WHEATON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First Trust Intermediate Duration Preferred & Income Fund (the "Fund") (NYSE: FPF) has decreased its regularly scheduled monthly common share distribution to $0.1325 per share from $0.1425 per share. The distribution will be payable on October 15, 2019, to shareholders of record as of October 2, 2019. The ex-dividend date is expected to be October 1, 2019. The monthly distribution information for the Fund appears below.
First Trust Intermediate Duration Preferred & Income Fund (FPF): |
|
Distribution per share: |
$0.1325 |
Distribution Rate based on the September 18, 2019 NAV of $23.90: |
6.65% |
Distribution Rate based on the September 18, 2019 closing market price of $23.75: |
6.69% |
Decrease from previous distribution of $0.1425: |
-7.02% |
The majority, and possibly all, of this distribution will be paid out of net investment income earned by the Fund. A portion of this distribution may come from net short-term realized capital gains or return of capital. The final determination of the source and tax status of all 2019 distributions will be made after the end of 2019 and will be provided on Form 1099-DIV.
Redemptions of high coupon securities and reduced income on the Fund’s portfolio has led us to reduce the distribution rate for FPF. Although leverage costs have decreased with the recent decline in short-term interest rates, yields on preferred securities, including floating rate securities, have tightened significantly as the entire US Treasury yield curve has shifted lower. Consequently, the net income available for distribution to common shareholders has decreased. We believe the new distribution rate reflects these current market conditions.
The Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income. The Fund has a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objectives by investing in preferred and other income-producing securities. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its Managed Assets in a portfolio of preferred and other income-producing securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies, including traditional preferred securities, hybrid preferred securities that have investment and economic characteristics of both preferred securities and debt securities, floating rate and fixed-to-floating rate preferred securities, debt securities, convertible securities and contingent convertible securities.
First Trust Advisors L.P. ("FTA") is a federally registered investment advisor and serves as the Fund's investment advisor. FTA and its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P. ("FTP"), a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately-held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $132 billion as of August 30, 2019 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. FTA is the supervisor of the First Trust unit investment trusts, while FTP is the sponsor. FTP is also a distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. FTA and FTP are based in Wheaton, Illinois.
Stonebridge Advisors LLC ("Stonebridge"), the Fund's investment sub-advisor, is a registered investment advisor specializing in preferred and hybrid securities. Stonebridge was formed in December 2004 by First Trust Portfolios L.P. and Stonebridge Asset Management, LLC. The company had assets under management or supervision of approximately $9.8 billion as of August 31, 2019. These assets come from separate managed accounts, unified managed accounts, unit investment trusts, an open-end mutual fund, actively managed exchange-traded funds, and the Fund.
Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. The Fund may not be appropriate for all investors.
Principal Risk Factors: The Fund is subject to risks, including the fact that it is a non-diversified closed-end management investment company.
Preferred/hybrid and debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to various risks, including credit risk, interest rate risk, and call risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/or principal payments when due and that the value of a security may decline as a result. Credit risk may be heightened for the Fund because it invests in below investment grade securities, which involve greater risks than investment grade securities, including the possibility of dividend or interest deferral, default or bankruptcy. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of fixed-rate securities in the Fund will decline because of rising market interest rates. Call risk is the risk that performance could be adversely impacted if an issuer calls higher-yielding debt instruments held by the Fund.
Because the Fund is concentrated in the financials sector, it will be more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting this sector, such as changes in interest rates, loan concentration and competition.
Investment in non-U.S. securities is subject to the risk of currency fluctuations and to economic and political risks associated with such foreign countries.
Use of leverage can result in additional risk and cost, and can magnify the effect of any losses.
The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the shareholder reports and other regulatory filings.
The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any other regulatory framework. Financial advisors are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.
The Fund's daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by calling 1-800-988-5891.