Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston A Comprehensive Overview

The Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston is a closed-end fund that offers investors a unique way to generate income through a diversified portfolio of high-quality bonds.

It was established in 1924, making it one of the oldest closed-end funds in the United States.

The fund's primary goal is to provide a high level of current income, while also preserving capital over the long term.

With a history spanning nearly a century, the Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston has a proven track record of delivering consistent returns to its shareholders.

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The Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston is a closed-end fund that aims to provide a high level of current income.

It invests in a diversified portfolio of high-quality, short-term debt securities, including commercial paper, corporate notes, and government securities.

The fund's investment objective is to generate a high level of current income for its shareholders.

Its investment strategy focuses on selecting high-quality debt securities with short to intermediate maturities.

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The fund's portfolio managers use a bottom-up approach to select securities, focusing on credit quality and liquidity.

They also consider the overall market and economic conditions when making investment decisions.

The fund's portfolio is diversified across a range of industries and sectors, reducing risk and increasing potential returns.

It has a long history of providing competitive income to its shareholders.

The fund's net asset value (NAV) per share has been around $10 for many years.

It has a relatively low expense ratio compared to other closed-end funds.

The fund's distribution rate has been consistently high, making it an attractive option for income-seeking investors.

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The Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston has a number of fees and expenses that investors should be aware of.

Management fees are 0.85% of the fund's net assets, which is deducted quarterly.

The fund also has other expenses, including 0.22% for administrative costs, 0.04% for custodial costs, and 0.04% for other expenses.

These expenses are paid out of the fund's assets and reduce the returns to shareholders.

The total annual operating expenses for the fund are 1.15%.

The fund also has a 12b-1 fee of 0.25% of the fund's average daily net assets, which is used for distribution and marketing expenses.

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The Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston has a solid track record of performance.

As of December 31, 2024, the Fund at NAV has a 5-year annualized return of 4.58%.

The Fund's 1-year return is 11.77%, significantly higher than the ICE BofA U.S. High Yield Index's 1-year return of 13.46%.

The Fund's NAV has fluctuated between $5.16 and $5.21 between January 10 and 17, 2025.

Here's a breakdown of the Fund's performance over the past 10 years:

The Fund's distribution rate at NAV is 5.94% as of December 31, 2024.

The SEC 30-day yield is 5.59% as of December 31, 2024.

Dividends are a key aspect of Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston's investment strategy. The fund has a history of paying consistent dividends to its shareholders.

The payout amount has varied over the years, with a high of $0.375 in 2015 and a low of $0.158 in 2014.

A notable year for dividend growth was 2015, when the payout amount increased by 137.34% from the previous year. In contrast, the payout amount decreased by 12.42% in 2023 and by 12.42% in 2024.

The annual payout growth has been negative in recent years, with a YoY growth rate of -12.42% in 2024 and -4.59% in 2022. This suggests that the fund's dividend growth has been slowing down in recent years.

Here is a summary of the payout amounts and annual payout growth rates for the past few years:

The fund's year start yield has also varied over the years, with a high of 6.46% in 2019 and a low of 2.56% in 2014.

The Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston has a compound annualized total return of 4.438% from July 2014 to January 2025. This means that over the past decade, the fund has provided a consistent return to investors.

The fund's cumulative total return over the same period is 57.878%, indicating a significant growth in value.

The maximum drawdown, or the largest peak-to-trough decline, of the fund has been 21.0%. This is a significant risk factor that investors should consider.

Here are the annualized returns for the fund over different periods:

The Sharpe Ratio, which measures the fund's risk-adjusted return, has been 0.52 over the past decade. This indicates that the fund has provided a relatively stable return compared to its volatility.

The Standard Deviation of the fund's returns has been 5.6% over the past decade, indicating a moderate level of volatility.

The fund's Beta, which measures its sensitivity to market fluctuations, has been 0.17 over the past decade. This indicates that the fund has been relatively stable and less volatile than the market.

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The Eaton Vance Income Fund of Boston offers a range of features that make it an attractive option for investors. The fund's high-yield bond holdings have historically produced higher income and lower correlation to interest-rate movements than higher-quality corporate bonds.

One of the key benefits of this fund is its high current income, which is made possible by its holdings in high-yield bonds. These bonds typically offer higher yields than higher-quality bonds, but they also come with a higher level of credit risk.

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The fund has a long history of success, with an inception date of June 15, 1972. This means that investors can trust that the fund has been around for a while and has a track record of performance.

The fund's expense ratio is relatively low, at 1.00%. This means that investors can expect to pay less in fees compared to other funds.

The fund distributes its income on a monthly basis, providing investors with regular income. This can be a big advantage for investors who need regular income from their investments.

Here are some key statistics about the fund: