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Income Advisor
Conservative investing. Double-digit income.

June 4, 2024

The market has leveled off since the middle of May. I expect more of the same going forward.

The S&P 500 pulled back in early April after a five-month rally as sticky inflation soured the interest rate narrative. The index then recovered to new highs in the middle of May on an improved interest rate outlook. But stocks have since leveled off as the interest rate outlook got stuck in the mud.

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Get High Income in a Sideways Market

The market has leveled off since the middle of May. I expect more of the same going forward.

The S&P 500 pulled back in early April after a five-month rally as sticky inflation soured the interest rate narrative. The index then recovered to new highs in the middle of May on an improved interest rate outlook. But stocks have since leveled off as the interest rate outlook got stuck in the mud.

This is where we are. It’s a tug-o-war between Fed rate cut hopes and the possibility that no rate cuts will come this year. It will take major news to resolve this standoff. But I don’t believe that kind of resolution is likely in the next several months. Therefore, in the absence of other market-moving events, the market is likely to be a lot more sideways going forward than it has been over the last six months.

In sideways markets, income is king. Dividends and covered call premiums ring the register while stock prices flounder. After the recent run to new highs, there are several attractive call writing opportunities in the portfolio. One is highlighted in a “Trade Alert” this week for Qualcomm (QCOM).

This stock has provided huge appreciation since being added to the portfolio three years ago, in addition to several calls that were previously sold on the stock. The future should be very bright for the company and stock. But the recent surge is showing kinks in the armor and QCOM tends to pull back after a big surge like it has recently had. It’s a great time to prime the income pump and get a fat-priced call to bolster our income.

Past Month Activity

May 14
Sold Xcel Energy (XEL) – $55.56

May 17
WMB May 17th $35 calls at $2.00 – Expired
The Williams Companies (WMB) stock – Called

May 29
Purchased ONEOK, Inc. (OKE) – $79.59
Sell BIPC Sep 20th $35 calls at $3.00 or better

June 4
Sell QCOM July 19th $200 calls at $12.00 or better

TRADE ALERT

Sell QCOM July 19th $200 calls at $12.00 or better

Expiration date: July 19
Strike price: $200
Call price: $12.00

Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM)

I believe great things lie ahead for this company and this stock. They should benefit mightily from the next wave of AI when it comes to mobile devices. Many analysts are predicting AI will hit the upgrade cycle in 2025. But QCOM has had a huge 40% move since April and tends to consolidate after such surges, as it did last time this newsletter sold calls. It pulled back from the high last week and may be presenting a window to lock in a high-priced call and a huge total return if the stock is called.

Here are the three scenarios.

1. The stock closes above the $200 strike price at expiration.
Call premium: $12.00
Dividends: $10.62
Appreciation: $65.35 ($200 strike price minus $134.65 purchase price)
Total: $87.97 (total return will be 65.35% in 3 years and 2 months, and 81.5% if you sold the two previous calls for QCOM)

2. The stock price closes below but near our $35 strike price.
Call premium: $12.00
Dividends: $10.62
Total: $22.62 (total income of 16.8% in 3 years and 2 months, and 33% if you sold the two previous calls)

3. The stock price declines.
There will be $22.62 in income to offset the decline. Plus, the original purchase price was more than $65 per share below the strike price.

Portfolio Recap

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE)
Yield: 4.3%

The recent good interest rate news hit a wall over the past couple of weeks. After bouncing around with the interest rate narrative for the past few years, this one-of-a-kind life science property REIT was having a good month in May. But it gave up most of the gains. This is a solid REIT that reported strong earnings and raised the dividend in the last quarter. ARE will likely bounce around somewhat at the mercy of the interest rate narrative and not significantly surge higher until rates muster a sustained move downward. BUY

American Tower Corporation (AMT)
Yield: 3.3%

Ditto what I said about ARE for AMT. It too has been bouncing around with interest rates. But the cell tower REIT struggled a little more because of a dividend cut (which was not impactful in a meaningful way), so AMT is still far from the 52-week high. American Tower rallied strongly after the REIT beat estimates on both revenue and earnings with 9.8% adjusted funds from operations per share growth over last year’s quarter. The REIT also raised guidance for 2024. It’s a solid REIT with stronger growth than most of its peers but interest rates will be the biggest determinant of performance in the near term. BUY

