This summary was created by AI, based on 18 opinions in the last 12 months.
The BMO Covered Call Utilities ETF (ZWU) is viewed favorably by various experts, primarily for its ability to provide a stable income through a covered call strategy and its exposure to the utility sector, which is becoming increasingly significant amid rising power demand. Despite concerns about interest rate sensitivity, many analysts highlight ZWU's potential for defensive income, noting its attractive yield of approximately 6-8%. While some experts caution against concentrating investments in a single sector, they affirm that ZWU remains a solid choice for income-seeking investors looking for tax-efficient options. The ETF is recognized for its diversified holdings within utilities, telecommunications, and pipelines, suggesting a generally positive outlook, particularly with the growth of data centers and the ongoing demand for electricity in the U.S. Overall, the sentiment leans towards ZWU being a reliable component of a diversified portfolio, especially in the current economic climate.
ZWU's covered call will pay a higher dividend, though FTS' is solid and growing. ZWU pays more income because you're selling calls. The downside is that as interest rates decline, utilities will improve and you will lose that upside if you hold ZWU and not a plain ETF or Fortis itself. If you are positive utilities, don't use a covered call ETF.
Covered calls supplement income, but sometimes the underlying security performs better over time. Not in this case, which is rare (ZWU vs ZUT). ZWU pays an 8.5% dividend, including the covered call overlay. Share price has risen since October. Utilities are not a growth area, but bought for cash flow and income. Do you want the yield or growth?
Great dividend, but not a lot of growth in terms of earnings. So total return not spectacular. Utilities don't grow at 15% earnings growth rates the way, say, a MA would.
With covered call strategies, you're missing some of the upside over time. You have to really understand what you need this for, income is a prime reason. MERs are also usually higher.
Nice income on this strategy. Yields about 8.25%. Interest rates are starting to steady and potentially pivot lower. As rates start to move lower, some of these dividend stocks, like pipelines or telecoms or banks, will look very attractive as they start to recover.
If you don't need the income, he prefers the underlying securities. Covered calls mean you lose out on some upside. Plus, these ETFs tend to charge higher expense ratios.
Dividend stocks should start to recover a bit once the 10 year bond yields start to back down. This ETF has a return of 5.6% so you can hold for when rates start to come down.
Also part of the question was on covered call strategies. Unless the underlying security is flat or falling you may see some under-performance related to the security itself
With the ROC component, the after-tax yield compares very well to alternatives, but it is hard to say whether it fully compensates, as investors have different tax brackets. If we look shorter term, its five year return is better, at 3.1%. But over ten years, it is down 26%, but with distributions 10-year net is 4.08%. Considering the very weak performance of the last year as interest rates spiked, we would still consider this 'OK' all things considered.
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Covered call, says pays great income, but remember that all utilities are tied to interest rates.