Short Interest in Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. (NYSE:HYI) Drops By 56.0%

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Inc. (NYSE:HYI) was the target of a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 16,686 shares, a drop of 56.0% from the November 30th total of 37,899 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 83,060 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.2 days. Based on an average trading volume of 83,060 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.2 days.

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Trading Up 0.6%

HYI stock opened at $11.09 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $11.20 and a 200 day moving average price of $11.65. Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund has a 12 month low of $10.87 and a 12 month high of $12.22.

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.095 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 20th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 10.3%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Icon Advisers Inc. Co. increased its holdings in Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund by 59.1% during the 2nd quarter. Icon Advisers Inc. Co. now owns 664,463 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,960,000 after acquiring an additional 246,846 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund by 1,033.4% in the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 198,577 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,379,000 after purchasing an additional 181,056 shares in the last quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund in the second quarter valued at approximately $990,000. Wolverine Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund by 3,743.4% during the 3rd quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC now owns 23,483 shares of the company’s stock worth $275,000 after purchasing an additional 22,872 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Huntleigh Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund by 5.4% during the 2nd quarter. Huntleigh Advisors Inc. now owns 380,997 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,564,000 after purchasing an additional 19,537 shares during the last quarter.

About Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund

Western Asset High Yield Defined Opportunity Fund, Inc (NYSE: HYI) is a diversified closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide shareholders with a high level of current income and the potential for capital appreciation. Organized under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in below-investment-grade fixed income securities, including high yield corporate debt, convertible bonds and other credit instruments. Its portfolio may also include unrated debt securities that the adviser deems to be of comparable quality.

Under normal market conditions, the fund allocates at least 80% of its managed assets to high yield securities issued by U.S.