Brookfield Infrastructure Corp. (BIPC)
Yield: 4.7%

The infrastructure company pulled back over the past week from the recent high in late May. It’s been a wild ride on the current interest rate narrative for this infrastructure company. It was an awful first half of April as the stock fell about 20% in the first two weeks. But Brookfield reported strong earnings and the company has rallied to make up for all of that dip since. The company also raised the next quarterly dividend by 6%. Solid earnings and a dividend raise are indicative of a company that is operationally strong. The targeted covered call price was not reached as the stock moved lower since last week’s May issue, but the price target remains and BIPC could move higher again. BUY

Enterprise Product Partners L.P. (EPD)
Yield: 7.2%

This midstream energy partnership has pulled back somewhat over the last couple of months. But it is still in a slow uptrend that began almost four years ago. It hasn’t really pulled back but rather stopped going higher for now. Enterprise reported solid earnings with profits per share in line with estimates and revenues a lot better as new projects came to fruition and the distribution is well covered. The earnings didn’t reflect much change in an already solid story with good stock performance. I expect EPD to continue to pay the massive distribution and trend higher at a snail’s pace. (This security generates a K-1 form at tax time.) BUY

FS KKR Capital Corporation (FSK)
Yield: 13.7%

So far, FSK is delivering as advertised. It’s continued to pay the massive dividend and the price has appreciated since it was added to the portfolio. The ultra-high-yielding Business Development Company reported solid earnings that were roughly in line with estimates. FS also announced a second-quarter regular dividend of 0.70 per share and a supplemental dividend of 0.05, reflecting confidence in the BDC’s ability to cover the payout and support shareholders. I’m hopeful the position will provide a great dividend income combined with covered call premiums down the road. BUY

Main Street Capital Corporation (MAIN)
Yield: 5.9%

This Business Development Company reported stellar earnings that handily beat estimates. It paid a regular monthly dividend of 0.72 per share in the second quarter, marking a 6.7% increase year over year, as well as a 0.30 supplemental dividend in the quarter. MAIN has also shown resilience in tough markets. The safe and high yield pays dividends every single month with a strong possibility of supplemental dividends over the course of the year as well. The current yield is reflected above as 5.9% because I only include the regularly scheduled dividend. Including the supplemental dividends, the yield is 8.45%. BUY

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE)
Yield: 2.6%

After two years of subpar performance amid inflation and rising interest rates, this combination regulated and alternative energy utility has come roaring back. NEE is up a staggering 69% since the October low and most of that return has come in the last three months. That’s a massive move for a utility. The company posted solid earnings in the recent quarter, which also added to the stock’s revitalization. NEE had been a superstar performer before inflation and rising interest rates. It provides both safety from its best-in-class regulated utility business and growth from its considerable clean energy business. BUY

ONEOK, Inc. (OKE)
Yield: 4.9%

This is an amazing midstream energy company. Earnings are rock solid with inflation protection and recession resilience. The high yield should be at a premium in a likely more sideways market going forward. It is a more volatile stock than the other midstream companies that have been in the portfolio. That has been a good thing in a strong energy market. The higher volatility also provides for high call premiums, which have already benefited the OKE portfolio positions during earlier holding periods. BUY

Qualcomm Corp. (QCOM)
Yield: 1.7%

The mobile device chipmaker stock finally pulled back a little last week after its torrid advance since the earnings report earnings last month. QCOM soared nearly 40% between April 19th and its high last week. Earnings beat estimates and the company raised earnings guidance for 2024. But the real excitement is the growing talk about artificial intelligence coming to smartphones, and Qualcomm as a major beneficiary of the upgrade cycle. It has been a while since phones had a significant upgrade, and sales growth has been dwindling. But more analysts are contending that an AI-driven super cycle is coming soon. Qualcomm is at the leading edge of chips that enable AI for smartphones and PCs and should benefit mightily. BUY

