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Jun

2023

25+ Potential Ways to Invest in a Carbon-free Future

27 Potential Ways to Invest in a Carbon-free Future

By Laurel Tincher | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Impact investing and socially responsible investing has been growing in popularity in recent years, and will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.

Investing in a carbon-free future is one of the most powerful ways for individuals to help restore the climate. Studies have shown that investing in climate mitigation and adaptation now will prevent trillions of dollars in future losses from disaster relief, GDP decreases, and property losses, and it will cost far less to act now than to deal with future damages.

Another reason to start investing in a carbon-free future now: Since there will be a worldwide focus on the transition to a carbon-free economy in the coming years and decades, some investors might consider investing in green stocks to be one way to build a strong long-term portfolio. As with all investing, it’s essential to carefully consider the risks involved in your chosen investment strategies. Some, all, or none of the below strategies may be appropriate for you.

How Carbon Impacts Our Planet

Current carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere are higher than they have been in at least 800,000 years, and likely higher than they have been in the past 3 million years.

Human activities ranging from automobile use and building construction to agriculture results in greenhouse gas emissions. Over millions of years prior to the Industrial Revolution, carbon was removed from the atmosphere naturally through plant photosynthesis and other processes—but by fossil fuels like coal and oil, humans have put that carbon back into the atmosphere in just a few hundred years. Once emitted, that CO2 stays in the air for centuries.

Changing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere changes the Earth’s carbon cycles and results in global climate change. Some effects of climate change are already visible: rising sea levels, more intense hurricanes and fires, disappearing glaciers, and more. Around half of the CO2 emitted since 1850 is still in the atmosphere, and the rest of it is in the oceans causing ocean acidification, which interferes with the ability of marine life to grow skeletons and shells.

Currently, CO2 emissions continue to increase yearly—so it’s just as important for us to scale up the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere as it is to continue working on reducing emissions.

There are ways companies can do construction, agriculture, and all other industrial activity without emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but scaling up these solutions will require a massive amount of investment. That’s where individual investors can make a difference—by putting money behind companies that are working to create a carbon-free planet.

Climate-Friendly Industries and Companies to Invest In

Ready to make a difference by supporting climate visionaries? Here are 25+ ways to invest in a carbon-free future.

1. Carbon Offsets

Individuals and companies can purchase carbon offsets to zero out their carbon emissions. How they work: You can calculate your estimated emissions from air or car travel or other activities, and invest in local or international projects that contribute to the reduction of emissions. For instance, an individual could invest in a solar energy project in Africa to offset their annual emissions.

Although carbon offsets are controversial because they don’t directly work to reduce one’s emissions, they do help to build out renewable energy infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and other important initiatives. They are also helpful for offsetting certain activities that are often unavoidable and have no carbon neutral option, such as flying in a plane.

2. Carbon Credits

Carbon credits give a company the right to emit only a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.

They create a cap on the amount of emissions that can occur, and then the right to those emissions can be bought and sold in the market. Caps may be placed on nations, states, companies, or industries.

Carbon credits are controversial because larger companies can afford more credits which they can either use or sell for a profit, and some believe the program may lower the incentive for companies to reduce their emissions.

However, companies may be incentivized to reduce emissions in two different ways:

1. They can sell any extra credits they don’t use, thus making money.
2. Generally, limits are lowered over time, and companies that exceed their limits are fined—therefore, transitioning to lower emissions practices is in their best interest.

Although carbon credits are used by companies, individuals can invest in carbon credits through ETFs, or consider carbon emissions alternative investments.

3. ESG Indices and Impact Investing ETFs

Individuals can invest in ESG (environmental social governance) and impact investing ETFs, which are funds made up of companies focused on socially and environmentally responsible practices. Companies included in these funds may be working on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, plastics alternatives, or other important areas.

4. Climate and Low-Carbon ETFs

Within the impact investing and ESG investing space, there are ETFs specifically focused on climate change and carbon reduction. These exclude companies that rely on fossil fuels, focusing exclusively on companies deemed as climate-friendly.

5. Carbon Capture, Sequestration, and Storage

There are many ways that carbon can be removed from the atmosphere, including through trees and other plants, or by machinery. CO2 can also be captured at the source of emission before it is released into the atmosphere. Once captured, the carbon needs to be stored in the ground or in long-lasting products, so it doesn’t get leaked into the air. Interested investors might want to consider buying stocks in companies that sequester millions of tons of CO2 each year.

6. Products and Materials Made from Captured Carbon

Once removed from the atmosphere, carbon can be used to make many products and materials, including carbon fiber, graphene, and cement. The construction industry is one of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide, so replacing standard materials with ones made from sequestered CO2 would have a huge impact. All of these materials industries are poised to see huge growth in the coming years, and investing in them helps promote market growth, which can lower the cost of materials and make them more accessible to customers.

7. Tree-Planting Companies and Sustainable Forestry

The business of planting trees is growing. Newer tree planting companies are currently private, but investors can buy stocks, REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and ETFs in companies that practice sustainable forestry and land management, as well as companies that allow investors to purchase a tree.

8. Regenerative Agriculture

The way the majority of agriculture is currently practiced worldwide depletes the soil and land over time. This not only makes it harder to grow food, it also decreases the amount of CO2 that gets removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil. But with regenerative agricultural practices, the quality of soil improves over time. Spreading the knowledge and use of regenerative farming is extremely important to both food security and greenhouse gas management. Individuals can invest in regenerative agriculture through REITs, or even by investing in individual farms.

