WEA

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund
WEA

$11.18

0.09%

Market Cap: $133M

About: Western Asset Premier Bond Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. Its investment objective is to provide current income and capital appreciation by investing in a diversified portfolio of investment-grade bonds. The Fund invests in sectors, such as financials, energy, telecommunication services, consumer discretionary, healthcare, materials, information technology, and consumer staples.

0

Funds holding %

of 6,710 funds

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Analysts bullish %

Fund manager confidence

Based on 2024 Q2 SEC filings by fund managers ($100M+ AUM)

6% less repeat investments, than reductions

Existing positions increased: 15 | Existing positions reduced: 16

5% less funds holding

Funds holding: 43 [Q1] → 41 (-2) [Q2]

6.44% less ownership

Funds ownership: 51.54% [Q1] → 45.1% (-6.44%) [Q2]

14% less capital invested

Capital invested by funds: $65M [Q1] → $56.1M (-$8.92M) [Q2]

40% less first-time investments, than exits

New positions opened: 3 | Existing positions closed: 5

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Research analyst outlook

We haven’t received any recent analyst ratings for WEA.

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Financial journalist opinion

WEA: Not Attractive For Gains, But A Reasonable 7.50% Income Play

The Western Asset Premier Bond Fund offers a 7.50% yield, but its after-tax real yield is less appealing, especially for high-tax-bracket investors. Despite a share price decline of 18.90% over five years, the WEA fund's high yield has resulted in better total returns compared to the index. Current market conditions and Federal Reserve rate expectations limit the fund's potential for capital gains, making it purely an income play right now.

WEA: Not Attractive For Gains, But A Reasonable 7.50% Income Play

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund Announces Financial Position as of March 31, 2024

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Category: Financials.

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund Announces Financial Position as of March 31, 2024

WEA: Tight Spreads Make This Fund Unappealing Currently (Rating Downgrade)

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund is a fixed income CEF with mostly investment grade holdings and a small allocation to high yield. WEA had a positive total return since its initial rating by me. We believe corporate credit spreads are currently too low and are likely to widen in the future. This widening will negatively impact bond prices, especially for a leveraged fund.

WEA: Tight Spreads Make This Fund Unappealing Currently (Rating Downgrade)

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (NYSE: WEA) Announces Portfolio Management Team Update

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Effective March 1, 2024, the named portfolio management team responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the Fund is as follows:

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund (NYSE: WEA) Announces Portfolio Management Team Update

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC Announces Distributions for the Months of March, April and May 2024

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Category: Distribution Related.

Franklin Templeton Fund Adviser, LLC Announces Distributions for the Months of March, April and May 2024

WEA: Higher Quality Fixed-Income Fund

Western Asset Premier Bond Fund has seen some strong performance since our prior update. The fund offers an attractive distribution yield with exposure to primarily investment-grade bonds but also some high-yield exposure. WEA's performance could be solid going forward, but the rather narrow discount makes it less appealing at this time.

WEA: Higher Quality Fixed-Income Fund

CEF Weekly Commentary | Swap Some MAIN Bonds?

Macro markets saw positive movement, with the S&P 500 up 1.81% and bonds performing well. The PPI report offset slightly hot CPI, leaving uncertainty about how the Fed will respond to rising inflation figures. PIMCO Corp & Inc Strat (PCN), a fund I've been high on for some time, has gone parabolic. There was a recommendation from a Seeking Alpha author that likely drove.

CEF Weekly Commentary | Swap Some MAIN Bonds?

Closed-End Funds: Investment-Grade Corporate Fixed-Income Exposure To Consider

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.

Closed-End Funds: Investment-Grade Corporate Fixed-Income Exposure To Consider

WEA: Buy It For The Corporate Exposure, Stay For The High Yield (Rating Upgrade)

The Western Asset Premier Bond Fund is a closed-end fund that invests in a mix of investment-grade and high-yield bonds. The fund has a 5.6-year duration and is well-positioned to benefit from a decline in interest rates. WEA has a 7.9% yield and is currently trading at a 3% discount to NAV.

WEA: Buy It For The Corporate Exposure, Stay For The High Yield (Rating Upgrade)

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