Realty Income Corp. (O)
Yield: 5.8%

The floundering income REIT reported solid earnings last week with 33% revenue growth due to a recent acquisition and adjusted funds from operations growth of 5%. Metrics were pretty solid across the board with high occupancy rates and an average 105% recapture on renewed leases. O didn’t get much of a bump so far from the report, but it has been trending higher since the middle of April. The performance has been disappointing compared to its peers. It might be that this one won’t really move meaningfully higher until interest rates move meaningfully lower. It will be one to watch. BUY

Existing Call Trades

BIPC Sep 20th $35 calls at $3.00 – Sell pending

The stock has pulled back from the recent high over the past week and the target call price was not reached. We will leave the same price target for now as BIPC could rally and regain that call premium in the week ahead. Often in this portfolio, the targeted call price takes days or weeks to be reached. If the stock pulls back longer term, then we will remove the target trade and try again later.

Current Recommendations

Open RecommendationsTicker SymbolEntry DateEntry PriceRecent PriceBuy at or Under PriceYieldTotal Return
Alexandria Real Estate Eq.ARE12/19/23$129.54$119.00$140.004.27%-6.31%
American Tower Corp.AMT1/23/24$202.26$195.74$220.003.31%-2.35%
Brookfield Infrstr. Cp.BIPC2/27/24$32.64$34.45$40.004.70%5.24%
Enterprise Product Ptnrs.EPD2/27/24$27.61$28.50$30.007.23%5.08%
FS KKR Capital Corp.FSK4/23/24$19.42$20.50$20.5013.66%5.82%
Main Street Capital Corp.MAIN3/26/24$46.40$49.00$50.008.45%6.64%
NextEra Energy, Inc.NEE4/25/23$77.50$79.50$65.002.57%6.02%
ONEOK, Inc.OKE5/29/24$79.59$81.00$84.004.89%1.77%
Qualcomm Inc. QCOM5/5/21$134.65$204.05$165.001.67%62.54%
Realty Income Corp.O6/27/23$60.19$52.80$62.005.81%-7.15%
Call Trades
Open RecommendationsTicker SymbolIntial ActionEntry DateEntry PriceRecent Price Sell To Price or betterTotal Return
BIPC Sep 20 $35 callBIPC240920P00035000Sell Pending$1.95$3.009.19%
QCOM July 19 $200 callQCOM240719C00200000Sell Pending$10.50$12.008.91%
as of close on 05/31/2024
SOLD STOCKS
XTicker Symbol ActionEntry DateEntry PriceSale DateSale PriceTotal Return
Innovative Industrial Props.IIPRCalled6/2/20$87.829/18/20$10015.08%
QualcommQCOMCalled6/24/20$89.149/18/20$957.30%
U.S. BancorpUSBCalled 7/22/20$36.269/18/20$383.42%
Brookfield Infras. Ptnrs.BIPCalled6/24/20$41.9210/16/20$458.49%
Starbucks Corp.SBUXCalled8/26/20$82.4110/16/20$886.18%
Visa CorporationVCalled 9/22/20$200.5611/20/20$2000.00%
AbbVie Inc.ABBVCalled6/2/20$91.0412/31/20$10012.43%
Enterprise Prod. Prtnrs.EPDCalled6/24/20$18.141/15/21$2015.16%
Altria GroupMOCalled 6/2/20$39.661/15/21$407.31%
U.S. BancorpUSBCalled 11/25/20$44.681/15/21$451.66%
