Originally, the title was intended to read “The Chase for Higher Yields”, but I thought that the word “chase” conveyed an element of desperation. Although “desperation” would adequately and concisely reflect the current ground sentiment in that everyone (i.e. the man on the street) is looking for higher yields than what pathetic bank deposits have to offer, I thought “quest” may be more appropriate to describe a large swath of educated, knowledgeable investors who have yet to find the Holy Grail of high yields – a stable bastion of companies or securities which can guarantee a (almost) lifetime of dividends and passive income. And so this post will discuss some of the more recent attempts by companies to not only shore up their Balance Sheet, but to raise funds using very opportunistic methods which attempt to not just capitalize on the public’s hunger for yield, but also to reduce ......