9. Green Bonds and Climate Bonds

Green bonds function the same way as other types of bonds, but they are specifically used to raise money to finance projects that have environmental benefits. Projects could include biodiversity, rewilding, renewable energy, clean transportation, and many other areas in the realm of sustainable development. In addition to buying individual bonds, investors can buy into bond funds.

10. Blue Bonds

Blue bonds focus on protecting the oceans by addressing plastic pollution, marine conservation, and more.

11. Refrigerant Management and Alternatives

Refrigerants used for cooling are among the top five highest emitters in the world, according to nonprofit org Project Drawdown . There are several ways to invest in improvements in the refrigerant industry:

•  Invest in alternative refrigerants such as ammonia and captured carbon dioxide.
•  Invest in companies making new types of cooling devices.
•  Invest in refrigerant management companies that reclaim refrigerants.

Other companies are working to retrofit old buildings and provide new buildings with more efficient HVAC systems.

12. Plant-based Foods

Raising livestock for food has a huge environmental footprint: It leads to huge amounts of deforestation, and cows emit methane when they burp, which is a much stronger greenhouse gas than CO2. Raising cows also uses a lot of water, transportation, chemicals, and energy. Replacing meat and materials with plant-based options can significantly reduce emissions and resource use.

13. Food Waste Solutions

Food waste in landfills does not biodegrade naturally—instead it gets buried under more layers of refuse and biodegrades anaerobically, emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere for centuries. Landfills are one of the biggest contributors to global emissions, with food waste contributing 8% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Some companies are heavily investing in waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities, which turn landfill waste into a useful energy source—essentially making products out of food ingredients and byproducts that would otherwise have gone to waste. One has developed a promising food waste recycling unit that could help reduce the amount of waste that sits in landfills as well.

14. Biodiversity and Conservation

Protecting biodiversity is key to creating a carbon-free future. Biodiversity includes crucial forest and ocean ecosystems that sequester and store carbon while also maintaining a planetary balance of nutrient and food cycles.

Interest in biodiversity investments has been growing, and there is even an ETF focused on habitat preservation.

15. Sustainable Aquaculture

The demand for fish rises every year, in part because eating fish is better for the planet and emissions than eating livestock. But a lot of work goes into making sure fishing is done sustainably to avoid overfishing and species depletion, and prevent widespread disease and wasted seafood. Investors may choose to support sustainable aquaculture by seeking out new and established businesses in the industry, or by investing in ETFs that include companies involved in responsible use and protection of ocean resources.

16. Green Building Materials

Creating construction materials such as steel and concrete results in a significant amount of CO2 emissions. There is currently a race in the materials industry to develop new materials and improve the processes of making existing ones. Both new and established businesses are part of this race. Besides steel and concrete, other key building materials that can contribute to a carbon-free future include bamboo and hemp.

17. Water

Clean water systems are essential to the health of the planet and human life. As the population grows, there will be more demand for water, which requires increased infrastructure and management. Proper water management can have a huge impact on emissions as well.

There are three main ways for individuals to invest in the future of water. One is to invest in public water stocks such as water utilities, equipment, metering, and services companies. Another is to invest in water ETFs or in ESG funds that focus on water.

18. Green Shipping

The transportation of goods around the globe is a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In order to improve shipping practices, a massive shift is underway. The future of green shipping includes battery-operated vessels, carbon-neutral shipping, and wind-powered ships. Other technologies that play into green shipping including self-driving vehicle technology and AI. Investing in any of these areas can help the shift towards a carbon-free future.

19. Electric cars and bicycles

The use of electric cars and bicycles can significantly reduce the amount of CO2 emissions that go into the atmosphere. Interested investors might want to research stocks in the electric vehicle, charging, and battery space.

20. Telepresence

As has been proven during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of work-related travel can significantly reduce global CO2 emissions. Video conferencing and telepresence tools continue to improve over time, which reduces the need for people to fly and drive to different locations for business meetings. Investing in companies working on these technologies may help solidify and continue the trend of remote work.

21. Bioplastics

Bioplastics include plastics that are completely biodegradable as well as plastics that are made partially or entirely out of biological matter. Currently bioplastics make up a very small portion of global plastic use, but increasing their use can greatly help to reduce waste and emissions.

22. Energy Storage

One of the biggest hurdles to scaling up renewable energy is creating the technology and infrastructure to store the energy, as well as reducing the costs of energy storage to make it more accessible. Investing in energy storage can help develop and improve the industry to help hasten the transition away from fossil fuels.

23. Green Building

Making the construction industry carbon-free goes beyond the creation and use of green building materials to include LED lighting, smart thermostats, smart glass, and more. These technologies can drastically reduce the energy used in buildings. There are many companies to invest in in the green building industry, as well as ETFs that include green building stocks.

24. Recycling and Waste Management

As the world’s population grows and becomes more urbanized, waste management and recycling will become even more important. Preventing waste from going to landfills is key to reducing emissions, as is the reuse of materials. For interested investors, there are many companies to invest in within waste management.

25. Sustainable Food

Food production is heavily resource-intensive, with many moving parts. In addition to companies working to improve soil health, refrigeration, plant-based foods, and food waste, there are also companies working on sustainable fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, seeds, and other areas. One way to invest in sustainable food is through an ETF.

26. Sustainable Fashion

The fashion industry is one of the world’s worst polluters. In fact, the fashion industry produces about 10% of global carbon emissions, in addition to its huge water use and polluting the ocean with plastics. Several of the world’s most well-known sustainable fashion brands are privately held, but increasingly, public companies are also making big strides in sustainability. Individuals can also support sustainable fashion by investing in material companies and agricultural producers that make bioplastics, bamboo, hemp, and sustainable leather alternatives.