B&G Foods Inc,BGSCalled10/28/20$26.792/19/21$284.42%
Valero Energy Inc.VLOCalled8/26/20$53.703/26/21$6011.73%
Chevron Corp.CVXCalled12/23/20$85.694/1/21$9612.95%
KKR & Co.KKRCalled3/24/21$47.986/18/21$5514.92%
Digital Realty TrustDLRCalled1/27/21$149.177/16/21$1555.50%
NextEra Energy, Inc.NEECalled2/24/21$73.769/17/21$8010.00%
Brookfield Infras. Ptnrs.BIPCalled1/13/21$50.6310/15/21$5511.65%
AGNC Investment CorpAGNCSold1/13/21$15.521/19/22$155.92%
ONEOK, Inc.OKECalled5/26/21$52.512/18/22$6019.62%
KKR & Co.KKRSold8/25/21$64.522/23/22$58-9.73%
Valero Energy Inc.VLOCalled11/17/21$73.452/25/22$8315.53%
U.S BancorpUSBSold3/24/21$53.474/13/22$51-1.59%
Enterprise Product Ptnrs EPDCalled3/17/21$23.214/14/22$2411.25%
FS KKR Capital Corp. FSKCalled10/27/21$22.014/14/22$2313.58%
Xcel Energy Inc. XELCalled10/12/21$63.005/20/22$7012.66%
Innovative Industrial Props.IIPRSold3/23/22$196.317/20/22$93-51.23%
One Liberty PropertiesOLPSold7/28/21$30.378/24/22$25-12.94%
ONEOK, Inc.OKECalled5/25/22$65.141/20/23$652.66%
Xcel Energy, Inc.XELCalled10/26/22$62.571/20/23$654.67%
Realty Income Corp. OCalled9/28/22$60.372/17/23$635.41%
Medical Properties TrustMPWSold1/24/23$13.223/21/23$8-38.00%
Brookfield Infrastructure Cp.BIPCCalled11/9/22$42.437/21/23$458.72%
Star Bulk Carriers Corp.SBLKSold6/1/22$33.308/8/23$18-31.38%
Visa Inc.VCalled12/22/21$217.168/18/23$2359.16%
Global Ship Lease, Inc.GSLSold2/23/22$24.968/29/23$19-13.82%
ONEOK, Inc.OKECalled3/28/23$60.989/15/23$659.72%
Hess CorporationHESCalled6/6/23$132.2510/20/23$15517.87%
Tractor Supply CompanyTSCOSold9/26/23$203.0311/28/23$200-1.02%
Digital Realty TrustDLRCalled7/18/23$117.311/19/24$13517.16%
Intel CorporationINTCCalled7/27/22$40.181/19/24$439.76%
AbbVie Inc.ABBVCalled7/25/23$141.633/15/24$16015.11%
Marathon Petroleum Corp. MPCCalled10/24/23$149.453/28/24$16512.06%
The Williams Companies, Inc.WMBCalled8/24/22$35.585/17/24$357.14%
EXPIRED OPTIONS
SecurityIn/out moneySell DateSell PriceExp. Date$ returnTotal % Return
IIPR Jul 17 $95 callout-of money6/3/20$3.007/17/20$3.003.40%
MO Jul 31 $42 callout-of-money6/17/20$1.607/31/20$1.604.03%
ABBV Sep 18 $100 callout-of-money7/15/20$4.609/18/20$4.605.05%
IIPR Sep 18 $100 callin-the-money7/22/20$5.009/18/20$5.005.69%
QCOM Sep 18 $95 callin-the-money6/24/20$4.309/18/20$4.304.82%
USB Sep 18 $37.50 callin-the-money7/22/20$2.009/18/20$2.005.52%
BIP Oct 16 $45 callin-the-money9/2/20$1.9510/16/20$1.954.65%
SBUX Oct 16 $87.50 callin-the-money10/16/20$3.3010/16/20$3.304.00%
V Nov 20 $200 callin-the-money9/22/20$10.0011/20/20$10.004.99%
ABBV Dec 31 $100 callin-the-money11/18/20$3.3012/31/20$3.303.62%
EPD Jan 15 $20 callin-the-money11/23/20$0.801/15/21$0.804.41%
MO Jan 15 $40 callin-the-money11/25/20$1.901/15/21$1.904.79%
USB Jan 15 $45 callin-the-money11/25/20$2.001/15/21$2.004.48%
