DV
Dividend Vision

FLC CEF — Flaherty & Crumrine Total Return Fund

Flaherty & Crumrine Total Return Fund (FLC)

FLC is a CEF. its distribution rate is 7.97%, its trailing-12-month yield is 7.88%, its expense ratio is 1.64%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 67/100 (Generally safe). Total return is 333.1% over the past 23.1 years, 731.4 points behind SPY at 1064.5%.

At the current 7.97% distribution rate, a $10,000 investment would generate approximately $797 per year, or $66.42 per month.

FLC dividend yield and income

Price as of 2026-09-21.

The distribution rate (7.97%) is the latest posted forward yield, paid monthly. Trailing-12-month yield (7.88%) is the last year of payments divided by the current price. The last dividend was $0.107. The last ex-dividend date was 08/24/2026. It was paid on 08/31/2026. At the current 7.97% distribution rate, a $10,000 investment would generate approximately $797 per year, or $66.42 per month.

Recorded distribution timeline (275)
Ex-dateAmountChange from previous payment
2026-08-24$0.1071.9%
2026-07-24$0.1050.0%
2026-06-23$0.1050.0%
2026-05-21$0.1051.0%
2026-04-23$0.1040.0%
2026-03-24$0.1040.0%
2026-02-20$0.1040.0%
2026-01-23$0.104-24.6%
2025-12-23$0.13838.0%
2025-11-20$0.13.1%
2025-10-24$0.0970.0%
2025-09-23$0.0970.0%
2025-08-22$0.0971.0%
2025-07-24$0.0960.0%
2025-06-23$0.0960.0%
2025-05-23$0.0962.1%
2025-04-23$0.0940.0%
2025-03-24$0.0940.0%
2025-02-21$0.0940.0%
2025-01-24$0.094-26.6%
2024-12-23$0.12836.2%
2024-11-21$0.0943.3%
2024-10-24$0.0910.0%
2024-09-23$0.0910.0%
2024-08-23$0.0911.1%
2024-07-24$0.090.0%
2024-06-21$0.090.0%
2024-05-22$0.094.7%
2024-04-22$0.0860.0%
2024-03-20$0.0860.0%
2024-02-21$0.0862.4%
2024-01-23$0.0840.0%
2023-12-20$0.0840.0%
2023-11-21$0.0840.0%
2023-10-23$0.0840.0%
2023-09-21$0.0840.0%
2023-08-23$0.084-5.6%
2023-07-21$0.0890.0%
2023-06-22$0.0890.0%
2023-05-22$0.089-7.3%
2023-04-20$0.0960.0%
2023-03-23$0.0960.0%
2023-02-17$0.096-7.7%
2023-01-23$0.1040.0%
2022-12-21$0.1040.0%
2022-11-21$0.1040.0%
2022-10-21$0.104-7.1%
2022-09-22$0.1120.0%
2022-08-23$0.112-8.2%
2022-07-21$0.1220.0%
2022-06-22$0.1220.0%
2022-05-20$0.122-4.7%
2022-04-21$0.1280.0%
2022-03-23$0.1280.0%
2022-02-17$0.1280.0%
2022-01-21$0.128-1.5%
2021-12-22$0.130.0%
2021-11-19$0.130.0%
2021-10-21$0.130.0%
2021-09-22$0.130.0%
2021-08-23$0.130.0%
2021-07-22$0.130.0%
2021-06-22$0.130.0%
2021-05-20$0.13-1.5%
2021-04-22$0.1320.0%
2021-03-23$0.1320.0%
2021-02-18$0.1320.0%