27. Renewable and Alternative Energy

Energy is another important area to invest in for a carbon-free future. Within the renewable and alternative energy space, individuals can invest in companies working on wind, solar, biomass, hydrogen, geothermal, nuclear, or hydropower. There are countless companies and ETFs to invest in within renewable energy.

The Takeaway

Every industry around the world needs to make big shifts in the coming years to reduce emissions and build a carbon-free future. As an individual, investors can make their voices and their choices heard with their dollars, by investing in companies leading the way in sustainability.

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INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

Jun

2023

Lessons From the Dotcom Bubble

By Kim Franke-Folstad | Financial Independence, invest, Terminology | Comments Off

If you’ve been watching this year’s tech stock rollercoaster with an odd sense of déjà vu, you’re not alone.

Members of the market-watching media have noted the strong parallels between today’s tech sector and what went down when the dot-com bubble burst back in 2000. And those similarities—rising stock valuations, an increase in initial public offerings (IPOs), and a focus on buzz over basics—have some experts pondering if history is repeating.

If you—or your parents, or your grandparents—were affected by the 2000 dot-com crash, you may be wondering if there’s something you can do to help protect your portfolio this time around.

Here are five lessons from the dot-com bubble and the financial crisis that followed.

What Caused the Dotcom Bubble, and Why Did It Burst?

Back in the mid-1990s, investors fell in love with all things internet-related. Dot-com and other tech stocks soared. The number of tech IPOs spiked. One company, theGlobe.com Inc., rose 606% in its first day of trading in November 1998.

Venture capitalists poured money into tech and internet start-ups. And enthusiastic investors—often drawn by the hype instead of the fundamentals—kept buying shares in companies with significant challenges, trusting they’d make it big later.

But that didn’t happen. Many of those exciting new companies with optimistically valued stocks weren’t turning a profit. And as companies ran through their money, and fresh sources of capital dried up, the buzz turned to disillusionment. Insiders and more-informed investors started selling positions. And average investors, many of whom got in later than the smart money, suffered losses.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq index had climbed from under 1,000 to above 5,000 between 1995 to 2000. The gauge however slid from a peak of 5,048.62 on March 10, 2000, to 1,139.90 on Oct. 4, 2002. Many wildly popular dotcom companies (including Kozmo.com, eToys.com, and Excite) went bust. Equities entered a bear market. And the Nasdaq didn’t return to its peak until 2015.

What Can Investors Today Learn from the Past?

Every investment carries some risk—and volatility for stocks is generally known to be higher than for other asset classes, such as bonds or CDs. But there are strategies that can help investors manage that risk. Here are some lessons:

1. Diversification Matters

One of the most established strategies for protecting a portfolio is to diversify into different market sectors and asset classes. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

It may be tempting to go all-in on the latest hot stock, or to invest in a sector you’re intrigued by or think you know something about. But if that stock or sector tanks, as tech did in 2000, you could lose big.

Allocating across assets may reduce your vulnerability because your money is distributed across areas that aren’t likely to react in the same way to the same event.

Diversifying your portfolio won’t necessarily ensure a profit or guarantee against loss. And you might not be able to brag about your big score. Over time though, and with a steady influx of money into your account, you’ll likely have the opportunity to grow your portfolio while experiencing fewer gut-wrenching bumps along the way.

2. Ignoring Investing Basics Can Have Consequences

Even as the stock market began its meltdown in 2000, individual investors—caught up in the rush to riches—continued to dump money into equity funds. And many failed to do their homework and research the stocks they were buying.

Prices didn’t always reflect underlying business performance. Most of the new public companies weren’t profitable, but investors ignored poor fundamentals and increasing warnings about overvalued prices. In a December 1996 speech, then Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned that “irrational exuberance” could “unduly escalate asset values.” Still, the behavior continued for years.

When Greenspan eventually tightened up U.S. monetary policy in the spring of 2000, the reaction was swift. Without the capital they needed to continue to grow, companies began to fail. The bubble popped and a bear market followed.

From 1999 to 2000, shares of Priceline Inc., the name-your-own-price travel booking site, plunged 98%. Just a couple months after its IPO in 2000, the sassy sock puppet from Pets.com was silenced when the company folded and sold its assets. Even Amazon.com’s shares suffered, losing 90% of their value from 1999 to 2001.

And it wasn’t just day traders who were losing money. A Vanguard study showed that by the end of 2002, 70% of 401(k)s had lost at least one-fifth of their value, and 45% had lost more than one-fifth.

Valuing a Stock

There are many different ways to analyze a stock you’re interested in—with technical, quantitative, and qualitative analysis, and by asking questions about red flags. It can help in determining whether a company is undervalued or overvalued.

Even if you’re familiar with what a company does, and the products and services it offers, it can help to look deeper. If you don’t have the time to do your due diligence—to look at price-to-earnings ratios, business models, and industry trends—you may want to work with a professional who can help you understand the pros and cons of investing in certain businesses.

3. Momentum Is Tricky

Momentum trading when done correctly can be profitable in a relatively short amount of time—and successful momentum traders can turn out profits on a weekly or daily basis. But it can take discipline to get in, get your profit and get out.

Tech stocks rallied in the late 1990s because the internet was new and everybody wanted a piece of the next big thing. But when the reality set in that some of those dot-com darlings weren’t going to make it, and others would take years to turn a profit, the momentum faded. Investors who got in late or held on too long—out of greed or panic or stubbornness—came up empty-handed.

