BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUA) Stock Short Interest Report for September

Key Points

• Short interest surged 128.4% in September to 134,412 shares as of September 30, up from 58,845 shares two weeks earlier. Short interest represents approximately 0.3% of outstanding shares, with a days-to-cover ratio of 0.2.
• Institutional ownership stands at 20.38%, with several investors increasing their positions, including Janney Montgomery Scott, Bank of New York Mellon, and Fortitude Advisory Group.
• MUA shares opened at $9.25, near their 12-month low of $9.13. The fund announced a monthly dividend of $0.0555, equivalent to an annualized $0.67 payout and a 7.2% yield.

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc. (NYSE:MUA - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in September. As of September 30th, there was short interest totaling 134,412 shares, an increase of 128.4% from the September 15th total of 58,845 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 571,769 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.2 days. Approximately 0.3% of the shares of the stock are short sold.

Institutional Trading of BlackRock MuniAssets Fund

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. boosted its stake in shares of BlackRock MuniAssets Fund by 7.2% during the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Advisory Group L.L.C. now owns 28,035 shares of the investment management company's stock worth $309,000 after acquiring an additional 1,872 shares in the last quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniAssets Fund during the first quarter worth $52,000. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC raised its position in shares of BlackRock MuniAssets Fund by 63.1% during the first quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 17,311 shares of the investment management company's stock worth $184,000 after purchasing an additional 6,697 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock MuniAssets Fund by 31.3% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 28,946 shares of the investment management company's stock valued at $307,000 after purchasing an additional 6,901 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp purchased a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniAssets Fund during the first quarter valued at $95,000. 20.38% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MUA opened at $9.25 on Tuesday. BlackRock MuniAssets Fund has a twelve month low of $9.13 and a twelve month high of $11.26. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $9.81 and a two-hundred day moving average of $10.36.

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 22nd. Investors of record on Friday, December 11th will be issued a $0.0555 dividend. This represents a $0.67 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 11th.

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund Company Profile

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund, Inc NYSE: MUA is a closed-end investment company managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund's primary objective is to provide current income that is exempt from regular U.S. federal income tax.

The fund invests primarily in municipal bonds and other municipal obligations issued by states, territories, municipalities and governmental authorities in the United States. Its portfolio may include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds and other tax-exempt securities, with the selection of investments focused on supporting the fund's income objective while managing credit and interest-rate risks.

BlackRock MuniAssets Fund is designed for investors seeking tax-exempt income through a professionally managed portfolio of municipal securities.

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