When managing the income-focused portion of my portfolio, striking the right balance between high current yield and structural risk is constant work. My systematic framework, driven by standard deviation, momentum filters, and hysteresis rules, has kept me on the sidelines for about a week "Don't-Buy, Don't-Buy". But this morning, as I updated my premarket prices pulling data from Yahoo Finance... a shift I made recently to reduce reliance on Google Finance calls—two interesting suggestions emerged from my Augmented Income Strategy (AIS) bucket: C-N (Citigroup Capital XIII Trust Preferred Securities) and PMTV.
Examining C.PR.N: High Yield Meets Premium Risk
Taking a closer look at C.PR.N (Citigroup Capital XIII Tr Pfd Secs), the asset presents a classic high-yield puzzle. It is currently trading above its $25.00 par value at $26.33, hovering near its 52-week low range of $25.80 (with a 52-week high up at $30.90).
Even while sitting above par, it continues to offer a striking 10.00% yield backed by a quarterly dividend of $0.6692. However, finding the exact date of origination and the official call date can occasionally be elusive on standard brokerage interfaces like E*TRADE. Because instruments like this are typically callable after an initial non-call period, trading above par introduces structural call premium risk—meaning any future redemption at $25.00 would result in a capital loss that eats into those dividend gains. I rarely purchase Junior Bonds or Preferred "Above Par" but this one is enticing.
Despite the appealing yield, my system currently flags C-N as a "Watch" rather than an immediate buy because the price remains above my target entry threshold:
AIS Entry Log (8/17/2026):
Asset: C-N
Status: Watching
Target / Execution Price: $25.48
Trend Filter Status: Price still above target purchase level
Spotting Reversions: C-N vs. PMTV
My screening logic evaluates trend reversions across multiple indicators, checking whether assets are positioned above or below moving averages. For today's AIS suggestions, PMTV, the trend indicators displayed a mix of "Below, Below, and Above," signaling potential mean reversion.
While both assets offer significant yields, they diverge on valuation relative to par:
C.PR.N (C-N): Trading above par, delivering that robust 10.00% yield, but held back by my system while we wait for a more favorable entry price below target.
PMTV: Trading slightly below its yield baseline, offering a different entry dynamic for income generation without the immediate premium penalty.
Markets move in cycles, and patience remains the core of any systematic quantitative approach. Whether waiting for C-N to drift closer to desired valuation bands or evaluating alternative income vehicles, letting the rules dictate execution ensures the noise stays out of the strategy.
All eyes are on NVDA, as the CEO steps down and the company remains the producer of the Data Center Changing CHIP. They are a buy but waiting for price reversion. I don't want to buy while it's declinning.
“Because your money should go where you want it, not where the probate court thinks it should, I am sharing this information.” Ah, E*TRADE. The place where your money grows, your trades execute (sometimes), and your hopes for financial freedom flutter like a candlestick chart on a volatile Thursday. But what happens if you kick the bucket before you get that Tesla stock to moon? Simple: you assign a beneficiary. Unfortunately, E*TRADE doesn’t make this as intuitive as you might think. This isn’t a “click here and boom, you’re immortal” situation. But fear not, fellow capitalist. I’ve braved the pixelated jungle so you don’t have to. 🛠️ Step-by-Step: Setting a Beneficiary for Your E*TRADE Brokerage Account (aka “How to ensure your money doesn’t end up in your ex’s lap or your neighbor's GoFundMe”) Log in at etrade.com . (Obvious, yes. But worth saying—this isn’t Webkinz, you need the real site.) At the top, click “Accounts” and select your Brokerage Account . (The on...