Identifying a potential bubble is tough enough, and it’s only the first step in avoiding the fallout should it eventually burst. Determining when that will happen can be far more challenging. If day-trading strategies and short-term investing are your thing, you may want to pay attention to the trends and your own gut, and get out when they tell you it’s time.

4. History May Repeat, But It Doesn’t Clone

Sure, there are similarities between what’s happening with today’s tech sector and the dot-com bubble that popped in 2000. But the situations are not exactly the same.

For one thing, investors today may have a better grip on what the Internet is, and how long it can take to develop a new idea or company. Some stock valuations today are, indeed, stretched but not as stretched as they were during the dot-com bubble.

And though a strong recovery from the Covid-19 recession could prompt the Fed to cool things down in the future, Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said the central bank is in no hurry to raise benchmark short-term interest rates or to begin reducing its $120 billion in monthly bond payments used to stimulate the economy.

So though it can be useful to look at past events for investing insight, it’s also important to look at stock prices in the context of the current economy.

5. You Can’t Always Predict a Downturn, But You Can Prepare

The dot-com stock-market crash hit some investors hard—so hard that many gave up on the stock market completely.

That’s not uncommon. Investors’ decisions are often driven by emotion over logic. But the result was that those angry and fearful investors lost out on an 11-year bull market. You don’t have to look at every asset bubble or market downturn as a signal to run for the hills. Also, if the market decline is followed by a rally, you could miss out.

One strategy—along with diversifying your portfolio—may be to keep a small percentage of cash in your investment or savings account. That way you’ll have protected at least a portion of your money, and you’ll be set up to take advantage of any new opportunities and bargains that might emerge if the stock market does go south.

Investors should also really look at a company’s fundamentals as well. Does a business make sense? Does it seem like they can grow their sales and keep costs low? Who are the competitors? Do you trust the CEO and management? After deep research into these topics, if the company is still attractive to you, then it could make sense to hang on to at least some of the shares.

If you’re a long-term investor who’s purchased shares in strong, healthy companies, those stocks could very well rebound. But this is an incredibly difficult process that even seasoned investors can get wrong.

The Takeaway

Asset bubbles like the dot-com bubble can have different causes, but the thing they tend to have in common is that investors’ extreme enthusiasm leads them to throw caution to the wind.

In the late-‘90s and early-2000s, that “irrational exuberance” led investors to buy overpriced shares in internet companies with the expectation that they couldn’t lose. And when they did lose, the dot-com craze turned into a dot-com crash. Investors who thought they had a piece of the next big thing lost money instead.

Could it happen again? Unfortunately, there’s really no way to know when an asset bubble will burst or how severe the fallout might be. But a diversified portfolio can offer some protection. So can paying attention to investing basics and doing your homework before putting money into a certain stock. And it never hurts to ask for help.

With a SoFi Invest online brokerage account, investors can diversify their portfolio by putting money into stocks, ETFs or partial stocks called Fractional Shares. Do-it-yourself investors can trade on the Active Investing platform. Investors who prefer a more hands-off approach can have their portfolio managed for them with Automated Investing. And members can rely on SoFi’s educational resources and professional advisors for help.

Check out SoFi Invest today.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

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Jun

2023

Pros & Cons of Quarterly vs Monthly Dividends

By Rebecca Lake | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Investing in stocks can help an investor build a portfolio over time while diversifying to manage risk. Adding dividend-paying stocks to the mix can also help to create a steady stream of income.

Not all stocks pay dividends. But those that do may pay out dividends on a monthly or quarterly basis. When investing in dividend stocks, it’s important to consider whether it’s better to receive monthly dividends or quarterly dividend payments.

For those investors interested in generating passive income inside their portfolio, it helps to know how stocks that pay dividends monthly versus quarterly compare.

Quick Dividend Overview

A dividend is a percentage of a company’s profits that are paid out to shareholders, typically on a fixed schedule, i.e. monthly, quarterly, annually, etc. If a company issues a dividend outside of its regular payment schedule, this is referred to as a special or extra dividend.

If you’re not familiar with dividends or dividend-paying stocks, here’s a quick primer on how dividends work.

Do All Stocks Pay Dividends?

No, not all stocks pay dividends. When looking at value vs growth stocks, an investor should bear in mind that growth stocks typically don’t offer a dividend payout to investors because the company reinvests all profits back into growth projects.

A value stock, on the other hand, may be in a better position to pay out dividends. Value stocks are companies that are undervalued by the market. These companies can pay out reliable dividends to investors and also offer capital appreciation if their stock price increases over time.

Companies that have an extended track record of paying dividends may be referred to as Dividend Aristocrats. These are S&P 500 companies that have consistently increased their dividend payout to investors over the previous 25 years or longer.

Why Do Companies Pay Dividends?

Public companies aren’t required to pay out dividends to their shareholders. But a company may choose to do so for any of the following reasons:

•  As a reward to shareholders
•  To attract new investors
•  Because there’s no need to reinvest dividends in the company’s growth

Dividend payments are a way to measure a company’s financial well-being. If a company consistently pays out dividends to shareholders, that can signal financial strength, which may be a draw to new investors.

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Monthly Dividends vs Quarterly Dividends: How They Work

If a company chooses to issue dividend payouts to its shareholders, it can determine the schedule for doing so. That can involve paying monthly dividends or paying them quarterly instead.

Whether an investor has monthly paying dividend stocks or quarterly paying dividend stocks, there are different ways they can receive those payments. For example, the company might issue a check for the dividend amount at the appointed time.

