Short Interest in Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund Inc. (NYSE:DMO) Expands By 151.1%

Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund Inc. (NYSE:DMO) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of May. As of May 15th, there was short interest totaling 37,370 shares, an increase of 151.1% from the April 30th total of 14,885 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 37,203 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.0 days.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. LPL Financial LLC increased its stake in Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund by 13.7% in the fourth quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 251,590 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $2,783,000 after acquiring an additional 30,402 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund by 8.6% in the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 218,782 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $2,612,000 after acquiring an additional 17,374 shares during the period. Marex Group plc bought a new stake in Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund in the fourth quarter valued at about $189,000. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its position in Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund by 4.0% in the fourth quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 391,231 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $4,327,000 after buying an additional 14,948 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund by 5.2% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 242,543 shares of the investment management company’s stock valued at $2,843,000 after buying an additional 12,090 shares in the last quarter.

Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund Stock Down 0.4%

Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund stock traded down $0.05 on Monday, reaching $10.98. 22,144 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 51,646. Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund has a twelve month low of $10.42 and a twelve month high of $12.11. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $10.98 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $11.15.

Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 24th will be given a dividend of $0.12 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 24th. This represents a c) dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 13.1%.

About Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund

Western Asset Mortgage Opportunity Fund, Inc (NYSE: DMO) is a closed?end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income, with capital preservation as a secondary objective. The fund pursues these goals by allocating its assets among a diversified portfolio of mortgage?related securities.

The fund’s core investments include agency and non?agency residential mortgage?backed securities (MBS), commercial mortgage?backed securities (CMBS) and asset?backed securities (ABS) secured by pools of auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans and other consumer debt obligations.