
Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by GAMCO Investors, Inc. The fund is managed by Gabelli Funds, LLC. It invests in the public equity markets. The fund primarily invests in convertible securities. It invests in stocks of companies across market capitalizations. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Bank of America Merrill Lynch All U.S. Convertibles Index, Barclays Balanced U.S. Convertibles Index, and S&P 500 Index. It was formerly known as Ellsworth Fund Ltd. Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. was formed on June 27, 1986 and is domiciled in the United States.
Is ECF's expense ratio expensive, average, or a steal for its category?
Pro reveals the verdict on a 5-tier spectrum calibrated against ICI 2025 industry averages, with strategy-aware bands so the comparison is meaningful.

Closed-end funds can often be quite interesting to income-focused investors as they pay out relatively higher distribution yields. Another key factor is that the funds can trade at discount/premiums to the net asset value per share. While some funds perpetually trade at deep discounts, there are reasons to believe that some don't deserve to.

RYE, N.Y., Aug. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American: ECF) (the “Fund”) declared a $0.22 per share cash distribution payable on September 23, 2026 to common shareholders of record on September 16, 2026. The $0.22 quarterly distribution is a 16% increase from $0.19 per share.

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund trades at an -11% discount with a solid long-term track record and recent outperformance versus the S&P 500. Activist investors, notably Saba Capital Management (~12.3% stake), offer a potential catalyst for discount narrowing or structural changes. ECF's 5.8% yield is lower than peers, but a 19% distribution hike and differentiated portfolio exposure enhance its appeal for income and appreciation.

Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund offers a balanced mix of convertible securities and common stocks, targeting both capital growth and current income. ECF trades at a 12.4% discount to NAV, with a 5.73% dividend yield, outperforming peers and benchmarks on a NAV basis over 3 and 10 years. The fund's moderate 13% leverage and sector diversification support its defensive profile, while active management enables tactical upside capture.

RYE, N.Y., May 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Trustees of Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (NYSE American: ECF) (the “Fund”) declared a $0.19 per share cash distribution payable on June 23, 2026 to common shareholders of record on June 15, 2026.