Some companies may allow investors to use their dividends to purchase additional shares through a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP). With a DRIP, investors can use their dividend payouts to purchase full or fractional shares of the same company.

This might be preferable to receiving a check quarterly or monthly if an investor is looking to grow their portfolio, versus creating an income stream. Another advantage of using a DRIP with stocks that pay dividends monthly or quarterly is that an investor may be able to avoid commission fees by reinvesting.

Are Monthly Dividends Better Than Quarterly Dividends?

If you’re receiving dividend payouts from one or more stocks in your portfolio, you may not think there’s much difference in when you receive those payments. But investing in stocks that pay dividends monthly versus quarterly could yield some important benefits.

Monthly Dividend Payouts as Regular Income

First, consider the advantage of receiving regular income (assuming the dividends are not being reinvested through a DRIP). If a portfolio includes a number of monthly paying dividend stocks that have higher dividend yields, an investor could have a nice chunk of income coming their way each month, and possibly even live off that dividend income.

An investor could use that money to cover regular bills, grow their savings, pay down debt, or invest it for the future through an IRA or college savings account. Having that added income stream can make budgeting and planning for short- or long-term financial goals easier. Those things could be more difficult to achieve with dividends that only arrive on a quarterly basis.

Reinvesting Monthly Dividend Payouts

Next, and perhaps more importantly, it may be possible to generate more income from monthly dividends by reinvesting them consistently into additional shares of stock. This ties in to the concept of compounding interest and how it works.

Compounding interest is essentially interest an investor earns on their interest, and it can be a powerful tool for growing wealth over the long term. The more time one has to invest and reinvest dividends, the more time one has to benefit from compounding’s effects.

In theory, investing in stocks that pay dividends monthly versus quarterly could work in an investor’s favor if they’re able to compound their money faster. So not only could they benefit from more regular dividend income payments, they could also potentially see more income from those stocks over time.

Whether this bears out in an investor’s portfolio depends largely on the dividend-paying stocks they own, of course. That’s why it’s important to understand how different stocks compare when investing for dividends to make sure you’re choosing ones that fit your personal investment goals.

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How to Create Monthly Income With Quarterly Dividends

It’s possible to reap the benefits of stocks that pay dividends monthly even if your portfolio only includes stocks that pay dividends quarterly. But this requires a little more work compared to choosing stocks that pay monthly dividends already.

The process involves choosing quarterly dividend stocks that can be staggered over 12 months. For example, an investor might choose three stocks that pay quarterly dividends:

•  Stock A pays dividends in January, April, July and October
•  Stock B pays dividends in February, May, August and November
•  Stock C pays dividends in March, June, September and December

By shaping a portfolio this way, an investor could get the benefit of monthly dividends without having to own stocks that pay dividends each month. But it’s important to consider what kind overall income one could generate when compounding interest is taken into account, versus choosing stocks that already pay monthly dividends.

The Takeaway

Investing in a mix of growth stocks and income stocks that generate dividends can help an investor build a well-rounded portfolio. For individuals who aren’t investing yet, getting started can make it easier to leverage the benefits of compounding interest over time.

When comparing dividend stocks, it helps to consider how frequently you’ll be able to receive those payments, as well as the amount of the dividend itself.

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INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

Jun

2023

Investing in Chinese Stocks

By Brian Nibley | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

China represents a part of the global investor marketplace known as the “emerging markets,” or countries that are headed toward first-world status and undergoing a period of rapid growth. China has the second largest economy in the world and is rapidly growing. Economists estimate that the country will overtake the USA to become the largest economy in the years to come.

Some prominent macro investors have expressed positive sentiments about emerging market opportunities. In spite of the potential opportunities, investing in foreign stocks can be confusing, scary, and in some cases impossible. Here are some facts about investing in Chinese stocks.

Can You Invest in Chinese Stocks?

The short answer is yes, investors located in the US and elsewhere do generally have the capability of trading international stocks, including investing in Chinese stocks. The details aren’t always so simple, though.

The majority of Chinese stocks can only be traded on Chinese exchanges, including the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

There are ways for foreigners to participate in these markets, either directly or through various types of investment vehicles or intermediaries. For the most part, buying Chinese stocks is not unlike buying US stocks. Investors may only need to search for specific securities or utilize a special intermediary firm in addition to their standard brokerage.

What are the Best Chinese Stocks to Buy?

For US investors, choices may be limited. If there are a limited number of Chinese stocks that can be purchased directly on a stock exchange, then it’s just a matter of evaluating stocks on the list choosing whichever ones seem most attractive.

How Can Foreigners Invest in the Chinese Stock Market?

To buy and sell stocks on foreign exchanges, investors often have to contact their brokerage firms and ask if they allow participation in foreign markets. If the answer is yes, the firm could then consult with a market maker, known as an affiliate firm. Affiliate firms, which are located in the country where foreign investors want to buy stocks, help facilitate these types of transactions.

The easiest way for many investors to gain exposure to the Chinese stock market might be to purchase shares in an emerging markets mutual fund or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that includes some stocks from publicly-traded companies based in China.

To do this, investors can look for funds that track a Chinese index. Some examples include:

•   Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks the Shenzhen Stock Exchange
•   Shanghai Shenzen CSI 300 Index, which tracks parts of the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges
•   Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index, which tracks the Shanghai Stock Exchange

As far as the actual process of buying Chinese stocks is concerned, doing so will look like buying any other stock. This holds especially true for those buying an ETF or mutual fund. Buying individual Chinese securities may involve an extra step with an affiliate firm, as mentioned earlier.