2021-01-21$0.1320.0%
2020-12-22$0.1320.0%
2020-11-19$0.1320.0%
2020-10-22$0.1320.0%
2020-09-22$0.1320.0%
2020-08-21$0.1329.1%
2020-07-23$0.1210.0%
2020-06-22$0.1210.0%
2020-05-21$0.1215.2%
2020-04-22$0.1150.0%
2020-03-23$0.1150.0%
2020-02-20$0.1150.0%
2020-01-23$0.115-18.4%
2019-12-20$0.14122.6%
2019-11-20$0.1150.0%
2019-10-23$0.1150.0%
2019-09-20$0.1150.0%
2019-08-22$0.1150.0%
2019-07-23$0.1150.0%
2019-06-20$0.1150.0%
2019-05-22$0.1150.0%
2019-04-22$0.1150.0%
2019-03-21$0.1150.0%
2019-02-20$0.1150.0%
2019-01-23$0.115-3.4%
2018-12-20$0.1190.0%
2018-11-21$0.1190.0%
2018-10-23$0.1190.0%
2018-09-20$0.1190.0%
2018-08-23$0.1190.0%
2018-07-23$0.1190.0%
2018-06-21$0.1190.0%
2018-05-22$0.1190.0%
2018-04-20$0.1190.0%
2018-03-21$0.1190.0%
2018-02-20$0.119-5.6%
2018-01-23$0.1260.0%
2017-12-20$0.1260.0%
2017-11-21$0.1260.0%
2017-10-23$0.1260.0%
2017-09-21$0.1260.0%
2017-08-22$0.126-5.3%
2017-07-20$0.1330.0%
2017-06-21$0.1330.0%
2017-05-19$0.1330.0%
2017-04-19$0.1330.0%
2017-03-22$0.1330.0%
2017-02-16$0.1330.0%
2017-01-20$0.1330.0%
2016-12-20$0.133-2.2%
2016-11-18$0.1360.0%
2016-10-20$0.1360.0%
2016-09-21$0.1360.0%
2016-08-22$0.1360.0%
2016-07-20$0.1360.0%
2016-06-21$0.1360.0%
2016-05-19$0.1360.0%
2016-04-20$0.1360.0%
2016-03-21$0.1360.0%
2016-02-18$0.1360.0%
2016-01-20$0.1360.0%
2015-12-21$0.1360.0%
2015-11-18$0.1360.0%
2015-10-21$0.1360.0%
2015-09-21$0.1360.0%
2015-08-20$0.1360.0%
2015-07-22$0.1360.0%
2015-06-19$0.1360.0%
2015-05-19$0.1360.0%
2015-04-21$0.1360.0%
2015-03-20$0.1360.0%
2015-02-18$0.1360.0%
2015-01-21$0.1360.0%
2014-12-19$0.1360.0%
2014-11-18$0.1360.0%
2014-10-22$0.1360.0%
2014-09-19$0.1360.0%
2014-08-20$0.1360.0%
2014-07-22$0.1360.0%
2014-06-19$0.1360.0%
2014-05-20$0.1360.0%
2014-04-21$0.1360.0%
2014-03-20$0.1360.0%
2014-02-19$0.1360.0%
2014-01-22$0.136-40.4%
2013-12-19$0.22867.6%
2013-11-19$0.1360.0%
2013-10-22$0.1360.0%
2013-09-19$0.1360.0%
2013-08-21$0.1360.0%
2013-07-22$0.1360.0%
2013-06-19$0.1360.0%
2013-05-22$0.1360.0%
2013-04-19$0.1360.0%
2013-03-19$0.1360.0%
2013-02-19$0.1360.0%
2013-01-22$0.136-38.5%
2012-12-19$0.22157.9%
2012-11-20$0.140.0%
2012-10-22$0.140.0%
2012-09-19$0.140.0%
2012-08-22$0.140.0%
2012-07-20$0.140.0%
2012-06-20$0.140.0%
2012-05-21$0.140.0%
2012-04-19$0.140.0%
2012-03-21$0.140.0%
2012-02-17$0.140.0%
2012-01-20$0.14-28.2%
2011-12-20$0.19539.3%
2011-11-18$0.140.0%
2011-10-20$0.140.0%
2011-09-21$0.140.0%
2011-08-22$0.143.7%
2011-07-20$0.1350.0%
2011-06-21$0.1350.0%
2011-05-19$0.1350.0%
2011-04-19$0.1350.0%
