Covid-19 has brought home to portfolio managers the risk inherent in relying solely on in-house dividend estimates to forecast portfolio incomes as companies cut, delayed, or suspended dividends across large segments in certain markets. Even more inconveniently for portfolio managers, companies taking drastic dividend actions were not only across multiple sectors but also in disparate markets, making it hard to keep track of and make all the changes across multiple portfolios.

IHS Markit Dividend Forecasting has enhanced its portfolio analytics offering to help portfolio managers (PMs) deal with the uncertainties exacerbated by the pandemic. A team of more than 40 analysts globally reviews, updates and provides specialist commentary to clients daily on the most granular dividend information including dividend amount, ex-date, record date pay dates, and tax treatment.

The enhanced portfolio tool is customizable to each user and leverages our unrivalled global coverage of over 28,000 stocks, including ETFs and ADRs. This gives PMs an opportunity to find hidden gems that are not necessarily in their scope at first, in addition to providing fundamental, bottom-up analysis for their changing portfolio of stocks.

The tool also allows each user to easily upload multiple portfolios to track stock holdings and dividend flows of each portfolio for efficient rebalancing. Users can conveniently check expected dividends for a given period using customizable filters as well as keep track of corporate actions on dividend-paying stocks on the tool. A PM can also add or delete a stock from multiple portfolios quickly which will be necessary especially as dividend resumptions pick up speed with increased vaccination rates globally.

The enhanced service enables users to analyze individual stock forecasts to better understand its dividend risk or opportunity.

Lastly, in a fast-moving market, PMs will need a service that helps them update income forecasts across portfolios quickly to better manage risk. Our new portfolio analytics pair IHS Markit's best in class dividend forecasting expertise with timely updates of dividend changes both via intraday alerts and datafeed. The service also includes full access to the equity research team which is invaluable in volatile markets.

Take a closer look at our offering and sign up today for a free 21-day trial.

S&P Global provides industry-leading data, software and technology platforms and managed services to tackle some of the most difficult challenges in financial markets. We help our customers better understand complicated markets, reduce risk, operate more efficiently and comply with financial regulation.

This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.