BGS Feb 19 $27.50 callin-the-money12/11/20$2.402/19/21$2.408.96%
VLO Mar 26 $60 callin-the-money2/10/21$6.503/26/21$6.5012.10%
CVX Apr 1 $95.50 callin-the-money2/19/21$4.304/1/21$4.305.02%
AGNC Jun 18 $17 callout-of-money4/13/21$0.506/18/21$0.503.21%
KKR Jun 18 $55 callin-the-money4/28/21$3.006/18/21$3.006.25%
USB Jun 16 $57.50 callout-of-money4/28/21$2.806/18/21$2.805.24%
DLR Jul 16 $155 callin-the-money6/16/21$8.007/16/21$8.005.36%
AGNC Aug 20 $17 callout-of-money6/23/21$0.508/20/21$0.503.00%
OKE Aug 20 $57.50 callout-of-money6/23/21$3.508/20/21$3.506.67%
NEE Sep 17 $80 callin-the-money8/11/21$3.509/17/21$3.504.75%
BIP Oct 15 $55 callin-the-money9/1/21$2.0010/15/21$2.003.95%
USB Nov 19 $60 callout-of-money9/24/21$2.3011/19/21$2.304.30%
OKE Nov 26 $65 callout-of-money10/20/21$2.2511/26/21$2.254.28%
KKR Dec 17 $75 callout-of-money10/26/21$3.5012/17/21$3.505.42%
QCOM Jan 21 $185 Callout-of-money11/30/21$9.651/21/22$9.657.17%
OLP Feb 18 $35 Callout-of-money11/19/21$1.502/18/22$1.504.94%
OKE Feb 18 $60 Callin-the-money1/5/22$2.752/18/22$2.755.24%
USB Feb 25 $61 callout-of-money1/13/22$2.502/25/22$2.504.68%
VLO Feb 25 $83 callin-the-money1/18/22$4.202/25/22$4.206.13%
EPD Apr 14th $24 callin-the-money3/2/22$1.254/14/22$1.255.69%
FSK Apr 14th $22.50 callin-the-money3/10/22$0.904/14/22$0.904.09%
XEL May 20th $70 callin-the-money3/30/22$3.005/20/22$3.004.76%
SBLK July 15th $134 callout-of-money6/1/22$1.607/15/22$1.604.80%
OKE Oct 21st $65 callout-of-money8/24/22$3.4010/21/22$3.405.22%
OKE Jan 20th $65 callIn-the-money11/25/22$3.701/20/23$3.705.68%
XEL Jan 20th $65 callin-the-money11/25/22$5.001/20/23$5.007.99%
O Feb 17th $62.50 callin-the-money12/28/22$3.002/17/23$3.004.97%
QCOM Sep 16th $145 callout-of-money7/20/22$11.759/16/22$11.758.73%
V Mar 17th $220 callout-of-money1/24/23$12.003/17/23$12.005.51%
OKE May 19th $65 callout-of-money4/11/23$2.705/19/23$2.704.43%
V Jun 2 $230 callout-of-money4/21/23$10.506/2/23$10.504.82%
BIPC $45 July 21st callin-the-money5/23/23$3.257/21/23$3.257.66%
V $235 Aug 18th callin-the-money7/11/23$9.008/18/23$9.004.13%
GSL $20 Aug 18th callout-of-money7/11/23$1.258/18/23$1.255.00%
OKE $65 Sep 15 callin-the-money9/15/23$3.207/25/23$3.204.92%
INTC $35 Oct 20th callout-of-money9/8/23$3.7810/20/23$3.789.41%
HES $155 Oct 20th callin-the-money9/8/23$9.0010/20/23$9.006.81%
DLR $135 Jan 19th callin-the-money11/22/23$6.001/19/24$6.005.11%
INTC $42.50 Jan 19th callin-the-money11/29/23$3.501/19/24$3.508.71%
ABBV $160 Mar 15th callin-the-money1/10/24$7.003/15/24$7.004.94%
MPC $165 Mar 28th callin-the-money2/14/23$10.003/28/24$10.006.69%
QCOM $170 Apr 26th callout-of-money3/12/24$10.004/26/24$10.007.42%
WMB $35 May 17th callin-the-money3/12/24$2.005/17/24$2.005.62%


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