Enhancing the Investment Performance
of Yield-Based Strategies

Abstract

High-dividend-yield stocks do not reliably earn above-average risk-adjusted returns. More complete measures of shareholder yield, which account for net share repurchases, perform better. This article explores the use of net-debt paydown as a way to further enhance shareholder yield. The addition of net-debt paydown enhances risk-adjusted returns and creates a shareholder yield metric that is more robust across time and to the inclusion or exclusion of financials.