A reliable and decent source of income is hard to find but this week’s guest runs the venerable Franklin Income Fund, which has paid a monthly dividend since 1948. Ed Perks, whose fund can invest in stocks, bonds, and other income producing investments, will tell Consuelo Mack where he is finding the best income now.

 

Ed Perks video and much more below

Action point video here

Automatically re-invest dividends, interest and capital gains in mutual funds, ETFs, etc.

PERKS: “HIGH-QUALITY UTILITY”

 

Southern Company (SO) Price: $42.79 on 3/19/14 52-week range: $40.03 – $48.74

“Now I think the utility industry you have to be careful. It’s not the utility industry it was several decades ago. There are a lot of different business models but that yield-oriented, stable cash flows of a Southern company or of a Duke Energy I do find quite appealing and a nice long-term holding for a portfolio focused on income.”

– Ed Perks

Ed Perks: Investment Kicks?

Running the $90 billion Franklin Income Fund means carrying on a 65 year old tradition with a very specific mandate. Does Portfolio Manager Ed Perks feel the need to do anything different, for kicks, with his personal portfolio?

Video here

Ed Perks more info from Consuelo Mack newsletter

In recent months bond yields have started to tick up, once again offering somewhat higher income than their stock equivalents.  According to this week’s guest, the pick- up in bond yields means more opportunities for investors seeking income.

He is Ed Perks, Director of Portfolio Management at the Franklin Equity Group and  since 2002,  portfolio manager of the venerable Franklin Income Fund. The fund has paid a monthly dividend ever since its founding in 1948. The nearly $90-billion fund, which can invest in stocks, bonds and other income producing investments, is one of the top ranked funds for the last 10, five and three year periods in its Morningstar “conservative allocation” category.