Eaton Vance Senior Floating-Rate Fund

EFR

Market cap $329M

This report screens ~400 closed-end funds (CEFs) for those with 100%+ net investment income coverage, highlighting lower risk of distribution cuts. Top lists identify CEFs with the widest discounts, most attractive z-scores, highest covered yields, and best combinations of value and income. Investors are encouraged to use these rankings as a starting point for due diligence, not as final buy or sell recommendations.

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EFR offers an attractive 8.7% yield from floating rate debt, providing income and some protection against equity volatility. The fund is highly diversified but concentrated in below investment grade loans, exposing investors to credit risk and potential defaults. With likely interest rate cuts ahead, EFR's net investment income and dividend sustainability are at risk, making future payouts less certain.

Diversification across bonds, senior loans, and CLOs is key to managing interest rate and credit risks in fixed-income portfolios. Market timing is extremely difficult; a balanced mix of fixed and floating-rate assets provides resilience regardless of rate direction. Distribution cuts in floating-rate CEFs are expected as rates fall but should be weighed against opportunity cost and risk-adjusted returns.

We initially rated Eaton Vance Senior Floating-Rate Trust a 'Sell' due to overvaluation; it has since dropped 17%, now reflecting fair value. The CEF's discount to NAV has decreased by 12% recently, making it historically cheap but still vulnerable to interest rate cuts. EFR is heavily composed of floating rate loans with a 36% gearing ratio, amplifying both gains and losses, but NAV losses remain modest.

We review the CEF market valuation and performance through the first week of February and highlight recent market action. CEFs had a strong week, with most sectors in the green, driven by EM Equity and Muni sectors, and year-to-date gains in both NAVs and discounts. We take a look at why preferred CEFs have sharply outperformed their ETF counterparts last year.

EFR is currently overpriced, trading at a premium to NAV, which has only occurred three times in the past decade. Despite its 35% leverage, the Fund's 9.3% yield is insufficient compared to unleveraged alternatives like LONZ and FTSL. Investors should consider selling Eaton Vance Senior Floating-Rate Trust and explore alternatives like PIMCO Senior Loan ETF, First Trust Senior Loan ETF, or Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following Eaton Vance closed-end funds (the “Funds”) announced distributions today as detailed below. Declaration – 2/3/2025 Ex-Date – 2/13/2025 Record – 2/13/2025 Payable – 2/24/2025 Municipal Bond Funds:   Fund Ticker Distribution Change From Prior Distribution Closing Market Price – 1/31/25 Distribution Rate at Market Price Eaton Vance California Municipal Income Trust CEV $0.0500 - $10.14 5.92% Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust EVN $0.0513 - $10.31 5.97% Taxabl.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following Eaton Vance closed-end funds (the “Funds”) announced distributions today as detailed below. Declaration – 1/2/2025 Ex-Date – 1/13/2025 Record – 1/13/2025 Payable – 1/22/2025 Municipal Bond Funds: Fund Ticker Distribution Change From Prior Distribution Closing Market Price – 12/31/24 Distribution Rate at Market Price Eaton Vance California Municipal Income Trust CEV $0.0500 - $10.04 5.98% Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust EVN $0.0513 - $10.11 6.09% Taxable.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following Eaton Vance closed-end funds (the “Funds”) announced distributions today as detailed below. Declaration – 12/2/2024    Ex-Date – 12/12/2024    Record – 12/12/2024    Payable – 12/19/2024 Municipal Bond Funds: Fund Ticker Distribution Change From Prior Distribution Closing Market Price – 11/29/24 Distribution Rate at Market Price Eaton Vance California Municipal Income Trust CEV $0.0500 - $10.65 5.63% Eaton Vance Municipal Income Trust EVN $0.0513 - $10.79.