Objective & Strategy
Helios Strategic Income Fund, Inc. (formerly, RMK Strategic Income Fund, Inc.) seeks a high level of current income. The Fund seeks capital growth as a secondary investment objective when consistent with its primary investment objective. The Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of securities that offers attractive yield and capital appreciation potential and consists primarily of debt securities and secondarily of equity securities. The Adviser will continually analyze the markets for income-producing securities and will periodically reallocate the Fund's investments among various fixed-income and equity asset classes and between investment grade and below investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") to pursue its investment objectives. As a result, a majority of the Fund's total assets may be invested in investment grade debt securities at some times and in below investment grade debt securities at other times. The Fund invests in a wide range of debt securities, including corporate bonds, mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities, and municipal and foreign government obligations, as well as securities of companies in bankruptcy reorganization proceedings or otherwise in the process of debt restructuring. The Fund also invests in other securities providing the potential for high income or a combination of high income and capital growth. (Below investment grade debt securities are rated Ba1 or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor's Ratings Group, comparably rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, determined by the Fund's investment adviser to be of comparable quality.) The Fund may use leverage through bank borrowings, reverse repurchase agreements or other transaction involving indebtedness or through the issuance of preferred shares. The Fund may leverage up to one third of its total assets (in each case including the amount borrowed.) The Fund may vary its use of leverage in response to changing market conditions.
Risks
Investors in any bond fund should anticipate fluctuations in price. Bond prices and the value of bond funds decline as interest rates rise. Bonds with longer-term maturities generally are more vulnerable to interest rate risk than bonds with shorter-term maturities. Below investment grade bonds involve greater credit risk, which is the risk that the issuer will not make interest or principal payments when due. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the ability of issuers, especially issuers of below investment grade debt, to service primary obligations and an unanticipated default could cause the Fund to experience a reduction in value of its shares. The Fund's investments in mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities that are "subordinated" to other interests in the same pool may increase credit risk to the extent that the Fund as a holder of those securities may only receive payments after the pool's obligations to other investors have been satisfied. Below investment grade bonds are also subject to greater price volatility and are less liquid, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change, than higher-rated debt securities. The value of U.S. and foreign equity securities in which the Fund invests will change based on changes in a company's financial condition and in overall market and economic conditions. Leverage creates an opportunity for an increased return to common stockholders, but unless the income and capital appreciation, if any, on securities acquired with leverage proceeds exceed the costs of the leverage, the use of leverage will diminish the investment performance of the Fund's shares. Use of leverage may also increase the likelihood that the net asset value of the Fund and market value of its common shares will be more volatile, and the yield and total return to common stockholders will tend to fluctuate more in response to changes in interest rates and creditworthiness.
Investment Products:
NOT FDIC INSURED | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | MAY LOSE VALUE
Some funds may utilize leveraging to seek to enhance the yield and net asset value of its common stock, through bank borrowings, issuance of short-term debt securities or shares of preferred stock, or a combination thereof. However, these objectives cannot be achieved in all interest rate environments. While leverage may result in a higher yield for the fund, the use of leverage involves risk, including the potential for higher volatility of the NAV, fluctuations of dividends and other distributions paid by the fund and the market price of the fund's common stock, among others. Certain funds may invest assets in securities of issuers domiciled outside the United States, including issuers from emerging markets. Foreign investing involves special risks, including foreign currency risk and the possibility of substantial volatility due to adverse political, economic or other developments.