2011-03-22$0.1350.0%
2011-02-16$0.1350.0%
2011-01-20$0.135-22.9%
2010-12-21$0.17532.6%
2010-11-18$0.1320.0%
2010-10-20$0.1320.0%
2010-09-21$0.1320.0%
2010-08-20$0.1325.6%
2010-07-21$0.1250.0%
2010-06-21$0.1250.0%
2010-05-19$0.1257.8%
2010-04-21$0.1160.0%
2010-03-22$0.1160.0%
2010-02-17$0.1160.0%
2010-01-20$0.1160.0%
2009-12-21$0.1165.5%
2009-11-18$0.110.0%
2009-10-21$0.110.0%
2009-09-21$0.110.0%
2009-08-20$0.110.0%
2009-07-22$0.110.0%
2009-06-19$0.110.0%
2009-05-19$0.110.0%
2009-04-21$0.110.0%
2009-03-20$0.110.0%
2009-02-18$0.110.0%
2009-01-21$0.110.0%
2008-12-19$0.11-10.6%
2008-11-18$0.1230.0%
2008-10-22$0.123-10.2%
2008-09-19$0.1370.0%
2008-08-20$0.1370.0%
2008-07-22$0.1375.4%
2008-06-19$0.130.0%
2008-05-20$0.130.0%
2008-04-21$0.130.0%
2008-03-19$0.130.0%
2008-02-20$0.130.0%
2008-01-22$0.130.0%
2007-12-19$0.131.6%
2007-11-20$0.1280.0%
2007-10-22$0.1280.0%
2007-09-19$0.1280.0%
2007-08-22$0.1280.0%
2007-07-20$0.1280.0%
2007-06-20$0.1280.0%
2007-05-21$0.1280.0%
2007-04-19$0.1280.0%
2007-03-21$0.1280.0%
2007-02-16$0.1280.0%
2007-01-22$0.1280.0%
2006-12-19$0.1280.0%
2006-11-20$0.1280.0%
2006-10-20$0.1280.0%
2006-09-20$0.1280.0%
2006-08-22$0.1280.0%
2006-07-20$0.1280.0%
2006-06-21$0.1280.0%
2006-05-22$0.1280.0%
2006-04-19$0.1280.0%
2006-03-22$0.128-8.6%
2006-02-16$0.140.0%
2006-01-20$0.140.0%
2005-12-20$0.14-5.4%
2005-11-21$0.1480.0%
2005-10-20$0.1480.0%
2005-09-21$0.1480.0%
2005-08-22$0.1480.0%
2005-07-20$0.1480.0%
2005-06-21$0.1480.0%
2005-05-20$0.1480.0%
2005-04-20$0.148-9.2%
2005-03-22$0.1630.3%
2005-02-16$0.1625-0.3%
2005-01-20$0.1630.0%
2004-12-21$0.1630.0%
2004-11-19$0.1630.0%
2004-10-20$0.1630.0%
2004-09-21$0.1630.0%
2004-08-20$0.1630.0%
2004-07-21$0.1630.0%
2004-06-21$0.1630.0%
2004-05-19$0.1630.0%
2004-04-21$0.1630.6%
2004-03-22$0.162-0.6%
2004-02-18$0.1630.0%
2004-01-21$0.163-19.7%
2003-12-22$0.20324.5%
2003-11-19$0.16381.1%
2003-09-16$0.09
2003 total (partial launch year)$0.456
2004 total (cadence changed)$1.955
2005 total$1.8125-7.3%
2006 total$1.56-13.9%
2007 total$1.538-1.4%
2008 total$1.5470.6%
2009 total$1.326-14.3%
2010 total$1.54216.3%
2011 total$1.710.2%
2012 total$1.7613.6%
2013 total$1.724-2.1%
2014 total$1.632-5.3%
2015 total$1.6320.0%
2016 total$1.629-0.2%
2017 total$1.561-4.2%
2018 total$1.435-8.1%
2019 total$1.406-2.0%
2020 total$1.4835.5%
2021 total$1.5685.7%
2022 total$1.414-9.8%
2023 total$1.079-23.7%
2024 total$1.1072.6%
2025 total$1.1937.8%
2026 YTD total$0.83810.1% vs prior-year YTD

