Archive for the ‘HIMI Preferred Indices’ Category

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: March 2009

Monday, April 6th, 2009
HIMI Index Values 2009-3-31
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 870.3 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
FixedFloater 1,407.4 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Floater 1,087.2 2 2.00 5.49% 14.7 76M 5.61%
OpRet 2,073.3 15 1.37 4.76% 3.87 131M 5.23%
SplitShare 1,644.0 3 2.00 10.61% 5.67 47M 7.03%
Interest-Bearing 1,927.6 1 2.00 9.96% 0.7 33M 6.19%
Perpetual-Premium 1,516.3 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Perpetual-Discount 1,396.5 71 1.24 7.29% 12.2 154M 7.16%
FixedReset 1,825.0 32 1.06 5.86% 13.7 569M 6.10%

For Index Revisions during February 2009, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: March 2009.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

PerpetualDiscount Yield Distribution

Thursday, March 5th, 2009

Rather an odd thing happened with the HIMIPref™ PerpetualDiscount Indices today … compare the published index data:

HIMIPref™ PerpetualDiscount Index
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Date Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
March 4 7.34 % 7.46 % 172,278 12.03 71 -0.1996 % 1,354.8
March 5 7.44 % 7.43 % 172,255 12.00 71 -1.3749 % 1,336.1

See that? It’s most peculiar … The PerpetualDiscount index got hammered today, down 1.37% which would normally be expected to be about equivalent to a 10bp uptick in yields … but the reported YTW was actually down 3bp! Today, anyway, the mean current yield did a far better job of explaining the total return of the index.

So I had a little look …

There’s nothing particularly surprising about the distribution – one would normally expect to see the top credits clustered in a top credits’ zone, with the distribution showing a positive skew as they tail off into the … er … not-quite-top credits’ zone (although, I hasten to add, all members of the index are rated Pfd-2(low) or higher by DBRS).

But it must be remembered that I report the Median-by-Weight YTW. This was done on purpose; the problem I found while experimenting with various formats was that reporting mean-by-weight caused immense volatility in the data, as outliers had a large effect on the calculated number. This is not so much a problem with the PerpetualDiscounts index now that it has 71 members, but can be a problem with smaller data sets.

Anyway, for better or worse, I report Median-by-Weight; and today the Median-by-Weight is W.PR.H with a yield of 7.43%.

Now let’s look at the gaps between each of these issues:

And – you guessed it! The gap between W.PR.H and the next higher yielding issue (GWO.PR.I, 7.53%) is 10bp, as large a gap as you get in the important range of yields. A few pennies worth of price changes, and GWO.PR.I would have been the median issue and the return of -1.37% would have been matched with a reported increase in median YTW of 7bp … not a perfect modified-duration-approved relationship; but then, it isn’t supposed to be.

I can’t, at this point, think of any way to use this insight; but the more little odd factoids one understands, the better chance there is of achieving a useful understanding.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: February 2009

Monday, March 2nd, 2009
HIMI Index Values 2009-2-27
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 828.8 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
FixedFloater 1,340.4 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Floater 1,035.5 3 1.54 7.00% 12.4 71M 5.65%
OpRet 2,047.3 15 1.37 4.82% 3.95 149M 5.26%
SplitShare 1,644.0 15 2.00 9.31% 4.85 62M 6.75%
Interest-Bearing 1,929.7 1 2.00 8.02% 0.8 38M 6.09%
Perpetual-Premium 1,500.5 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Perpetual-Discount 1,382.0 71 1.25 7.29% 12.2 173M 7.19%
FixedReset 1,790.5 27 1.03 5.72% 13.9 534M 6.15%

For Index Revisions during February 2009, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: February 2009.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: January 2009

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009
HIMI Index Values 2009-1-30
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 851.6 2 2.00 3.93% 17.5 26M 5.43%
FixedFloater 1,384.7 7 2.00 6.96% 13.9 159M 7.25%
Floater 943.7 4 1.71 4.75% 16.0 33M 5.57%
OpRet 2,023.7 15 1.36 4.92% 4.0 164M 5.31%
SplitShare 1,789.8 15 2.00 9.05% 4.10 76M 6.23%
Interest-Bearing 2,004.7 2 2.00 8.21% 0.9 36M 7.06%
Perpetual-Premium 1,562.2 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Perpetual-Discount 1,438.7 71 1.24 6.85% 12.7 223M 6.87%
FixedReset 1,797.9 26 1.04 5.44% 14.3 761M 6.10%

For Index Revisions during January 2009, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: January 2009.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: December 2008

Friday, January 2nd, 2009
HIMI Index Values 2008-12-31
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 795.7 2 2.00 8.48% 12.5 32M 7.79%
FixedFloater 1,252.0 8 2.00 8.11% 12.5 83M 8.17%
Floater 986.6 4 1.72 5.78% 14.2 34M 6.18%
OpRet 1,967.9 15 1.35 4.69% 3.9 129M 5.44%
SplitShare 1,758.9 15 2.00 10.00% 4.18 79M 6.32%
Interest-Bearing 1,836.1 2 2.00 14.76% 0.9 51M 7.70%
Perpetual-Premium 1,467.5 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Perpetual-Discount 1,351.5 71 1.23 7.29% 12.2 243M 7.27%
FixedReset 1,793.3 18 1.06 4.81% 15.1 801M 5.92%

