Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund

CSQ

Market cap $3.03B

METRO CHICAGO, Ill. , Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments®* has announced monthly distributions and sources of distributions paid in October 2025 to shareholders of its seven closed-end funds (the Funds) pursuant to the Funds' respective distribution plans.

METRO CHICAGO, Illinois , Sept. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments®* has announced monthly distributions and sources of distributions paid in September 2025 to shareholders of its seven closed-end funds (the Funds) pursuant to the Funds' respective distribution plans.

Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund offers a strong blend of income and growth, with a 6.7% yield and long-term returns matching the S&P 500. CSQ has a solid record of nearly 21 years, providing its owners with good income and capital appreciation at the same time. We believe it is a solid, diversified fund for income investors. However, the valuation is rich and the yield is somewhat lower than usual , though the discount is decent.

I maintain my buy rating on CSQ due to its attractive 4.7% discount to NAV and strong exposure to high-quality equities. CSQ's blended strategy offers both capital appreciation and a high 6.7% yield, appealing to long-term, income-focused investors. Leverage and high interest rates pose risks to NAV and income, but the fund's diversified holdings and monthly distributions remain compelling.

METRO CHICAGO, Ill. , Aug. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments®* has announced monthly distributions and sources of distributions paid in August 2025 to shareholders of its seven closed-end funds (the Funds) pursuant to the Funds' respective distribution plans.

METRO CHICAGO, Ill. , July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments®* has announced monthly distributions and sources of distributions paid in July 2025 to shareholders of its seven closed-end funds (the Funds) pursuant to the Funds' respective distribution plans.

CSQ offers a compelling mix of income and capital growth, with active management and multi-asset diversification, making it attractive for income-focused investors. Liquidity is strong for a CEF, but investors should be mindful of bid-ask spreads and enter positions gradually to optimize discount to NAV. The fund maintains a healthy payout yield (~7.5%) without eroding NAV, supporting both income growth and capital preservation over time.

CSQ offers a compelling way to preserve purchasing power and generate attractive total returns, outperforming bonds and peers over the past decade, especially during inflation. The fund's heavy equity and convertible allocation, with increased exposure to mega-cap tech stocks, has delivered strong recent performance but introduces concentration risk. Currently trading at a modest discount to NAV, CSQ is more expensive than peers, but its superior long-term track record justifies the premium.

METRO CHICAGO, Ill. , June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Calamos Investments®* has announced monthly distributions and sources of distributions paid in June 2025 to shareholders of its seven closed-end funds (the Funds) pursuant to the Funds' respective distribution plans.

April's market volatility, driven by tariffs and led by tech sector declines, created opportunities to deploy cash. However, it was an opportunity to reposition my portfolio as well, with 2 swap trades to de-risk my portfolio. There were 2 corporate actions in the last month that also saw two more positions removed from my CEF portfolio, but overall, I was a net buyer for the month.