In either case, investors have to first open a brokerage account, decide which securities they would like to own, then create appropriate buy orders.

Pros & Cons of Buying Chinese Stocks

While the decision ultimately lies with an individual investor, there are both pros and cons of global investments, including Chinese stocks. Here, we will explore both perspectives.

Pros of Buying Chinese Stocks

Factors like a long-term outlook, China’s response to the recent health crisis, and international diversification can make Chinese stocks appealing to some investors.

Long-term Time Horizon

Some investors believe that Chinese investments have a positive long-term outlook— regardless of any short-term political concerns (more on that in Cons of Buying Chinese Stocks, below). China has been growing fast and could continue to do so, making the country an ideal place to invest for the long haul.

China’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

After the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most major economies in the world for an extended period of time, many areas saw contracting economic growth and continued to struggle. China, on the other hand, responded quickly and was able to reopen its economy sooner than many others, marking the country as a champion of growth throughout the pandemic and beyond.

International Diversification

Some investors choose to invest in the stocks of different countries as a way to further diversify their portfolios. The rationale: An investor could be diversified within and across different industries, but if something were to negatively affect the economy of the country those industries are in, it might not matter.

Cons of Buying Chinese Stocks

There are a few reasons why some investors might choose to avoid Chinese stocks.

Delisting of Some Chinese Companies

In recent times, executive orders have removed some Chinese stocks from American stock exchanges, including a Chinese oil firm named Cnooc (CEO) and China Mobile (CHL).

Growth Limits

Even though China has been growing rapidly, some believe the nature of the Chinese government could stifle innovation going forward. Which industries survive and which ones don’t can sometimes be determined by a simple forced government decision. One perspective is that China’s best growth days are behind it.

Are Chinese Stocks Undervalued?

It is impossible to say for certain. From a long-term perspective, if someone assumes that China will keep growing at a similar pace as it has in the past, then Chinese stocks in general could be undervalued. But there could also be some sectors that are currently overvalued, some stocks more undervalued than others, and so on.

The Takeaway

China is considered to be one of the strongest emerging market economies, leading some investors to see potential for great returns there. Foreign investors have several options if they want to invest in Chinese stocks. Doing so may not be any different than buying stocks in one’s home country. And because of its large economy, there may be other stocks affected by China as well, even if they aren’t Chinese stocks.

For investors looking to open or add to their portfolio, SoFi Invest® offers both active and automated investing, with the potential to buy IPOs at IPO prices, trade stocks and ETFs, and manage their accounts from a convenient mobile app.

Find out how to get started with SoFi Invest.

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New offerings generally have high demand and there are a limited number of shares available for distribution to participants. Many customers may not be allocated shares and share allocations may be significantly smaller than the shares requested in the customer’s initial offer (Indication of Interest). For SoFi’s allocation procedures please refer to IPO Allocation Procedures.

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Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Jun

2023

How Does the Bond Market Work?

By Laurel Tincher | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

One of the key tenets of building a strong portfolio is diversification—investing in different types of assets in order to mitigate risk and see steady long-term growth.

Besides stocks, bonds are a popular asset class which is considered one of the most secure investments one can make. When the stock market is headed for a storm, the bond market can act as a safe haven. Although people talk about stocks a lot more, the bond market is actually quite a bit larger. In 2020 the market cap of the global bond market was about $160 trillion, while the market cap of the stock market was $95 trillion.

The bond market has a long history. The first bonds were issued in the late 1600s by the Bank of England to help raise funds to fight a war against France. Since then, the global bond market has continued to grow and flourish.

So, what exactly is a bond and how does the bond market work?

Why the Bond Market Exists

Just as individuals need to take out loans in order to buy a home or pay for other expenses, governments, cities, and companies also need to borrow money. They can do this by selling bonds, a form of structured debt, and paying a specified amount of interest on them over time.

Essentially a bond is an interest-bearing IOU. An institution might need to borrow millions of dollars, but individuals are able to lend them a small amount of that total loan by purchasing bonds. The reason an institution would choose to issue bonds instead of borrowing money from a bank is that they can get better interest rates with bonds.

Bonds are issued for a specific length of time, called the “term to maturity.” A fixed amount of interest gets paid to the investor every six months or year, and the principal investment gets paid back at the end of the loan period, on what is called the maturity date. In some cases, the interest is paid in a lump sum on the maturity date along with the principal investment funds.

Recommended: How Do Bonds Work?

For example, an investor could buy a $10,000 bond from a city, with a 10-year term that pays 2% interest. The city agrees to pay the investor $200 in interest every six months for the 10 year period, and will pay back the $10,000 at the end of the 10 years.

Bonds are generally issued when a government or corporation needs money for a specific purpose, such as making capital improvements or acquiring another business.

Primary vs Secondary Bond Markets

Bonds are sold in two different markets: the primary market and the secondary market. Newly issued bonds are sold on the primary market, where sales happen directly between issuers and investors. Investors who purchase bonds may then choose to sell them before they reach maturity, using the secondary market. One may also choose to purchase bonds in the secondary market rather than only buying new issue bonds.

Bonds in the secondary market are priced based on their interest rate, their maturity date, and their bond rating, (more on that below). Notes with higher interest rates and more years left until maturity are worth more than those with low rates and those that are nearing maturity.

Differences in Bonds

Bond terms and features vary depending on the type and who issues them. The main types of bonds are:

US Treasury Bills

These government-issued short-term bonds are the safest, but pay the least interest. The sale of treasuries funds all government functions. These bonds are subject to federal income taxes, but are exempt from local and state income taxes.