For Index Revisions during December 2008, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: December 2008.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: November 2008

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
HIMI Index Values 2008-11-28
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 1,030.3 1 2.00 6.92% 14.0 32M 6.37%
FixedFloater 1,483.5 7 2.00 6.98% 13.7 52M 6.62%
Floater 735.2 2 2.00 10.29% 9.2 47M 10.11%
OpRet 1,930.0 14 1.30 4.98% 4.1 126M 5.50%
SplitShare 1,485.7 15 2.00 14.84% 3.5 59M 7.44%
Interest-Bearing 1,800.2 3 2.00 20.87% 4.5 60M 9.15%
Perpetual-Premium 1,325.9 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Perpetual-Discount 1,221.1 71 1.24 8.14% 11.3 186M 7.99%
FixedReset 1,722.5 15 1.07 5.64% 14.2 639M 6.11%

For Index Revisions during November 2008, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: November 2008.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: October 2008

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
HIMI Index Values 2008-10-31
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 1,302.5 1 2.00 5.31% 15.3 28M 5.20%
FixedFloater 1,812.0 7 2.00 5.63% 14.9 36M 5.42%
Floater 1,097.8 2 2.00 6.58% 13.1 41M 6.77%
OpRet 1,971.9 15 1.30 5.15% 4.2 110M 5.31%
SplitShare 1,781.6 13 2.00 9.67% 3.7 54M 6.25%
Interest-Bearing 2,085.7 3 2.00 12.81% 4.7 65M 7.84%
Perpetual-Premium 1,544.0 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Perpetual-Discount 1,422.0 71 1.24 6.80% 12.8 174M 6.83%
FixedReset 1,940.0 10 1.00 5.12% 15.2 581M 5.38%

For Index Revisions during October 2008, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: October 2008.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: September 2008

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
HIMI Index Values 2008-9-30
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 1,474.2 1 2.00 4.70% 16.1 29M 4.68%
FixedFloater 2,064.6 7 2.00 4.81% 15.8 53M 4.72%
Floater 1,704.0 2 2.00 5.05% 15.4 39M 5.18%
OpRet 2,065.3 14 1.34 4.44% 4.1 79M 5.07%
SplitShare 1,927.8 13 2.00 7.65% 3.7 54M 5.80%
Interest-Bearing 2,556.7 2 2.00 6.70% 5.1 42M 6.39%
Perpetual-Premium 1,726.5 1 1.00 6.28% 13.5 56M 6.25%
Perpetual-Discount 1,548.4 70 1.24 6.17% 13.6 172M 6.22%
FixedReset 2,028.5 10 1.00 5.09% 15.3 823M 5.09%

For Index Revisions during September 2008, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: September 2008.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

Update, 2009-03-31: Index Details

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: August 2008

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
HIMI Index Values 2008-8-29
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 1,471.3 1 2.00 4.64% 16.2 27M 4.62%
FixedFloater 2,118.5 7 2.00 4.61% 16.0 45M 4.58%
Floater 2,025.0 2 2.00 4.34% 16.7 51M 4.30%
OpRet 2,109.2 14 1.35 3.95% 3.2 77M 4.93%
SplitShare 2,084.0 15 2.00 5.38% 4.5 45M 5.35%
Interest-Bearing 2,677.3 2 2.00 6.38% 5.1 54M 6.25%
Perpetual-Premium 1,751.4 1 1.00 5.40% 2.2 64M 6.16%
Perpetual-Discount 1,585.6 70 1.24 6.07% 13.8 187M 6.05%
FixedReset 2,040.4 6 1.00 4.84% 15.6 660M 5.04%

For Index Revisions during August 2008, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: August 2008.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

Update, 2009-03-04: Index Details

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices: July 2008

Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
HIMI Index Values 2008-7-31
These values reflect the December 2008 Revision
Index Closing Value (Total Return) Issues Mean Credit Quality Median YTW Median DTW Median Daily Trading Mean Current Yield
Ratchet 1,457.6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
FixedFloater 2,076.7 8 2.00 4.67% 16.0 37M 4.67%
Floater 1,968.1 3 2.00 4.41% 16.6 72M 4.17%
OpRet 2,080.4 17 1.34 3.92% 4.2 68M 5.00%
SplitShare 2,068.0 15 2.00 5.45% 4.6 57M 5.36%
Interest-Bearing 2,656.9 2 2.00 6.38% 5.2 58M 6.25%
Perpetual-Premium 1,728.9 1 1.00 5.79% 2.3 74M 6.15%
Perpetual-Discount 1,527.2 70 1.25 6.23% 13.6 190M 6.26%
FixedReset 2,032.1 6 1.00 5.05% 4.6 1,172M 5.06%

For Index Revisions during July 2008, see the post HIMIPref™ Index Rebalancing: July 2008.

Publication of index details is embargoed for six months following index date.

Update, 2009-2-3: Index Details