Eaton Vance Enhance Equity Income Fund II

EOS

Market cap $1.25B

Eaton Vance Enhanced Equity Income Fund II offers retirees a high, tax-efficient 7.6% yield with monthly distributions and exposure to quality equities. EOS trades at a 2.1% discount to NAV, making it attractively valued for long-term, income-focused investors seeking a buy-and-hold strategy. The fund's option-writing strategy supports strong payouts but caps upside, leading to underperformance versus index ETFs like SPY during bull markets.

For those who adopt a dividend strategy, having a “thermometer” with which to measure the real performance of our stocks is an immense advantage. This thermometer is NAV, a simple line on a graph that anyone can observe and understand without the need for calculations or interpretations. If it grows over the years, it means that the security earned its distributions: if it goes down, it means that it paid them at the expense of NAV.

Market timing is futile; a disciplined, diversified, and rules-based approach is essential for long-term investing success. A Near-Perfect Strategy portfolio aims for consistent income, growth, and lower volatility through diversification and strategic planning. The portfolio targets 6% income and S&P 500-beating returns, with lower volatility and drawdowns, making it suitable for investors seeking financial freedom or retirement income.

Caring about dividends can increase our returns, but caring about NAV can save our portfolio. Return and NAV protection must go hand in hand, because there can be no sustainable return without protecting the value of the underlying assets. As far as I am concerned, the way to protect my portfolio is to favor only securities with a positive NAV over time.

I rate Eaton Vance Enhanced Equity Income Fund II a Buy for income-focused investors seeking long-term, buy-and-hold opportunities with reliable monthly distributions and capital appreciation. EOS offers a 7.63% yield, monthly payouts, a 9.58% five-year dividend growth rate, and the highest 10-year total return among Eaton Vance CEFs. The fund invests in top U.S. growth stocks, writes covered calls for added income, and trades near NAV with no leverage, enhancing risk management.

Exchange-traded funds using options to generate income have become popular. They take a variety of approaches to providing income and growth.

Eaton Vance's top taxable closed-end funds offer reliable monthly income, strong long-term returns, and are managed by highly skilled teams with proven track records. I prioritize funds trading at a discount to NAV with distribution yields near or above 8%, focusing on both income and capital appreciation potential. For total return, EOS and EOI are top picks; for dividend income, EVT (domestic) and ETG (global) provide diversification and attractive yields.

EOS offers a unique, actively managed income strategy using dynamic option writing and selective stock picking, aiming for both income and capital appreciation. The fund's growth tilt, concentrated portfolio, and flexible derivative exposure set it apart from peers, but also introduce higher volatility and execution risk. EOS delivers stable, attractive yields (currently ~7.5%) without eroding NAV, but its option layer hasn't consistently generated alpha or improved drawdown protection.

The Eaton Vance Enhanced Equity Income Fund II offers significant tech exposure and uses an options writing strategy on individual portfolio names. The recent poor performance of the fund brought on by the decline of the Magnificent 7 is creating a better buying opportunity. The fund's distribution rate of 8.3% is quite attractive, but it will require capital gains to fund; at this time, the NAV rate remains reasonable, but something to watch.

Total Return can be misleading if not supported by NAV growth, as it may include unsustainable distributions and Return of Capital. Behavioral finance shows markets are irrational, making it crucial to consider practical aspects beyond theoretical Total Return calculations. I believe that NAV performance can affect our discretion in the reinvestment choices for the distributions we receive from our savings much more than Total Return.