Recommended: How to Buy Treasury Bills, Bonds, and Notes

Longer-Term Treasury Bills

Bonds such as the 10-year note are the next safest option and pay a slightly higher interest rate.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS)

These bonds specifically protect against inflation, so they pay out a higher interest rate than the rate of inflation.

Municipal Bonds

Also known as muni bonds, these bonds are issued by cities and towns. They are somewhat riskier than treasury bills but offer higher returns. Muni bonds are exempt from federal taxes, and often state taxes as well.

Agency Bonds

Agency bonds are sold to fund federal agriculture, education, and mortgage lending programs. They are sold by Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) including Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Corporate Bonds

The riskiest bond types are those issued by companies. The reason they have more risk is that companies can’t raise taxes to pay back their debts, and companies always have some risk of failure. The interest rate on corporate bonds depends on the company. These bonds typically have a maturity of at least one year, and they are subject to federal and state income taxes.

Junk Bonds

Corporate bonds with the highest risk and highest potential return are called junk bonds or high yield bonds. All bonds get rated from a high of AAA down to junk bonds—more on bond ratings below.

Convertible Bonds

Corporate bonds that can be converted into stock at certain times throughout the term of the bond.

Mortgage-Backed Bonds

These bonds consist of pooled mortgages on real estate.

Foreign Bonds

Similar to US bonds, investors can also purchase bonds issued in other countries. These carry the additional risk of currency fluctuations.

Emerging Market Bonds

Companies and governments in emerging markets issue bonds to help with continued economic growth. These bonds have potential for growth but can also be riskier than investing in developed market economies.

Zero Coupon Bonds

Zero coupon bonds don’t pay interest, but are sold at a great discount. Some bonds get transformed into zero coupon bonds, while others start out as zero coupon bonds. Investors earn a profit when the bond reaches maturity because it will have increased in value, and they receive the face value of the bond at the maturity date.

Bond Funds

Investors can also buy into bond funds or bond ETFs, which are groups of different types of bonds collected into a single fund. There are bond funds that group together corporate bonds, junk bonds, and other types of bonds. These funds are managed by a fund manager. Bond funds are safer than individual bonds, since they diversify money into many different bonds.

Bond Indices

Similar to a stock index, there are bond indices that track the performance of groups of bonds. Examples of bond indices include the Merrill Lynch Domestic Master, the Citigroup US Broad Investment-Grade Bond Index, and the Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Index.

What to Look at When Choosing Bonds

When investors are looking into stocks to invest in, the differences are mainly in the prospects of the company, the team, and the company’s products and services. Stock shares themselves tend to be pretty similar. Bonds, on the other hand, can have significantly different terms and features. For this reason, it’s important for investors to have some understanding of how bonds work before they begin to invest in them.

The main features to look at when selecting bonds are:

Maturity

The maturity date tells an investor the length of the bond term. This helps the buyer know how long their money will be tied up in the bond investment. Also, bonds tend to decrease in value as they near their maturity date, so if a buyer is looking at the secondary market it’s important to pay attention to the maturity date. Bond maturity dates fall into three categories:

•   Short term: Bonds that mature within 1-3 years.
•   Medium-term: Bonds that mature around ten years.
•   Long-term: These bonds could take up to 30 years to mature.

Secured vs. Unsecured

Secured bonds promise that specific assets will be transferred to bondholders if the corporation is unable to repay the bond loan. One type of secured bond is a mortgage-backed security, which is secured with real estate collateral.

Unsecured bonds, also known as debentures, are not backed by any assets, so if the company defaults on the loan the investor loses their money. Both have their benefits and disadvantages, so it is a good idea to understand the difference between secured and unsecured bonds.

Yield

This is the total return rate of the bond. Although a bond’s interest rate is fixed, its yield fluctuates since the price of the bond changes based on market fluctuations. There are a few different ways yield can be measured:

•   Yield to Maturity (YTM): YTM is the most commonly used yield measurement. It refers to the total return of a bond if all interest gets paid and it is held until its maturity date. YTM assumes that interest earned on the bond gets reinvested at the same rate of the bond, which is unlikely to actually happen, so the actual return will differ somewhat from the YTM.
•   Current Yield: This calculation can help bondholders compare the return they are getting on a bond to the dividend return they receive from a stock. It looks at the bond’s current market price and the amount of interest earned on that bond.
•   Nominal Yield: This is the percentage of interest that gets paid out on the bond within a certain period of time. Since the current value of a bond changes over time, but the nominal yield calculation is based on the bond’s face value, the nominal yield isn’t entirely accurate.
•   Yield to Call (YTC): Some bonds may be called before they reach maturity. Bondholders can use the YTC calculation to estimate what their earnings will be if the bond gets called.
•   Realized Yield: This is a calculation used if a bondholder plans to sell a bond in the secondary market at a particular time. It tells them how much they will earn on the bond between the time of the purchase and the time of sale.

Price

This is the value of a bond in the secondary market. There are two bond prices in the secondary market: bidding price and asking price. The bidding price is the highest amount a buyer is willing to pay for a specific bond, and the asking price is the lowest price a bondholder would be willing to sell the bond for. Bond prices change as market interest rates change, along with other factors.

Rating

As mentioned above, all bonds and bond issuers are rated by bond rating agencies. The rating of a bond helps investors understand the risk and potential earnings associated with a bond. Bonds and bond issuers with lower ratings have a higher risk of default.

Ratings are done by three bond rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and Fitch. Fitch and Standard & Poor’s rate bonds from AAA down to D, while Moody’s rates from Aaa to C.

