“High dividend strategies tend to have the highest yields, but sacrifice earnings growth and quality metrics like return on equity (ROE),” Jacobs said. “Quality dividend strategies tend to improve ROE, but have lower yields. Dividend growth strategies can have higher earnings growth, but less yield as well.”
Investors who are looking for high-dividend payers may consider something like Global X’s SuperDividend suite of ETFs, including Global X SuperDividend ETF (NYSEArca: SDIV), Global X SuperDividend U.S. ETF (NYSEArca: DIV), Global X MSCI SuperDividend EAFE ETF (NASDAQ: EFAS) and Global X SuperDividend Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEArca: SDEM), which select some of the highest yielding securities across various geographies and asset classes.
“As a result of the SuperDividend strategy, our funds have historically demonstrated higher yields than their asset classes’ respective benchmarks,” Jacobs said.
SDIV has a 6.59% 12-month yield. DIV has a 6.21% 12-month yield. EFAS has a 5.59% SEC yield. SDEM has a 4.55% 12-month yield.
Investors can also find more attractive income opportunities in alternative assets like the the Global X SuperIncome Preferred ETF (NYSEArca: SPFF) and Global X MLP ETF (NYSEArca: MLPA). SPFF has a 6.91% 12-month yield. MLPA has a 7.22% 12-month yield.
“There are three main reasons why investors may be interested in MLPs: yield potential, thematic growth potential, and diversification opportunity,” Jacobs said.
MLPs pay no income tax at the corporate level, providing more cash flows to investors. MLPs also stand to benefit from the long-term outlook for oil and natural gas output in the U.S., especially with shale production ramping up. The space also exhibits low correlation to broad equity and fixed income assets, which helps diversify a portfolio.
“We believe investors may also want to consider preferreds as a high income alternative to bonds,” Jacobs added.
Preferreds exhibit characteristics of both bonds and equities, tend to have higher yields than corporate bonds given their junior status on the capital structure, are often considered qualified dividends, are advantageous to taxable investors compared to traditional fixed income and have historically demonstrated low returns correlations to other asset classes.
Financial advisors who are interested in learning more about alternative yield-generating strategies can watch the webcast here on demand.