BTZ Stock Recent News

We upgrade BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust from 'Sell' to 'Hold' due to fair valuation amidst wider spreads and macro uncertainties. Recent violent price action and a significant discount to NAV have brought BTZ to a more balanced valuation. The macro outlook remains uncertain, with potential tariff reinstatements and slowing GDP growth, warranting a cautious 'Hold' rating for BTZ.

Recent market volatility has driven investors to safer assets like US Treasury debt and corporate bonds, with notable ETFs and funds showing positive returns. The BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust offers a 9.5% dividend yield, investing primarily in credit-related securities with a diversified portfolio and significant leverage. Bonds are expected to perform well in 2025, but BTZ is recommended for watchlist consideration pending a deeper discount to its long-term average.

The BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust offers a high yield of 8.96%, appealing to income-seeking investors despite its limited inflation protection. The BTZ closed-end fund's substantial allocation to fixed-income securities makes it vulnerable in an inflationary environment, which favors equities and hard assets instead. Recent economic data suggests inflation may not be under control, potentially limiting the Federal Reserve's ability to cut interest rates further.

This analysis argues that BTZ, a BlackRock fixed income CEF, is not a good buy right now despite its attractive yield. The analysis highlights that current credit spreads are historically low, and when they widen (which is expected), it will negatively impact BTZ's price. A significant portion of BTZ's distribution comes from ROC, which essentially returns investors' own money and can erode the fund's NAV over time.

PDI: 13.7% Yield Attractive Despite Section 19 Notices

BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust is a debt-focused closed-end fund that boasts a 9.23% current yield. The BTZ closed-end fund claims to invest in a combination of floating-rate and fixed-rate debt, but the portfolio is almost entirely in fixed-rate assets with floating-rate securities an afterthought. The BTZ fund substantially underperformed competing funds that are more flexible in the balance between floaters and fixed-rate bonds over the past three years.

The BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust offers a current yield of 9.68%, lower than other debt funds in the market. The fund's shares have increased by 7.19% since October 12, 2023, outperforming the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. BTZ's performance history suggests competent management, but it favors fixed-rate securities over floating-rate securities, which may impact performance.

Investment-grade corporate-focused closed-end funds offer attractive fixed-income options with higher yields in the current higher-rate environment. Leverage and discounts/premiums in CEFs add volatility to consider when investing in these funds, which would otherwise be for more conservative investors. Besides the higher yields, when rates decline investment-grade funds should see a significant rebound, adding a catalyst for potential upside and 'locking in' higher yields now.

The BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust offers a high yield of 10.29%, but it is lower than other fixed-income closed-end funds. The BTZ closed-end fund has outperformed its peers in the past, but may have been slower to adapt its strategy to higher interest rates. The BTZ fund's leverage is above the preferred level, but it is not out of line with other debt-focused closed-end funds.

Taxable closed-end fund discounts have narrowed, reducing their attractiveness, while credit spreads have tightened, producing returns in some areas of the CEF market. Municipal CEFs remain exceptionally cheap, with discounts wider than 99% of historical observations. The risk-reward in the taxable bond CEF space is on the downside, while the upside potential in municipal CEFs is significant, but dependent on a shift in Fed policy and inflation.