Bond Market Terminology

When buying bonds, there are several terms which investors may not be familiar with. Some of the key terms to know include:

•   Liquidation Preference: If a company goes bankrupt, investors get paid back in a specific order as the company sells off assets. Depending on the type of investment, an investor may or may not get their money back. Companies pay back “Senior Debt” first, followed by “Junior Debt.”
•   Coupon: This is the fixed dollar amount paid to investors. For example, if an investor buys a $1000 bond with a 3% interest rate, and interest gets paid out annually, the coupon rate is $30/year.
•   Face Value: Also referred to as “par,” this is the price of the bond when it reaches maturity. Usually bonds have a starting face value of $1,000. If a bond sells in the secondary market for higher than its face value, this is known as “trading at a premium,” while bonds that sell below face value are “trading at a discount.”
•   Duration Risk: This is a calculation of how much a bond’s value may fluctuate when interest rates change. Longer term bonds are at more risk of value fluctuations.
•   Puttable Bonds: Some bonds allow the bondholder to redeem their principal investment before the maturity date, at specific times during the bond term.

The Bond Market and Stocks

Although there is no direct correlation between the bond market and the stock market, the performance of the secondary bond market often reflects people’s perceptions of the stock market and the overall economy.

When investors feel good about the stock market, they are less likely to buy bonds, since bonds provide lower returns and require long-term investment. But when there’s a negative outlook for the stock market, investors want to put their money into safer assets, such as bonds.

How to Make Money on Bonds

While the most obvious way to make money on bonds is to hold them until their maturity to receive the principal investment plus interest, there is also another way investors can make money on bonds.

As mentioned above, bonds can be sold on the secondary market any time before their maturity date. If an investor sells a bond for more than they paid for it, they make a profit.

There are two reasons the price of a bond might increase. If newly issued bonds come out with lower interest rates, then bonds that had been previously issued with higher interest rates go up in value. Or, if the credit risk profile of the government or corporation that issued the bonds improves, that means the institution will be more likely to be able to repay the bond, so its value increases.

Advantages of Bonds

There are several reasons that bonds are a good investment, and they have some advantages over stocks and other assets.

•   Predictable Income: Since bonds are sold with a fixed interest rate, investors know exactly how much they will earn from the investment.
•   Security: Bonds are considered to be a much safer investment than stocks. Although they offer lower interest rates than most stocks, they don’t have the volatility and risk.
•   Contribution: The funds raised from the sale of bonds may go towards improving cities, towns, and other community features. By investing in bonds, one is supporting community improvements.
•   Diversification: Bonds can be a great addition to an investment portfolio because they provide diversification away from stocks. Building a diversified portfolio is key to long-term growth.
•   Obligation: There is no guarantee of payment when investing in stocks. Bonds are a debt obligation that the issuer has agreed to pay.
Profit on Resale: Investors have the opportunity to resell their bonds in the secondary market and make a profit.

Disadvantages of Bonds

Although there are many upsides to investing in bonds, they also have some risks and downsides. Like any investment, it’s important to do research before buying.

•   Lack of Liquidity: Investors can sell bonds before their maturity date, but they may not be able to sell them at the same or higher price than they bought them for. If they hold on to the bond until its maturity, that cash isn’t available for use for a long period of time.
Bond Issuer Default and Credit Risk: Bonds are fairly secure, but there is a possibility that the issuer won’t be able to pay back the loan. If this happens, the investor may not receive their principal or interest.
•   Low Returns: Bonds offer fairly low interest rates, so in the long run investors are likely to see greater returns in the stock market. In some cases, the bond rate may even be lower than the rate of inflation.
•   Market Changes: Bonds can decrease in value if the issuing corporation’s bond rating changes, if the company’s prospects don’t look good, or it looks like they may ultimately default on the loan.
•   Interest Rate Changes: One of the most important things to understand about bonds is that their value has an inverse relationship with interest rates. If interest rates increase, the value of bonds decreases, and vice versa. The reason for this is that if interest rates rise on new bond issues, investors would prefer to own those bonds than older bonds with lower rates. If a bond is close to reaching maturity it will be less affected by changing interest rates than a bond that still has many years left to mature.
•   Not FDIC Insured: There is no FDIC insurance for bondholders. If the issuer defaults, the investor loses the money they invested.
•   Call Provision: Sometimes corporations have the option to redeem bonds. This isn’t a major downside, but does mean investors receive their money back and will be able to reinvest it.

How to Buy Bonds

Bonds differ from stocks in that they aren’t traded publicly. Investors must go through a broker to purchase most bonds, or they can buy US Treasury bonds directly from the government.

Brokers can sell bonds at any price, so it’s important for investors to research to make sure they are getting a good price. They can also check the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to see benchmark data and get an idea about how much they should be paying for a particular bond. FINRA also has a search tool for investors to find credible bond brokers.

As mentioned above, traders can either buy bonds in the primary or secondary market, or they can buy into bond mutual funds and bond ETFs.

Get Started Buying Bonds

For those looking to start investing in bonds, stocks, and other assets, there are many great tools available to help. One easy way to start buying into the bond market is using SoFi Invest’s® online investment tools. SoFi has an easy-to-use app investors can use to buy and sell bond funds with a few clicks of a button and keep track of their favorite bond funds and stocks, research specific assets, and set personalized financial goals.

Buying into bond funds is a good way for investors to gain exposure to a diversified portfolio of bonds, rather than going through the complex process of choosing individual bonds.

Learn how to use SoFi active investing to buy and sell bond ETFs with zero commission fees.

SoFi Invest®
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