Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. (NYSE:HIO) Short Interest Update

Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. (NYSE:HIO) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totaling 277,780 shares, an increase of 34.5% from the March 15th total of 206,458 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 373,297 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.7 days.

Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Trading Up 0.7%

HIO traded up $0.03 on Friday, hitting $3.75. 169,686 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 399,327. The business has a 50-day moving average of $3.71 and a two-hundred day moving average of $3.75. Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund has a 12 month low of $3.52 and a 12 month high of $4.05.

Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 29th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a $0.0355 dividend. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 11.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 21st.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Sit Investment Associates Inc. lifted its stake in Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund by 33.2% in the 4th quarter. Sit Investment Associates Inc. now owns 2,235,264 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $8,293,000 after purchasing an additional 556,840 shares in the last quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund by 16.3% in the 3rd quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 1,429,226 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $5,488,000 after acquiring an additional 200,675 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its position in shares of Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund by 19.7% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 1,220,952 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $4,530,000 after acquiring an additional 201,345 shares during the period. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its stake in shares of Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund by 13.5% during the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 776,289 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $2,880,000 after acquiring an additional 92,096 shares during the last quarter. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its holdings in shares of Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund by 59.7% during the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 753,190 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $2,892,000 after purchasing an additional 281,615 shares during the period.

About Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund

Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc (NYSE: HIO) is a diversified closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide high current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in high-yield and other fixed-income securities. The Fund’s portfolio is actively managed by Western Asset Management Company, an affiliate of Franklin Templeton, and may include below-investment-grade corporate debt, emerging-market sovereign and corporate bonds, bank loans, mortgage- and asset-backed securities.