What is Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc.'s (HIX) StockRank?

MoatMap's StockRank for Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) is 79/100, with a Buy signal. This is a composite score combining Quality (58), Value (57), and Momentum (50) factor ranks across MoatMap's 20,000+ stock universe.

Does Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. have an economic moat?

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) has a Quality factor score of 58/100. The Quality factor combines ROIC, Piotroski F-Score, and leverage — the financial fingerprints of a durable competitive advantage. A Quality score above 70 typically indicates a company with the financial characteristics of a moated business.

Is Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. a buy, hold, or sell?

MoatMap's current signal for Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) is Buy, based on a StockRank of 79/100. Signals are derived mechanically from the StockRank composite and should be one input among many — combine with your own thesis on management, competitive position, and valuation.

What sector is Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. in?

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) operates in the Financial Services sector, specifically the Asset Management industry (United States).

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HIX

BUYREMOVE

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. · Financial Services · United States · $359M · Avg Vol: $2M/d

StockRank

P/E (TTM)

9.2x

ROE

9.7%

D/E

0.5x

Dividend %

14.9%

Director Trades · 180d

None in 180d →

Buybacks · 180d

None in 180d →

AI CONVICTION THESIS

This is a closed-end high-income credit fund. It completely fails the Terry Smith lens of being an asset-light, high-ROIC operating business with a structural moat, and has zero alignment with our core macro themes.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. is a leveraged closed-end fund designed to maximize current income and capital appreciation through investments in high-yield corporate debt and emerging market securities. The fund is managed by Western Asset, leveraging their global fixed-income platform to conduct rigorous, bottom-up credit analysis. It utilizes leverage strategically to enhance yield, making it a higher-beta vehicle for investors seeking aggressive income generation.

FINANCIAL SUMMARY (USD)

Year	2022	2023	2024	2025	CAGR
Revenue	-40M	-30M	30M	33M	8.2%
EPS	-0.69	-0.47	0.49	0.36	-26.5%
Shares	60M	67M	90M	90M	+50.0%
Debt	179M	122M	179M	193M	2.5%
Equity	345M	314M	405M	384M	3.6%
Op CF	33M	58M	-123M	48M	13.1%
Inv CF	—	—	—	—	—
Fin CF	-30M	-58M	119M	-45M	—

PRICE (1M)+2.3%

SMA 50SMA 200

$3.98

RSI (14)

41.9

52W High

$4.13

From 52W High

1.0%

SCORE BREAKDOWN

Quality

ROIC (ROA)

4.6%*74.3

ROE

9.7%47.4

GP/Assets

8.4%69.3

Op. Margin

89.5%95.0

FCF/Assets

5.2%66.5

Piotroski

—68.0

Int. Cover

—N/A

D/E Ratio

0.48x47.4

Current Ratio

0.05x2.6

Value

P/E (TTM)

9.2x73.6

EV/EBITDA

—N/A

P/FCF

11.7x57.2

P/B

0.9x64.6

P/S

7.2x18.4

Div Yield

14.9%97.3

Momentum

52W High %

96%73.0

RS 6M

-7%49.9

SMA 50/200

1.00x37.5

EPS Rev 4W

—N/A

EPS Rev 12W

—N/A

EPS Improve

—N/A

Q Growth

23%58.6

FUNDAMENTALS

Market Cap

$359M

P/E (Forward)

—

Gross Margin

100.0%

SECTOR PEERS

Closest peers in Financial Services, ranked by industry match, size, and score similarity. Cross-listings of HIX are excluded.

Ticker	Company	Mkt Cap	StockRank	Signal
HIX	Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc.(you)	$359M	79	BUY
WQG.AX	WCM Global Growth Limited	$377M	71	BUY
HPF	John Hancock Preferred Income Fund II	$350M	70	BUY
GLO	Clough Global Opportunities Fund	$257M	74	BUY
AVK	Advent Convertible and Income Fund	$577M	76	BUY
ERC	Allspring Multi-Sector Income Fund	$255M	73	BUY
ETO	Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Global Dividend Opportunities Fund	$506M	85	STRONG BUY
LIEN	Chicago Atlantic BDC, Inc.	$228M	84	STRONG BUY
FINS	Angel Oak Financial Strategies Income Term Trust	$428M	68	BUY
HIO	Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc.	$348M	64	HOLD

Peer medians: ROE 10.8% · P/E 13.6x · Gross margin 0.0%

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) — Stock Score Summary

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) has a MoatMap StockRank of 79/100 based on Quality (58/100), Value (57/100), and Momentum (50/100) factor scores. The current signal is BUY. This is a closed-end high-income credit fund. It completely fails the Terry Smith lens of being an asset-light, high-ROIC operating business with a structural moat, and has zero alignment with our core macro themes.

Key Financial Metrics

Price	$3.98
Market Cap	$359M
P/E (TTM)	9.21
Price/Book	0.91
Return on Equity	9.7%
Debt/Equity	47.68
Gross Margin	100.0%
Operating Margin	89.5%
Revenue Growth	-8.1%
Dividend Yield	14.9%
Free Cash Flow	$31M

Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. operates in the Asset Management industry, part of the Financial Services sector (United States).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc.’s (HIX) StockRank?: MoatMap’s StockRank for Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) is 79/100, with a Buy signal. It is a composite of Quality (58), Value (57), and Momentum (50) factor ranks across MoatMap’s 20,000+ stock universe.
Does Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. have an economic moat?: Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) has a Quality factor score of 58/100. The Quality factor combines ROIC, Piotroski F-Score, and leverage — the financial fingerprints of a durable competitive advantage. A Quality score above 70 typically indicates a company with the characteristics of a moated business.
Is Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. a buy, hold, or sell?: MoatMap’s current signal for Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) is Buy, based on a StockRank of 79/100. Signals are derived mechanically from the StockRank composite and should be one input among many — combine with your own thesis on management, competitive position, and valuation.
What sector is Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. in?: Western Asset High Income Fund II Inc. (HIX) operates in the Financial Services sector, specifically the Asset Management industry (United States).