FLC dividend growth

Trailing-12-month distributions versus the preceding 12 months changed +9.0%. The 1Y row below uses this same adjacent TTM cash-window comparison. The deepest trailing-12-month payout decline in the past five years is -33.96%.

TTM income vs TTM N years earlier
WindowChange
1Y+9.0%
3Y8.8%
5Y-19.4%
10Y-22.2%

FLC holdings and sector exposure

Holdings are not available for this snapshot.

FLC performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-09-21.

Total return is 333.1% over the past 23.1 years, 731.4 points behind SPY at 1064.5%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is -3.1%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 8.3%.

WindowTotal returnCAGR
1M-3.1%
3M-2.0%
6M0.5%
YTD-3.2%
1Y-3.1%
2Y CAGR3.50%
3Y CAGR13.50%
5Y CAGR-0.60%
10Y CAGR4.30%
Since inception (23.1 years)333.1%6.60%

FLC key facts

Distribution Safety Score™
67 · Generally safe
Safety-Adjusted Yield
5.34%
Issuer
Flaherty & Crumrine
Asset type
CEF
Asset class
Fixed Income
Inception date
08/29/2003
Expense ratio
1.64%
Distribution rate
7.97%
Distribution frequency
Monthly
Trailing yield
7.88%
5-year average yield
7.31
Last close
$16.12 (as of 2026-09-21)
NAV
$18.26
Premium / discount
11.72% discount
Market cap
$168,563,968
Average volume
60300.0
Last dividend
$0.107
Last ex-dividend date
08/24/2026 (as of 2026-08-24)
Last payment date
08/31/2026 (as of 2026-08-31)
Beta
0.641

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (7.97%) is the latest regular payout annualized by the fund's stated frequency, divided by the last close. Issuers often publish this as “Distribution Rate” on the fact sheet. Trailing-12-month yield (7.88%) is the sum of distributions paid in the last 12 months, split-adjusted, divided by the last close. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: Flaherty & Crumrine or company page; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

FLC risks and drawbacks

Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 8.3%.

Who may consider FLC — and who may not

It is a weaker fit for investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

Frequently asked questions

Does FLC pay monthly?

Yes. FLC currently pays monthly.

What is FLC's expense ratio?

FLC's expense ratio is 1.64%.

What is FLC's dividend yield?

FLC's distribution rate is 7.97%, paid monthly, with a 1.64% expense ratio — the latest regular payout annualised, not a trailing 12-month yield (data as of September 21, 2026).

How has FLC's dividend grown?

Trailing-12-month distributions versus the preceding 12 months changed +9.0%. That is the same adjacent TTM cash-window comparison used in the dividend-history table.

When does FLC pay a dividend?

FLC pays monthly. The last dividend was $0.107. The last ex-dividend date was 08/24/2026. It was paid on 08/31/2026.

How has FLC performed?

Total return is 333.1% over the past 23.1 years, 731.4 points behind SPY at 1064.5%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is -3.1%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 8.3%.

Is FLC a good investment?

FLC's Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score is 67 (Generally safe). That is a risk signal, not investment advice. Its distribution rate is 7.97% (the latest regular payout annualised, not a trailing yield). Compare peers below rather than treating any single figure as a buy or sell.

DividendVision analysis is generated from public SEC filing data and may not capture every change. Review the original filing for complete information.